Case Study: Mortgages for Black FamiliesBy Kathleen Higgens and Robert Solomon
FACTS: You are an assistant branch manager at a bank where a black family has just been turned down for a mortgage, despite a good joint income and an excellent credit rating. You know that this is a common practice in this branch, because the branch manager believes that, in general, "minorities are a bad risk." The family asks you why their mortgage has been turned down.
QUESTIONS:
Q1. Who are the stakeholders?
Q2. What additional facts, if any, would you like to know before completing your analysis?
Q3. What ethical issues are involved at each of the Seven Levels of Integrity (nothing that not every case will have an issue at every level)?
- Law
- Contracts and agreements
- Professional standards
- Industry standards
- Local, regional, and area standards
- Personal relationships
- Moral and religious standards
Q4. What are the alternatives?
Q5. How does each alternative effect each stakeholder with respect to each ethical issue?
Q6. What is the best answer and why?
- How do you answer them?
- What do you do?
- Do you agree with the branch manager?
- Would you do anything differently if you were the branch manager?
- Is it ethical for you to continue to work for this bank?