Tackling the subject of "business ethics" on the job (and in today's corporate climate, the phrase seems like an oxymoron), this program serves up several fictional scenarios built around a newly-hired software engineer named Bruce, who is faced with various ethical dilemmas at work touching on honesty, loyalty, integrity, responsibility, empathy, confidentiality, and respect. An earnest, well-intentioned video in which viewers are invited to stop the tape and discuss each segment, the program suffers from occasionally unrealistic scenarios and muddled thinking. For instance, when newbie Bruce is asked to work a weekend even though he already has plans, his totally understanding boss compromises with him (to quote business management guru Alicia Silverstone, "as if"). In another sketch, when a supervisor asks Bruce for his opinion about an engineer who is also his friend, a talking-head economics professor pops into the skit to remind viewers that while loyalty and honesty are virtues, “prudence is also a virtue.” Bruce could have answered, “He's my friend, he's creative and imaginative, but he comes in late and takes two hour lunch breaks,” but instead he merely says the guy's his friend so he can't discuss him. So, in other words, loyalty to a friend trumps the honesty and integrity owed to an employer? Unfortunately, business ethics is a more complicated topic than what is presented here. Optional. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Reagan)
Business Ethics on the Job
(2004) 21 min. VHS or DVD: $139.95 (teacher’s guide and curriculum included). Human Relations Media. PPR. Color cover. Closed captioned. ISBN: 1-55548-164-7 (vhs). Volume 19, Issue 6
Business Ethics on the Job
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