Final answer:
Entering false information into a sales order book as directed by a supervisor, under threat of losing a promotion, is considered an ethical dilemma. It involves choosing between committing fraud for personal gain or maintaining integrity at the potential expense of career advancement, highlighting a conflict between self-interest and corporate accountability.
Step-by-step explanation:
If your supervisor directed you to enter false information into a sales order book and informed you that noncompliance would lead to a loss of promotion opportunities, you would likely consider this situation to be a ethical dilemma. An ethical dilemma occurs when you're faced with a situation where choices must be made between two competing ethical principles or values, and no matter the choice, some ethical principle is compromised. In this case, the options are committing fraud to advance one's career or upholding integrity and potentially sacrificing career advancement.
Considering the broader implications of such situations, it's important to recognize that actions taken out of self-interest that harm others or violate rules lead to an ethics problem. The approach to solving ethical issues should involve an assessment of one's duties and the pressing nature of each duty, as discussed by philosophers like Ross. Ultimately, in practice, one should make an informed decision using all available information, aiming to align with ethical standards and contribute positively to one's moral life. This case presents a clear conflict between personal interests and corporate accountability.