Final answer:
The correct answer is option b. An official responsible for overseeing all aspects of ethics and legal compliance is referred to as a chief ethics officer. This role is crucial in maintaining lawful and ethical operations within an organization, and it's distinct from positions like whistle-blowers or political players.
Step-by-step explanation:
When an official is given the responsibility of overseeing all aspects of ethics and legal compliance within a company or organization, that individual is commonly known as a chief ethics officer. The chief ethics officer plays a crucial role in ensuring that the company's operations are conducted in a lawful and ethical manner. This role involves the development, implementation, and management of programs that promote integrity and compliance with legal and ethical standards.
This position is distinguished from other roles such as a whistle-blower who reports unethical or illegal activities, a political player who may seek influence for personal or party gain, or a vice president of human resource management who oversees organization-wide HR policies and practices. In the context of political influence on regulatory actions, such as a bank supervisor facing pressure to relax enforcement, the ethical conduct of a chief ethics officer is vital in resisting such pressures and upholding the integrity of their organization.