Question

Do you think the buyer at BennyQueen Limited, Nick Coffie, is practicing ethical or unethical behavior? Explain why you think it is ethical or unethical behavior with a relevant example.

a) Ethical, as Nick is prioritizing business interests and ensuring fair competition.
b) Unethical, as Nick is pressuring Eva Holdings Tech to switch equipment without valid reasons.
c) Ethical, as Nick is safeguarding proprietary information and avoiding conflicts of interest.
d) Unethical, as Nick is unfairly favoring BennyQueen Limited over competitors.

Answer 1

The ethics of Nick Coffie's behavior is contingent on the details of his actions. Ethical behavior includes prioritizing business interests to ensure a level playing field and safeguarding proprietary information, while unethical behavior encompasses pressuring companies without reason and favoring one's company unfairly over competitors.

Step-by-step explanation:

The ethicality of Nick Coffie's actions at BennyQueen Limited depends on the specifics of his behavior that aren't fully detailed in the question. However, we can consider a few scenarios pertaining to business ethics:

• a) Ethical, as Nick is prioritizing business interests and ensuring fair competition - If Nick is acting within legal and ethical guidelines to optimize business outcomes and the competition is on a level playing field, this would be considered ethical behavior.
• b) Unethical, as Nick is pressuring Eva Holdings Tech to switch equipment without valid reasons - If Nick is exerting pressure on a company to make decisions that are not in their best interest or based on honest criteria, it would be unethical. This can harm the trust and long-term relationship between companies.
• c) Ethical, as Nick is safeguarding proprietary information and avoiding conflicts of interest - Protecting sensitive company information and steering clear of situations where personal interests could compromise professional decisions is an ethical practice in business.
• d) Unethical, as Nick is unfairly favoring BennyQueen Limited over competitors - Should Nick favor his own company to the detriment of fair competition, such as through collusion or nepotism, it undermines the ideals of a free market and is considered unethical.

For example, suppose a buyer like Nick chooses a supplier because they offered a personal incentive or kickback, despite there being more competitive offers available. This would be an unethical practice as it not only harms the company by not choosing the best offer but also damages the integrity of the market and the company's reputation.