Case Analysis on Business Ethics: United Airlines, Starbucks, and Quality Assurance Engineer

This case analysis discusses the ethical issues faced by United Airlines, Starbucks, and a Quality Assurance Engineer. It examines the relevant facts, stakeholders, and alternative solutions. Recommendations are provided to improve business ethics.

Running Head: CASE ANALYSIS
Case Analysis
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1CASE ANALYSIS
Case #1:
Executive summary –
The present case study is about the United Airlines, the securities of
which inhumanly humiliated an old man for occupying his paid seat while the
flight wax overbooked.
Introduction-
Ethics are an essential part of in the daily live as well as in the
business world. It helps to retain the loyal customers, attract investors as
well as contributes in business growth (Barry 2016). Hence, it should be
followed by every organization.
Discussion-
 What are the relevant facts in this case?
The most relevant fact of this case is the lack of ethics in the securities of the United
Airlines. The passenger had paid for the seat and it is illegal to remove a passenger just
because the flight is overbooked. Another fact is that people have become almost
insensitive towards each other. From the video it is evident that other passengers were
busy recording the video instead of saving the old man inhumanly beaten up.
 What are the ethical issues?

2CASE ANALYSIS
The first ethical issue is that the flight accepted overbooking. The second is that when
the fight management could not control the number of bookings, they did not have the
right to demean a senior citizen and beat him inhumanly even after his right to have a seat
in the flight. The third ethical issue is that, the CEO of the United Airlines addressed the
old man as “disruptive and belligerent “. The leaders are followed by his subordinates but
here the leader himself is indifferent towards the incident (Youtube.com 2019).
 Who are the primary stakeholders in the case?
The primary stakeholders of the case are the CEO/ leader, the passengers/ customers, the
securities/ employees and the organization itself (Crane and Matten 2016).
 What was United alternative solution?
The alternative solution for the United Airlines was that, when the management saw that
the flight has become overbooked and there is not enough seat for each passenger, it
could have resolved the situation by arranging seats for half of the passengers in the next
flight or in another flight at the same time.
 Why Dao did not leave peacefully?
Dao did not leave peacefully because he had paid the required amount of money for the
journey and the seat. It was his right to have a seat and conduct the journey.
 Dis Dao violated the Airline rules and regulations?
No, he did everything according to the laws. Moreover, the organization went against the
laws.
 Could United resolve the issue differently?

3CASE ANALYSIS
Yes, they could. They could have handles the matter ethically paying sensitivity towards
the passengers and explaining to him about the problem. Then the passenger should have
been shifted to another flight.
 Was it unethical issue or bad judgement?
It was completely unethical of the United Airlines because it is prohibited to accept flight
bookings after the seats are full.
Recommendations and Conclusion
After the above case study, it can be recommended that the CEO must change his
leadership style and attitudes because he is the role model whom the subordinates will follow.
The reputation of the United Airlines will keep staining if the management stays alike.
Case #2
Executive Summary
This paper aims at describing how Starbucks Philadelphia dealt with
the customers waiting for someone other not buying anything. The CEO of
the company expresses his grief over the harsh behavior of the store
manager towards the two black men.
Introduction
The business ethics is a set of standards which every organization
should maintain and lack of it can easily diminish the public image (Taylor-
Bianco 2017). The mission and vision statement of a company states how they

4CASE ANALYSIS
serve the community and the people. The deviation from it can highly affect
the business.
Discussion
 What are the relevant facts in this case?
In the case of Starbucks few serious aspects come forth. First of all, the store
manager in Philadelphia Starbucks lacked the ethics of how to deal with the
customers. Secondly, even after the unconscious bias training conducted by
the company, they mistreated the customers for a usual incident. They
called the police showing their racial discrimination against the two black
men. Hence, the organization needs ethical leadership and at the same time
cross-cultural training too.
 Who is involved?
The important stakeholders in this matter are the customers (the two black
men), the store manager and the organization itself (Wallace and Sheldon 2015).
 Did the manger violate Starbucks policy?
Yes, the manager maligned the policies of Starbucks. It rather stained the
mission and vision statement of the company which is dedicated towards
providing best quality product along with best customer service. The mission
and vision statement of a company is what they should stick to (Pearson 2017).
 What the manger should have done differently?

5CASE ANALYSIS
The manager should have behaved better with them and asked them what
they needed. When they were neither violating the rules of the stores nor
were they harming anyone, they must have been treated with respect
irrespective of their color or race (Mea and Sims 2018).
 Why both men did not leave peacefully?
They did not leave peacefully because they were waiting for a third friend to
come.
 Was it really a racist case or bad judgement?
It was a bad judgment case. However, up to some extent, it was a racist
case. Before the incident, Starbucks had no companywide policy about
asking customers to leave, and the decision was left to the discretion of each
store manager.
 How was the reaction of CEO?
The CEO said that their training led to a bad outcome—the basis for the call
to the Philadelphia police department was wrong.” (Youtube.com 2019).
 Was the CEO genuine in his reaction or it was public relations move?
The CEO Kevin Johnson was genuine in his reaction because as he took full
responsibility for the employees and met with the two black men directly to
involve them in dialogue on what Starbucks needed to do differently.
 What are the ethical issues in this case?

6CASE ANALYSIS
The ethical issues in this case are the failure of the Starbucks store manager
to manage the customers and their needs. Philadelphia Starbucks lacked the
ethics of how to deal with the customers.
Recommendation and Conclusion
After the above case analysis, it can be recommended that Starbucks
should review their employee training as well as revive the leader’s qualities
too. The business ethics must be taught throughout the organization to avoid
further incidents.
Case #3
Executive Summary
The present case study deals with the use of unethical ways to win industry competition.
It examines whether it is ethical of a Quality Assurance Engineer to follow unethical ways that
can harm the privacy of the customers.
Introduction
The adoption of unethical behavior even in the business competition can be crucial for a
particular business. In the rush of winning over the competition, organizations can harm their
long term relationship with the customers by lowering their morale (Taylor-Bianco et al. 2017).
The short term focus often leads to the downfall of the company.
Discussion

7CASE ANALYSIS
 Is this an ethical way to conduct business?
This is indeed not an ethical way to conduct business. A business should be aimed at
delivering proper service to the community without causing harm to any of the stakeholders
or the society. Ethics should be followed regarding the policies, practices, corporate
governance, discrimination, bribery, CSR and other fiduciary responsibilities (Taylor-Bianco
et al. 2017).
 How Rachel can determine when to ship or not to ship?
Rachel can begin the shipping when the quality control test is done within
the short time period of six months. Sending faulty products can cause
severe data loss of the customers which is unethical and stain the reputation
of the company too.
 Who is at fault here? Rachel or her company?
Both are equally over here. First of all, the company should give more time
to the quality control tests so that each product can be tested accurately. In
the rush to meet the deadlines, the products are left untested. The fault of
Rachel is that she is misusing her position as the Quality Assurance Engineer.
The safety of the products is depended on her but she is more concerned
about the competition instead of the loss of the faulty products might incur.
 Is it an integrity breach or business as usual?
This is not called usual business at all. Integrity in business means
maintaining the accuracy, consistency and the trustworthiness (Mea and Sims

8CASE ANALYSIS
2018). Rachel is breaching the integrity of the business operations of the
company.
 Should Rachel stand up and confront her boss about this unethical
shipment?
First of all, she should not ship the unchecked products at any cost. She must
ask the company authority for more manpower of techno-power which can
accelerate the process. In case she ships the, she must confess her boss
about this unethical shipment and put efforts to stop the damage from
occurring.
 Does competition justify her shipping decision?
Competition does not justify her unethical shipping decision because
competition never asks for such. It is true that without contrary, there is no
progression (Fisher and Lovell 2006). Hence, competition is healthy as it keeps
the price at control and quality at supreme. Following unethical means to win
over the competitor is not wining at all and only can bring in short –term
success (McCloskey 2017).
 Is it a fair practice not to apply quality assurance in this case?
It is unfair not to apply quality assurance in this case.
 Why not?

9CASE ANALYSIS
It is because, quality is what a customer pays for. The deterioration in the
quality of the product can disrupt the harmony of relationship with the
customers (Davies 2016).
Recommendations and Conclusion
After the above case analysis, it can be recommended that the company should recheck
the quality assurance their firm and train the employees as well as the executives regarding the
ethical behavior while doing business. The fundamentals of business ethics need to be
communicated among the workforce.

10CASE ANALYSIS
Reference
Barry, N., 2016. Business ethics. Springer.
Crane, A. and Matten, D., 2016. Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and
sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press.
Davies, P.W., 2016. Current issues in business ethics. Routledge.
Fisher, C. and Lovell, A., 2006. Business ethics and values: Individual, corporate and
international perspective’.
McCloskey, D.N., 2017. Wealth, Commerce, and Philosophy: Foundational Thinkers and
Business Ethics. University of Chicago Press.
Mea, W.J. and Sims, R.R., 2018. Human Dignity-Centered Business Ethics: A Conceptual
Framework for Business Leaders. Journal of Business Ethics, pp.1-17.
Pearson, R., 2017. Business ethics as communication ethics: Public relations practice and the
idea of dialogue. In Public relations theory (pp. 111-131). Routledge.
Taylor-Bianco, A., Tucker, M., Rosado Feger, A. and Barnett, T., 2017. Teaching" Business"
Ethics: Affecting Change through Self-Regulation and Reflection. Journal of Instructional
Pedagogies, 19.

11CASE ANALYSIS
Wallace, M. and Sheldon, N., 2015. Business research ethics: Participant observer
perspectives. Journal of Business Ethics, 128(2), pp.267-277.
YouTube. (2019). Social media video shows arrests of black men at Philadelphia Starbucks.
[online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWBVxTEgoYk [Accessed 29 Jan.
2019].
Youtube.com (2019). United Airlines CEO issues an apology to the passenger dragged off plane.
[online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdWe6I3hBxk [Accessed
29 Jan. 2019].