Professional Environment Case Study: Mandy's Ethical Dilemma Analysis

This case study presents Mandy's ethical dilemma, where she discovers employees accessing inappropriate websites using company computers, against company regulations. Mandy's manager directs her to provide data on these employees. The case explores the application of MacDonald's methodology for resolving ethical issues, emphasizing the importance of explicit company rules, specific guidelines for different departments, employee involvement in rule-making, and clear enforcement policies. The analysis also provides advice to Brenda on how to navigate this situation, emphasizing adherence to the ACS code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, seeking legal advice, and communicating with both employees and management to address the unethical conduct and establish a written code of conduct. The case also lists the ACS Code of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct to resolve the ethical dilemma.

Running head: PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT
Professional Environment
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Mandy’s ethical dilemma
Mandy has come across the fact that some of the employees has accessed web pages
that are not supposed to be opened at work using the office computers as per the company
regulation. Mandy’s manager directed her to provide data of the employees who has been
visiting questionable websites like pornographic sites. Mandy has the knowledge that as per her
data several employees would be penalized irrespective of the fact that the employees have not
been made to sign any agreement that would abstain them from visiting such websites. Mandy’s
dilemma wants her to be true to her job while at the same time protect the employees who had
no idea about the regulation of not visiting the questionable websites.
MacDonald’s methodology to resolve issue
The MacDonald’s methodology of resolving issue is implemented on this case study to
solve Mandy’s dilemma. The methodology lays down certain standards, which helps to tackle
ethical issues in a corporate setup (Liu, Mai and MacDonald 2018). Among many, some of the
aspects of MacDonald’s methodology that is relevant to the case study are discussed below:
 Expressly specify implementation
Companies must specify its rules and regulations explicitly to the employees. Rules that
are imperative to company’s ethics and must be followed strictly, should be discussed with the
employees and if needed must be covered by an agreement. (Liu, Mai and MacDonald 2018)
 Specified rules for particular job role
The Company should make specific rules for the specific department, as different
departments carry out distinct functions, which may require certain infrastructure, or amenities
that another department may not need. Therefore, Mandy should take an initiative to make
provisions for laying down specific rules for the office pertaining to visiting questionable
websites.
 Employee involvement
A popular concept in modern corporate governance is that the companies should
incorporate its employee’s opinion while framing or revising its rules. Therefore, Mandy should
arrange for a poll where the employees would share their views and opinion on visiting
websites, which are not related to their work (Liu, Mai and MacDonald 2018).
 Clear rules of enforcement
Along with laying down the rules that would govern the employees, they must be made
aware of the consequences of the contravention of such rules as well. Mandy must call for a
meeting with the employees who have been visiting the questionable websites and must warn
them about their unethical conduct.
Advice to Brenda
It is a mandate to act according to the principles, rules and regulations of the company,
as per the ACS code of Ethics and ACS code of Professional Conduct. In the given case,
Mandy must enquire whether the employees have the basic knowledge of the corporate ethics
and professional conduct. The employees needs to be directed to carry out the job roles with
utmost sincerity, integrity, professionalism and confidentiality. Care and respect towards the

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workplace is essential. Mandy must follow the code of Ethics and code of Professional Conduct
to resolve the ethical dilemma. She should take advisory help from a legal professional
regarding her status and situation in the company, whether her position would be jeopardized
due to her ethical dilemma, without disclosing the identity of the employees who are allegedly
visiting questionable websites, during office hours, using the office resources (Apesb.org.au
2018).
Mandy should have a discussion with the employees who have been making use of the
company resources to visit questionable websites during work hours. She needs to educate and
advise them not use make a further use of visiting objectionable websites in the office hours
using the office computer. Mandy must also make them aware of the provision of penalty in
case they do not comply with the rules in future. On the other hand, Mandy must advise her
manager to lay down the rules in writing for the employees to follow regarding using the office
computer to open such websites (Acwa.org.au 2018).
Communication regarding the matter
Mandy must communicate with the employees who have been visiting objectionable
websites using office resources about their unethical conduct so that it gives them a scope to
rectify their mistakes. In addition, she must communicate with the manager and other people in
the higher authority to arrange for laying down a written code of conduct for the employees,
pertaining to the use of company resources in particular. She should also pray for another
chance on behalf of the employees who are to be penalized (Apesb.org.au 2018).

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* Not within the word limit *
List of ACS Code of Ethics:
1. Competence
2. Honesty
3. Professional development (Acs.org.au 2018).
List of ACS Code of Professional Conduct:
1. Honesty
2. Professional development
3. Professionalism
4. Competence
5. Enhancement of quality of life (Acs.org.au 2018).
Mandy should apply these code of ethics and code of professional conduct to resolve
her ethical dilemma. Competency requires her to make the defaulters realize their mistakes.
Honesty requires the employee to honest with their job role. Professionalism would make the
employees aware of the rules and regulations of the company and act accordingly.
Professional development would require the defaulters polish their knowledge of corporate
conduct (Acs.org.au 2018).

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References:
Acs.org.au. (2018). ACS - The Professional Association for Australia's ICT sector. [online]
Available at: https://www.acs.org.au/ [Accessed 16 Nov. 2018].
Acwa.org.au. (2018). Code of ethics and Practice guidelines - Australian Community Workers
Association | ACWA. [online] Available at: http://www.acwa.org.au/resources/ethics-and-
standards [Accessed 16 Nov. 2018].
Apesb.org.au. (2018). Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board. [online] Available
at: http://www.apesb.org.au/page.php?id=12 [Accessed 16 Nov. 2018].
Liu, Y., Mai, F., & MacDonald, C. (2018). A Big-Data Approach to Understanding the Thematic
Landscape of the Field of Business Ethics, 1982–2016. Journal of Business Ethics, 1-24.