WorksheetsEthics Quiz
Total questions: 121
Worksheet time: 2hrs 33mins
Which of these concepts relates to utilitarianism?
consequences
actions
character
duty
True or false? According to the Greek system of logic introduced by Socrates, normative ethical theories ultimately are grounded in reason.
True
False
Explain why ethical responsibilities go beyond legal compliance.
Ethics are based only on company policies.
Laws always change, but ethics never do.
Legal compliance sets the minimum standard, while ethics aim for what is right.
Ethical actions are only required in international business.
Describe the difference between normative and descriptive ethical theories.
Normative theories describe how people actually behave, while descriptive theories prescribe how they should behave.
Normative theories are based on law, while descriptive theories are based on religion.
Normative theories prescribe ethical standards, while descriptive theories explain how people behave ethically.
Descriptive theories are always more accurate than normative ones.
Which of the following is not a stakeholder?
the media
corporate culture
the environment
customers
True or false? According to Milton Friedman, a company's social responsibility consists solely of bettering the welfare of society.
True
False
What is corporate social responsibility (CSR)?
A legal requirement for companies to pay taxes.
A business approach that only focuses on profit.
A company's obligation to act in ways that benefit society and the environment.
A marketing strategy to promote new products.
Describe a practical way to prioritize the claims of stakeholders.
Always serve customers first, no matter the situation.
Ignore stakeholders who are not shareholders.
Use a stakeholder map to evaluate influence and importance.
Let the marketing department handle all stakeholder issues.
Describe how a company's ethical business practices affect its goodwill.
They reduce profits in the long term.
They build trust and a positive reputation with the public.
They make the company more secretive.
They are only important for non-profit organizations.
True or false? Family is generally a strong influence on our ethical standards.
True
False
Which normative ethical theory supports the idea of holding multiple ethical standards?
deontology
utilitarianism
virtue ethics
none of the above
Describe the benefits of having a single ethical standard.
It allows companies to ignore cultural differences.
It reduces confusion and ensures consistency in decision-making.
It makes it easier to change ethical guidelines regularly.
It encourages every employee to create their own rules.
Which of the following is not an intellectual virtue according to Aristotle?
the basic order of life
knowledge
wisdom
prudence
Deliberative prudence does all the following except ________.
align ends and means
encourage prodigality
avoid conflict
prevent rash behavior
True or false? According to Aristotle, happiness is a virtuous activity of the soul.
True
False
True or false? It is possible to act deliberately and shrewdly in a good way or toward a good end.
True
False
How might virtue ethics apply to contemporary business?
It emphasizes compliance with strict regulations.
It focuses solely on profitability.
It encourages character development and moral integrity in decision-making.
It eliminates the need for codes of conduct.
Quan means which of the following?
adherence to the past
philosophic tradition
practicality
insistence on protocol
The Analects of Confucius ________.
are similar to Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
represent an oral tradition
reflect Buddhist ideals
codify a system of virtue ethics
True or false? Confucian virtue ethics is similar to the Aristotelian version in that both are very practical.
True
False
True or false? According to Confucius, the hope for reform of Chinese society was a centralized planning system.
True
False
How can wholeheartedness and sincerity serve as models of risk assessment?
By promoting a rigid system of control
By encouraging thoughtful, ethical decision-making in uncertain conditions
By removing emotion from analysis
By maximizing output without regard for stakeholder impact
"Control" as used in this section does not refer to which of the following?
reverence
phrónēsis
temperance
Confucian self-regulation
Managerial ethics is related to which of the following?
shareholder wealth
righteousness
bureaucracy
honor
True or false? In both East and West, the means used to achieve a certain end are often more important than the end.
True
False
True or false? Individualism was the greatest value in Confucian ethics.
True
False
Utilitarianism is a system that ________.
considers historical conditions
approaches Aristotelian deliberation
builds on natural law theory
attempts to quantify the good
In On Liberty, John Stuart Mill ________.
proposes a harm principle
exalts libertarianism
prescribes a consequentialist answer to ethical crises
rejects rights
True or false? John Stuart Mill's emphasis on human rights distinguishes him from Jeremy Bentham.
True
False
How does utilitarianism affect contemporary business practice?
It discourages weighing stakeholder impact.
It supports decision-making that maximizes overall benefit for all stakeholders.
It emphasizes tradition over innovation.
It eliminates the need for corporate governance.
Does the value that John Stuart Mill placed on the deliberative process and individual expression as the main ways of arriving at truth have any relevance for political debate today?
Yes, because it supports inclusive dialogue and evidence-based decision-making.
No, because political systems now rely solely on majority votes.
No, because public opinion overrides individual reasoning.
Yes, because it allows for centralized planning.
Immanuel Kant objected to dogmatism in ________.
religion
science
both A and B
neither A nor B
True or false? Immanuel Kant contended that people often interpret reason subjectively.
True
False
True or false? A criticism of Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative is that its refusal ever to permit exceptions in acting ethically is impossible to observe in life.
True
False
What are the essential differences between John Stuart Mill's version of utilitarianism and Immanuel Kant's deontology?
Mill focuses on outcomes, while Kant emphasizes duty and universal moral law.
Both rely on consequences.
Kant endorses emotional reasoning, unlike Mill.
Mill and Kant agree entirely on ethics.
How does Kantian ethics work in a business setting?
It justifies profit maximization.
It promotes ethical relativism.
It supports decisions based on duty and respect for individuals as ends, not means.
It allows rules to be broken for efficiency.
John Rawls's theory of justice is based on which of the following?
cognitive structures
moral duty
social contract theory
survival of the fittest
The "veil of ignorance" ensures which of the following?
mass delusion
objectivity
self-reliance
Enlightenment reason
True or false? John Rawls's theory of justice is mainly non-Utilitarian.
True
False
A distinguishing characteristic of justice theory is that it emphasizes method over content.
True
False
What challenges does Rawlsian justice theory present when it comes to the redistribution of goods and services in society?
It supports absolute equality in all cases.
It must balance fairness with incentives for productivity.
It emphasizes cultural relativism.
It eliminates private property.
Maintaining trust between stakeholders and organizations is ________.
the stakeholder's responsibility
an ethical minimum
an ethical maximum
a social contract
True or false? Companies are required to provide amenities to their employees to fulfill the social contract between management and employees as stakeholders.
True
False
Choose your favorite brand. List at least five of its key stakeholder groups.
A shareholder is a stakeholder who ________.
holds stock for investment
has a general interest in the fate of all publicly traded companies
focuses on the means by which firms get their products to market
always purchases the product or service of a particular company
A stakeholder claim ________.
is usually a complaint
is always financial
is any matter of concern for the corporation or company
is the same as a lawsuit
Explain how the normative approach to stakeholder theory informs the instrumental aspect and the descriptive approach.
It provides ethical justification for treating stakeholders as ends in themselves, influencing how stakeholder relationships are described and managed for strategic outcomes.
It focuses solely on profit maximization, which drives stakeholder loyalty and descriptive accuracy.
It ignores ethics and instead emphasizes measurable business performance.
It suggests that stakeholder management is only useful if it increases shareholder wealth.
What is the most important quadrant in the influence/interest matrix?
High interest / Low influence
High influence / High interest
Low influence / Low interest
Low interest / High influence
In correct order, the stakeholder management steps adapted from the approach of the MITRE consulting firm are to ________.
build trust, identify stakeholders, prioritize claims, visualize changes, and perform triage
build trust, identify stakeholders, gather and analyze data, present results, make changes, and prepare a communication strategy
build trust, identify stakeholders, gather and analyze data, present findings to management, and communicate key messages to stakeholders conveying the company's appreciation of them
identify stakeholders, gather and analyze data, make changes, and present results
True or false? Stakeholder management practice ultimately is about valuing stakeholder contributions to a firm, no matter how significant, inspired, or influential that contribution might not be.
True
False
Name the three components of the triple bottom line.
Price, Promotion, Profit
People, Planet, Profit
Planning, Process, Product
Purpose, Power, Performance
What does the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act require of businesses that operate in California?
To disclose their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their supply chains
To annually report profit margins to shareholders
To register their supply chains with federal authorities
To eliminate all offshore labor contracts
True or false? Corporate social responsibility is a voluntary action for companies.
True
False
The Dow Jones Sustainability Indices provides information for ________.
investors who seek quick profit
investors who seek long-term returns
investors who value CSR in companies
marketing promotions of each of its members
True or false? Corporations that embrace CSR policies consistently produce a lower rate of return on investment for shareholders.
True
False
True or false? Milton Friedman's economic philosophy advocates increased government regulation to ensure that corporations are socially responsible.
True
False
Which of the following is not true?
Shareholder primacy is the clear legal precedent in the United States.
Maximizing shareholder profits is a legitimate goal of management.
Dividends are paid out of corporate profits.
Companies that pursue CSR policies can also be profitable.
Industries like to be in control of their own destiny and as a result prefer self-regulation to laws imposed by governments. Self-regulation is often ________.
based on external codes of conduct
enforced by the courts
in conflict with common law
less costly for firms than government regulation
Identify two benefits for a company following a policy of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Improved company image and reputation and increased ability to attract and retain talent.
Reduced operating costs by cutting social programs and monopolized the market through unfair competitive practices.
Avoided environmental and labor regulations and reduced scrutiny from stakeholders and the public.
Increased political power through lobbying and achieved maximum short-term profits without regard for ethics.
What is earth jurisprudence?
A legal philosophy that views human laws as separate from and superior to natural laws, prioritizing human economic growth above all else.
An emerging philosophy of law and governance that seeks to shift human societies from an anthropocentric (human-centered) worldview to an Earth-centric worldview, recognizing the inherent rights and value of nature.
A set of international treaties designed to regulate global environmental pollution and promote industrial development.
A historical legal system based on ancient Roman law, which established property rights for natural resources.
Which of the following best describes the tragedy of the commons?
People are always willing to sacrifice for the good of society.
People are likely to use all the natural resources they want without regard to others.
The common good of the people is a popular corporate goal.
Tragedies occur when there is too much government regulation.
ISOs are sustainability standards for businesses ________.
promulgated by the state government
promulgated by the federal government
promulgated by the World Trade Organization
none of the above
True or false? If environmental harm is discovered, the business entity causing it is frequently held liable by both the government and the victims of the harm in separate proceedings.
True
False
Which of the following is a potentially effective way to reduce global warming?
build more coal-burning power plants
build more diesel-burning cars
implement a carbon tax
implement tax-free gasoline
True or false? The law prohibits all executives from serving in senior government posts and then leaving to go back to work for the same company in the private sector.
True
False
True or false? Air pollution is regulated by three levels of government: local, state, and federal.
True
False
Which of the following is true?
Very few business executives have ever left private jobs to go into government service.
Most government regulatory agencies are funded by donations.
Numerous executives have left Goldman Sachs to go to work for the government.
Few people leave government service to go into the private sector.
Which of the following constitutional provisions gives regulatory power to the federal government?
First Amendment
Tenth Amendment
Commerce Clause
Supremacy Clause
The Citizens United case ________.
upheld existing law limiting spending on behalf of political candidates
overturned existing law
sent the case back to the lower court to be re-tried
created more restrictive limits on political spending
What Amendment was at the center of the Citizens United case?
First Amendment
Second Amendment
Fourth Amendment
Fifth Amendment
The fact that a McDonald's in Indonesia might provide sambal chili sauce to its customers rather than ketchup is as an example of ________.
acculturation
consumerism
enculturation
globalization
What is the major difference between enculturation and acculturation?
Enculturation is learning your first culture, while acculturation is learning a second culture
Enculturation focuses on individual values, acculturation on societal norms
Enculturation happens through formal education, acculturation through informal interaction
Enculturation is voluntary, acculturation is involuntary
How might consumerism be at odds with the growing concern for business ethics?
Consumerism promotes frugality, while business ethics encourages spending
Consumerism often prioritizes immediate gratification and material acquisition, which can conflict with ethical considerations like sustainability, fair labor practices, and resource depletion
Consumerism leads to a decrease in product quality, which ethical businesses aim to improve
Consumerism discourages innovation, whereas business ethics fosters it
True or False? Globalization is evidence that business is culturally neutral.
True
False
Protecting owners' interests was a common feature of ________.
the Industrial Revolution
the Information Age
the Dodd-Frank Act
muckraking
True or false? All ethical standards are relative and should be treated as such.
True
False
True or false? The United Nations Global Compact is a set of standards that is binding worldwide.
True
False
What did the decision in Shlensky v. Wrigley (1968) establish in ethical terms? How does it compare to the decision in Dodge v. Ford Motor Company (1919)?
Shlensky v. Wrigley reinforced the idea that corporations primarily exist to serve shareholder interests, similar to Dodge v. Ford Motor Company's emphasis on profit maximization
Shlensky v. Wrigley suggested that managers could consider broader stakeholders, while Dodge v. Ford Motor Company strictly upheld shareholder primacy
Shlensky v. Wrigley was about environmental ethics, and Dodge v. Ford Motor Company was about labor ethics
Shlensky v. Wrigley focused on consumer rights, whereas Dodge v. Ford Motor Company addressed executive compensation
Values of Protestant Christianity were often used to justify ________.
mercantilism
Standard Oil's overseas investments
business success during the Industrial Revolution
secular humanism
True or false? Religion continues to be a forceful influence on ethical systems.
True
False
Define localization and name at least three items that might be included as part of a localization effort.
Localization is the process of adapting a product or service to a particular locale or market. Examples: language translation, currency adaptation, cultural norms for design, legal compliance, local payment methods
Localization is the process of centralizing business operations. Examples: global headquarters, international supply chains, universal marketing campaigns
Localization is the process of identifying universal ethical standards. Examples: human rights, environmental protection, fair trade
Localization is the process of reducing production costs. Examples: outsourcing, automation, mass production
How would you reconcile cultural differences between so-called contact and noncontact cultures in the context of business negotiations?
By exclusively using written communication to avoid misinterpretation
By adapting communication styles based on the cultural norms of the other party, e.g., maintaining more physical distance with noncontact cultures and being open to closer interaction with contact cultures, and being mindful of nonverbal cues
Businesses today are concerned with balancing profitability with responsibility. Therefore, they should ________.
pay attention to culture
go beyond compliance
hire moral people
hire outside consultants to monitor their supply chain.
What are the levels upon which business ethics exists?
compliance and governance
federal, state, and local
normative and descriptive
individual, organizational, and societal
Why is conscience the locus or center of ethical behavior in business?
Because conscience is dictated by external regulations and laws
Because an individual's conscience serves as an internal moral compass, guiding decisions and actions based on personal values and a sense of right and wrong, even when external rules are absent or unclear
Because conscience is primarily concerned with maximizing profit
Because conscience ensures conformity to industry standards
Describe the challenge of identifying a universal set of ethics.
The challenge lies in the fact that ethical beliefs are entirely consistent across all cultures and individuals
The challenge arises because different cultures, religions, and philosophical traditions have varying moral frameworks, making it difficult to establish a single, universally accepted set of ethical principles that applies to everyone in all situations
The challenge is primarily technological, related to data collection and analysis
The challenge is that businesses are not interested in universal ethics
How does humanities in ethics differ from a humanistic business model?
Humanities in ethics refers to the study of ethical principles through disciplines like philosophy, literature, and history, providing a broad framework for understanding moral dilemmas. A humanistic business model, however, is a practical application that prioritizes human well-being, dignity, and flourishing within the business operations, often focusing on employee satisfaction, customer respect, and societal impact
Humanities in ethics focuses on economic theories, while a humanistic business model focuses on profit
Humanities in ethics is about legal compliance, while a humanistic business model is about marketing
Humanities in ethics is an outdated concept, while a humanistic business model is modern
How often should managers in a workplace anticipate an inspection from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration?
every day
once a month
upon request or complaint
never
True or false? Sexual harassment is unethical but not illegal.
True
False
What are examples of benefits or perks that women usually value more than men?
Free parking and business travel opportunities
Stock options and high-risk bonuses
Flexible work hours and parental leave
Team-building retreats and office snacks
What can a company do to try to reduce sexual harassment?
Implement clear policies and mandatory training programs
Increase wages only
Avoid hiring diverse candidates
Limit HR access
According to data presented in the chapter, about how much do women earn in comparison with men doing the same job?
a lot less (about 40%-50%)
somewhat less (about 70%-80%)
almost the same (95%)
about the same (100%)
True or false? Minimum wages are established by federal law only.
True
False
True or false? Minimum wages have at least kept pace with the cost of living, because of the automatic cost-of-living adjustment clause in the law.
True
False
Why have some states raised minimum wages above the federal minimum?
Federal laws require it
To address local cost-of-living increases and ensure fair wages
To attract international investors
To comply with UN labor standards
What are some of the reasons that have contributed to women making less than men in similar jobs?
Women generally work fewer hours because of family responsibilities.
Women often enter lower-paying occupations.
Discrimination in the workplace still exists.
All of the above.
In the United States, CEO pay is on average ________ times as high as the pay of the average worker in the same company.
30
50
100
300
True or false: U.S. union membership today is at the lowest level since the 1950s.
True
False
True or false: The right to work without joining a union is controlled by federal law.
True
False
Why is union membership at an all-time low?
Workers today are more satisfied with their wages and working conditions than in the past.
The rise of service-sector and gig-economy jobs, which are harder to unionize.
Government policies strongly support union growth.
Unions now represent more international workers than domestic ones.
How does executive pay in the United States compare to that in other countries?
It is significantly higher than in most developed nations
It is similar to that in Canada and Germany
It is regulated strictly by law
It is based on collective bargaining agreements
True or false? Advance permission from employees is required before they can be electronically monitored under federal law.
True
False
True or false? Workplace drug testing is completely prohibited in some states.
True
False
Why would a company want to monitor Internet use at work?
To spy on employees' political views
To ensure productivity and prevent misuse of company resources
To replace employee evaluations
To sell employee data
What are the two major exceptions to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act that weaken its protections of employee privacy rights?
Parental control and social media clauses
Consent by the employee and business-related exception
National security clause and AI surveillance
Data backup and cloud storage exceptions
Should drug testing of employees be allowed?
Yes, to ensure compliance with marketing goals
No, it is a violation of constitutional rights
Yes, if it is justified by job safety or performance concerns
Only in federal agencies
The common law concept that requires an employee to render loyal and faithful service to the employer is ________.
An employee who works in the graphic design department of a large advertising agency most likely cannot moonlight after business hours for a friend's ________.
True or false? All fifty states require that an employee refrain from acting in a manner contrary to the employer's interest.
True
False
Based on a non-compete agreement, what should the employee avoid creating with the employer?
What duty requires an employee to maintain the secrecy of proprietary material, such as trade secrets, intellectual property, and customer data?
Which of the following is especially important for developing and maintaining employee loyalty to the brand?
Efforts to get employees to believe in the product, to commit to the idea that the company is selling something worth buying, and even to think about buying it are part of ________.
True or false? Employees are more likely to develop some degree of brand loyalty when they have a common sense of purpose and identity with the company.
True
False
Why should employees care about the way they treat customers?
A patient becomes violent on hospital premises after being turned down for the clinical trial of a new drug therapy. This scenario fits which of the following workplace violence categories?
Understanding the various personalities at work can be a complex task, but it is an important one for developing which of the following?
True or false? Emotional intelligence is a willingness to step into someone else's shoes.
True
False
Regardless of their working style, preferences, or quirks, what do employees owe one another?
What are the four categories of violence at work, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)?
The buying or selling of stocks, bonds, or other investments based on nonpublic information that is likely to favorably affect the price of the security being traded is which of the following?
