Week 1: Reflection Paper

Purpose
To assess your ability to critique an ethical dilemma.

Overview
Each week requires the completion of a 3- to 5-page paper. The purpose of these writing assignments is twofold. First, the assignments provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your comprehension of the content being covered in each week and to connect that content knowledge with the real world. Second, these writing assignments provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate effective writing and research skills in a short, focused manner.

Action Items
1. Review the assigned readings from the text and article by Carroll (1991).

2. Prepare a 3- to 5-page paper titled, Corporate Social Responsibility.

3. Reflect upon your text readings from Chapters 1 and 9 with a focus on the following core concepts:

? Organizational Social Responsibility (Chapters 1 and 9)

? The Ethical Decision-making Process (Chapter 1)

? Corporate Reputation (Chapter 9)

? The Corporate Social Responsibility Pyramid (Chapter 9)

? The Importance of Trust (Chapter 1)

? The Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility (article by Carroll and Chapter 9)

4. Read The Merck and River Blindness Case at the end of Chapter 9 of your text.

5. Compose your paper in Microsoft Word. Include your name, the assignment name and number, the course and section number, and the date on your title page. Follow APA guidelines for formatting and citations..

NOTE: Your paper must meet the minimum requirements as outlined in the section of Weekly Written Assignments of the Assignment Guidelines and the grading criteria of this assignment. You are to provide a minimum of 2-3 references in your work. For this assignment, use of general google.com or Internet search references is not acceptable. Use the university library’s scholarly databases.

6. Respond to each of the following questions and statements:

Stakeholders:
? Produce a list of all key stakeholders that you perceive to have a bona fide interest in the Merck company’s dilemma.

Corporate Social Responsibility Pyramid:
? Frame the Merck company’s ethical dilemma within the Corporate Social Responsibility Pyramid (Chapter 9). E.g. State briefly the key economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities. As a focal point, compare and contrast the economic implications against the ethical and philanthropic considerations.

Organizational Values:
? State briefly and specifically whether the decision to a) proceed with the drug project or b) not to proceed with the drug development best fits with the company’s declared organizational values and its principles of profitability.

Stakeholder Impact and Trust:
? If the drug development failed and cost hundreds of millions of dollars, would that harm to the company and its stakeholders be justifiable?

? If Merck decided not to pursue development of the new drug, what implications do you see this having for stakeholder relations such as the scientists who desire the development. E.g. Is this a trust and leadership consideration?

Final Decision:
? If you were the CEO of Merck and the final decision on this risky new drug development was yours, what would you do and why? Justify your decision. Using Carroll’s theory, are you comfortable stating your opinion to the board of trustees, employees, and media?

NOTE: Since this is an actual, real-life case, your focus should be on producing creative and new thinking that applies the ethical concepts to the material. Also, include an introduction and conclusion in your paper. You are encouraged to use the headings above in Action Item 7 in your paper for organizational purposes.