Page 276 - Business Principles and Management

C HAPTER 10 A SSESSMENT

CASE IN POINT

CASE 10-1: Company E-Mail
Lauren Lemaster works at the headquarters of a major Internet corpora-
tion that has offices in five countries. The company has a strict set of rules
regarding the use of e-mail. Hackers often try to break into the operating
system to damage it, and that naturally hurts business.
The CEO sends all newly hired employees the following message: “Be
careful what you say to others, especially when sending e-mail to other
employees. A year ago a hacker learned that we were planning to buy
another business that would increase the value of the company. He took
the idea to a competitor, so we lost ‘big’ on that failed operation. For
reasons like this, we require that you sign the attached oath. The oath
states that if an employee is responsible in any way for inside informa-
tion getting to the outside, that employee will be released immediately.”
Without further thought, Lauren signed the oath, but that was two
years ago. Yesterday on her lunch hour, Lauren sent a secret e-mail
message to her best friend, Douglas, who likes to buy stock in Internet
companies when they do something new and exciting. Lauren’s mes-
sage said: “Douglas, I learned that my company has its eye on Dawson
and Donaldson, Inc. Keep it to yourself. Hopefully this will repay the
favor you did to help me get this job. Trash this message after reading it.
Lauren.”
Douglas bought stock in the company and shared the message with
several friends, who also bought stock. Then he destroyed the message.
Within 24 hours, the stock price for Dawson and Donaldson doubled.
However, Lauren’s boss called her in and fired her on the spot for violat-
ing company policy.

THINK CRITICALLY
1. Was the company’s Internet policy too severe? Why or why not?
Because Lauren wrote the e-mail on her lunch hour, is she actually
in violation of company policy?
2. How did the company find out about Lauren’s e-mail message?
3. Does Lauren have any privacy rights that would enable her to sue
the company for the loss of her job? Explain.
4. If Douglas e-mailed four friends and they each e-mailed four friends
and this happened two more times, how many people heard of the
potential purchase as a result of Lauren’s action?
5. Was Lauren as unethical as Douglas was? What responsibility does
Douglas bear for Lauren’s plight?
6. How would the 10 rules for good listening apply when Lauren and
Douglas meet to discuss what happened?

CASE 10-2: Changing Corporate Culture
As a former regional manager for Graphix International, Seth McClaren
was promoted and transferred to the Philadelphia headquarters several
years ago. A close friend, Josh Berry, manages the company’s regional
office in Atlanta. Seth called Josh and invited him to dinner to discuss

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