Question One
an Union countries.
The company has a nine member board that meets quarterly to provide oversight to the organisation. The board has committees, but most of them are not functional. The company’s core values include; integrity, teamwork, transparency, innovation and accountability. These are pinned up in all the company’s offices. The 5 year (2008-2013) strategic plan includes aggressive marketing and opening up virgin markets in Europe and the Far East.
Recently, officials from the National Environment Management Agency visited the factory for routine inspection. The inspection revealed various activities that breach the environmental laws of the country. Factory effluent is discharged into Lake Ninja which is used by the local community for their water n
eeds. The effluent ought to be treated before it is released into the Lake. It has a pungent smell and also has high levels of toxic substances. The factory has an effluent treatment plant but it is currently non-functional due to a major breakdown it suffered ten months ago.
The last inspection from the agency recomm
ended that the factory be shut down unless the effluent treatment plant was functioning. The factory has previously ‘passed’ all the inspections because management used to bribe the inspectors. Monthly management meetings are held in which financial and operational management reports are discussed. Effluent disposal is often on the agenda.
There is a whistle-blowing policy in the company which is not well communicated to all staff. Most employees are aware of the fact that the effluent is released into the lake without any treatment but no one has reported the same to the environmental agency. Some, however, reported this to some board m
embers but nothing has been done about it.
There are also violations of the health and safety regulations. Employees, for example, are not given gloves to wear during the processing and packaging of fish for export.
The head of finance, Solomon Kamua, is a professional accountant and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda. Solomon is aware of these breaches but has done nothing about it. He believes any appropriate action should be the work of the internal audit department.
Victoria Fishing Company Ltd is planning to list on the Uganda Securities Exchange in three years’ time. The board has contacted the Capital Markets Authority. The authority, in its initial assessment, recommended an overhaul of the current governance structures.
Required:
- Define the term ‘corporate value statements and ethics’ and show whether Victoria Fishing Company Ltd was living their values as stated in their company profile?
(b) (i) Explain the term ‘whistle blowing’.
(ii) Giving examples from Victoria Fishing Company Ltd explain the Circumstances which whistle-blowing might be morally justifiable.
(c) Describe the various ethical dilemmas in the above scenario.
(d) Discuss the concept of corporate governance.
(e) With reference to Victoria Fishing Company Ltd, describe the roles of internal audit in corporate governance.
Question Two
Fred is a certified accountant. He runs his own accountancy firms from home, where he prepares personal taxation and small accounts for about 75 clients. Fred believes that he provides a good service and his clients generally seem happy with the work Fred provides.
At work, Fred tends to give priority to his business friends that he plays golf with. Charges made to these clients tend to be lower than others-although Fred tends to guess how much each client should be charged as this is quicker than keeping detailed time-records.
Fred is also careful not to ask too many questions about client’s affairs when preparing personal and company tax returns. His clients are grateful that Fred does not pry too far into their affairs, in some tax returns submitted by Fred. Fortunately the client has always accepted responsibility for the errors and Fred has kindly provided his services Free of charge for the next year to assist the client with any financial penalties.
Required:
Discuss whether the moral stance taken by Fred is Appropriate. [20 marks]
Question Three
- What is the difference between moral and non-moral standards? [5 marks]
(b) What are the typical ethical issues to consider when it comes to the following?
| (i) (ii) | Electronic communications. Protection of information resources. | |
| (iii) | Management of corporate funds and property. | |
| (iv)
(v)
| Business controls.
Financial reporting.
|
Question Four:
- Lawrence Kohlberg came up with a useful framework for evaluating ethics training, and he wrote down six stages of moral developme
Required:
Describe the six stages of moral development as developed by Lawrence Kohlberg.
- State and explain the types of Diversity available within the work force for the manager to consider while carrying out his administrative duties. Discuss how the diversity can be managed ethically.
Question Five:
- “Work is valued as a necessary means to other crucial goals, its one of the most important and highly valued human activities because it enables humans to earn a living” State and explain six moral rights an employee may enjoy at work place.
- State and explain for major employee responsibilities while in Organizations
Question Six
- “Trust and Loyalty” is one of the Major employee responsibilities in Organizations.
Explain circumstance when loyalty to the employer may not be proper.
- Describe the following ethical theories;
- Deontological approach
- Utilitarianism
- Egoism
- Teleological approach
- Explain the purpose of Non-Executive Directors [NEDs] and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of NEDs in a Public Limited Liability Company based on the Unitary Board Structure.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
- Explain how you would characterize a business enterprise to be an environmental system.
- What are greenhouse gases (GHGs)? Describe their sources and explain how the GHGs could be controlled in your country.
- Why do you think most environmental goods and services do not have well defined markets like other goods and services?
- Give brief explanations of the following vis-à-vis corporate environmental management:
- Environmental accounting
- Social accounting
- Is sustainable development relevant for business enterprises? If it is, then explain how?
- What is an eco-balance? List down and describe the different types of eco-balances.
- Explain how social justice could be achieved in a business enterprise.
- What is eco-efficiency? List down four eco-efficiency success factors.
- Given that your business enterprise is an exporter of certain commodities to the European Union, under what environmental circumstances would you face trade barriers?
- Explain how business opportunities may arise from the threat of increasingly stiffer regulations for a business enterprise.
- In what ways would better community relations constitute a strategic benefit for an enterprise?
- In what ways are environmental management systems (EMS) beneficial to business enterprises?
- What is product profiling, and how can it be used to achieve corporate environmental objectives?
- What is vertical integration, and how can it be used to achieve corporate environmental objectives?
- Write short notes on the following environmental policy instruments and their applicability in your country:
- Carbon tax
- Licenses
- Zoning regulations
- Performance bonds
- In what way do the following affect the environment in your country? Explain, giving practical examples.
- Eco-dumping
- Carbon miles
- Economic policy problems due to market failure
- Poverty
- Explain how the following could be achieved using corporate environmental management strategies in your organization:
- Product differentiation
- Shorter supply chains
- ISO 14001 certification
- Eco-efficiency
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