What ethical issue or dilemma was Bob Hopkins facing?
Bob Hopkins was facing the ethical issue, the essence of which is that he didn’t want to sell the lumber to the customer, because he knew that the lumber will probably be used not on purpose. Bob found out that the ordered lumber will be used as a scaffold plank. He knew very well that grading rules on scaffold plank were very restrictive. Although, his company provides the high quality 3 x 12s lumber, Bob still concerned that they are not intended for use as a scaffold plank.
Who were the stakeholders and what were their conflicting values in Bob’s decision?
Hint: When Bob Hopkins called a faculty member of SUNY-New Paltz for advice, the professor responded, “Bob, to make your decision, you might need to think of the roles of yourself, John White, your coworkers in White Lumber, Stan Parrish, the Foreman at the end-purchaser’s firm, and the workers who will be standing on the scaffolding.”
John White, Stan Parrish and the Foreman at the end-purchaser’s firm are the stakeholders in the deal of the sale of lumber. John White has a direct benefit because his company will have a good profit, especially since the deal will take place in February, although this time of year is more unprofitable than profitable for the White Lumber Company. Stan Parrish also has the benefit in this deal, as it promises a good income to him personally and his superiors. Especially because he is working on it for more than three months. The Foreman at the end-purchaser’s firm will have the bigger benefit as he is going to purchase the material and to cut down the costs. Because this kind of lumber will cost cheaper than a specific scaffold plank.
What alternatives did Bob have? Analyze the consequences of each alternative.
Bob Hopkins has two alternatives:
He doesn’t agree to make a deal. In this case, consequences will be as follows: the company, in particular his boss and Bob, will not get a profit, and this situation can dramatically worsen Bob's relationship with his boss, up to Bob's termination (Bob had a conversation with his boss, and then he simply did not follow directions of John White).
He agrees to make a deal. The consequences are as follows: White Lumber Company and Bob in particular will have a benefit, but Bob, going against his moral principles, will receive psychological stress.
What should Bob do? Provide your evidence and rationale to support your solutions.
Bob Hopkins must choose the alternative of selling the lumber. In this case, he and his boss will have a profit. In my view, in this situation John's position is the right one. Pursuing business for many years, John White was able to learn how to be guided by logic, not by emotion. And this is what Bob has to learn. He must absorb the situation as a step in his career development, not as unsolvable problem. Bob’s desire to monitor the use of lumber, which he sells, is entirely divorced from reality. Cause it is virtually impossible to assume responsibility for all links in the chain, which forms the product way, till it reaches the end-purchaser. Take for example a company, that manufactures such products as household knives. After all, they do not stop the sale of the goods, despite the fact that they know the statistics, on which the household knife is not only used for its intended purpose, but also as an instrument of injury as a result of domestic quarrels. After all, a firm that manufactures household knives can’t, and even is not obliged, to be responsible for the consequences of the use of household knife, when it is used inappropriately, or to be responsible for the actions of buyers.
Therefore, Bob must understand that his theoretical knowledge can’t be an equal footing with the actual practice. He has to learn a lot and to listen to the views of John White.
In order to reduce the psychological burden and uncertainty, Bob may officially warn the buyer about the inadmissibility of the use of lumber for purposes, that don’t meet its specifications. So Bob will be sure that the customer is fully aware of all the technical information.
