Write-Up of Martha McCaskey

Martha McCaskey completed her MBA at Harvard and have a degree of electrical engineering, Now she is a member of the new guard of Seleris Associates' Industry Analysis Division(IAD). Because of her excellent performance in prior assignment and her background, Malone and Richardson decide to let McCaskey handle the silicon 6 project. At the beginning of the project, McCaskey can't get any information which Seleris's client is trying to know. Then just as the some of senior associates do, McCaskey finally found Devon, a ex-employees of target company, to get detailed information. What's more, Devon is so eager to help her in whatever way he could. Devon's honesty make McCaskey feel uneasy, and she begin to doubt the propriety of asking for such insensitive information, as a result, she don't want to sleaze this guy any more. After the meeting with Devon, the client offer to double the fee for silicon 6 project and promise that 10 more lucrative project will follow if they can go through on silicon 6. Further more, McCaskey will be promoted to group manager once she complete Silicon 6.

Now McCaskey is facing a ethical dilemma. If she proceeds with Devon, she can make a large profit for IAD, she also gains the position of group manager and boss's appreciation, but she can't maintain a high degree of integrity any more, can't promise her own values any more. On the contrast, if she just stop the project or hand over, she may be disapproved by her supervisor and lose the chance of promotion. What's worse, she may also get fired. So the problem is what is the next step of McCaskey.

As far as I know, everyone should obey their own principles and values, so McCaskey should promise her values no matter whatever she can get from her unethical action. She'd better stopping this project and asking her supervisors and associate don't get information by such unethical way, such actions may get McCaskey fired and make no sense to others in IAD. But it is meaningful for her to do that, people can't lose their principles. In my opinion, lots of company would like to employ such a upright person.

In this case, we can tell that institutions in this company are no use. For example, senior associates can directly talk to Malone, the vice president of IAD, without informing their group manager, and assignment can be determined by a process of informal bargaining among associates and leader. Group manager seems to be no difference with senior associates, such a loose policy makes employee do things they like. I think these loose institutions are also a reason for the unethical behavior. So if we want to run a ethical company, we should establish institution about ethic and execute it completely. This is the broader lesson I learn from this case.