(Business Law) “Letter of Memorandum to Ms. Sunflower”

Read Chapter 3, “Ethics in Business,” pp.65 – 67. These pages discuss several ethical principles and philosophies that businesses use to analyze ethical problems and make business decisions that we discussed in class. The ethical principles that you are to focus on in the reading are (1) Religious Ethical Principles, (2) The Principle of Rights, (3) The Categorical Imperative, and (4) Utilitarianism/Cost Benefit Analysis.

Based on the following facts you must write a memorandum addressed to your supervisor regarding an important matter on which she wants your input:

FACTS

Assume that you work for a successful technology company, Mega Tech, Inc. (“Mega”), which has 1,000 employees. Mega has invested in ten smaller companies that have 20-35 employees each and has set up a fund to assist these start-ups. As a result, mega has access to the proprietary information of start-up companies. Your supervisor, Julissa Sunflower, wants your opinion as to whether Mega should use this proprietary information received from the start-ups to gain a financial advantage for the company or whether Mega should keep the information confidential and use it to best assist the start-ups.

In the memorandum to Ms. Sunflower, you should discuss the following:

Your opinion is based on the set of facts above,

What principle you chose as your guide to making this business decision and

Why you chose that ethical principle

4) You should use the appropriate terminology and make sure to explain clearly so that Ms. Sunflower, will understand. Your supervisor wants you to be truthful. You will not be judged based on the ethical principle that you decide to use as your guide.

The heading of the Memorandum should look like the following:

MEMORANDUM

  • TO: J. Sunflower
  • From: Your Name
  • RE: Proprietary Information of Start-Up Investments

DATE: