Janice is a highly educated top executive in charge of research and development. John is her underpaid assistant, struggling to support his family. His performance evaluations have always been more than adequate.
As one of his research projects, John designs a creative software package that addresses major concerns within the company. He shares this program with Janice, hoping it will bring him a much needed promotion and raise. Janice’s boss has asked her to design an innovative and efficient program. But pressures of her position keep her from setting aside sufficient time to do the requested work.
Janice, eager to successfully complete the job her boss assigned, is thinking of presenting John’s program to her boss and passing it off as her own. If John objects, she can threaten to lower his performance evaluations or possibly even fire him. If he agrees to go along with the scheme, she can give him a raise and a promotion.
What should Janice do?
Answers
Answer:
she should present the John's program to her boss as a innovative and efficient program assigned to her by boss.
Explanation:
she should not claim that she has made it, rather she should give the credit to his subordinate John for this, also she should recommend him for promotion and raise because this will eventually going to benefit her, like John will get motivated and then becomes more productive for the company growth.
Case Analysis Approach
Explanation:
Ques What Are the Relevant Facts?
1. Janice is John’s boss.
2. Janice’s supervisor has asked her to create an innovative program, but the pressures of her job have prevented this.
3. John designs a creative software package which he shares with Janice, hoping it will bring him a promotion and raise.
4. Janice is thinking of taking credit for John’s program. If John objects, she will fire him; if he agrees, she will give him a promotion and raise.
Ques What Are the Ethical Issues?
1. If the software is developed on company time, to whom does the program belong?
-> John
2. Is John being treated justly? Are his rights being protected?
-> No john is not being trusted justly, his rights are not being protected.
3. Is Janice stealing?
-> Yes she is directly stealing john's credit
4. When, if ever, is it ethical for a manager to take credit for the work of a subordinate?
-> No, the credit will be solely of the subordinate under the supervision of the manager.
Ques Who Are the Primary Stakeholders?
The company
Ques What Are the Possible Alternatives?
1. Janice can proceed to take John’s work.
2. Janice can create a team environment in which the team, in this case, Janice and John, present the work together.
3. Janice can give John full credit and print the package to her boss in such a way that it makes both Janice and John look good.
The best method is 2nd one i.e. Janice can create a team environment in which the team, in this case, Janice and John, present the work together.
If Janice choose 1st or 3rd way she will incur considerable professional risk if she claims authorship of the program. It could damage her career in the same way that subsequent discovery of plagiarism in a doctoral dissertation can come back to haunt a person with a doctorate.