ethics case study it was just a careless mistake

ETHICAL REASONING IN BUSINESS (AACSB)

Overview of ethical reasoning competency, ethical reasoning basics, ethical reasoning basics: supplemental videos and articles, applying ethical reasoning to business, applying ethical reasoning to business- supplemental videos and articles.

ethics case study it was just a careless mistake

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Introduction

Purpose of these Modules: Students will be able to identify and address conflicting ethical values and develop a sense of responsibility for the broad impacts of individual actions, social institutions and public policy. They will understand their role as citizens and their responsibility to work with others in promoting quality of life and a sustainable society. Social responsibility, like civic engagement, means promoting the quality of community life through both political and non-political processes. Ethical reasoning is reasoning about right and wrong human conduct.

Special Instruction for Students in Business Law (BUS2200)

Because you are in Business Law, pay close attention while going through these modules, as you be assessed on your understanding of concepts covered here.

Ethics Module 1: Ethical Reasoning Basics

Ethics Module 2: Applying Ethical Reasoning to Business

Ethics Module 1 Required:

1). Ethics: Time to Revisit the Basics of Ethics by G.D. Foster (article, 9 pp.) The author reviews the basic ideas behind ethics and discusses its purpose and usefulness in human society.
2) Ethical Decision Making by the Ethics Center (video, 3:29 minutes) Think about the last time you made a big decision. Why did you make that choice? What makes you choose one way, rather than picking any of the other options available to you? Decision making can be like an iceberg. So much of the activity happens beneath the surface, where it’s difficult to see. And, like an iceberg, if we forget about what’s happening beneath the surface, catastrophe looms.
3) Ethics in the Workplace: Solving Situational and Critical Dilemmas by Global Ethics Solutions (video, 2:10 minutes) "Even the knowledge that something is wrong may not be enough to help you to resist the urge to do it. There may be more variables in play than simple knowledge of the rules. The key to reducing situational dilemmas is to ask the questions: Why do we do what we do? What makes something just too tempting to resist?"
4) Legal Rights and Ethical Responsibilities: Concept Unwrapped by McCombs School of Business (video, 6:46 minutes) "The relationship between laws and ethics is not always clear. Legal rights to do something do not necessarily mean the actions are ethically justified."

Videos (Optional)

The Importance of Business Ethics- The Business Mindset "This video covers examples of ethical dilemmas, companies involved in controversial business ethics, as well as the benefits of operating a company with high ethical standards."
Business Law, Ethics, and Governance- Business@American "Students explore legal implications of working in today’s global business community, while recognizing the importance of social responsibility."
Integrating Ethics: Ethical Decision-Making "Academic Technologies (AT) at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), in partnership with the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission, created digitized modules designed to provide faculty with effective strategies to improve the integration and teaching of ethics into the core curriculum of any class across disciplines."
Ethics Case Study: It was Just a Careless Mistake-Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants "David, the Finance Director of a company was alerted to the fact that major customer, Super Pte Ltd, had returned most of the goods shipped to them near the end of the last year. While David is proposing adjustments to the financial statements in order to reflect the return, his proposal is faced with stiff opposition from within his company. Would he be able to handle the situation ethically?"
Business Ethics on Insider Trading, Whistle-blowing, Etc.- Rockinlips Playlist of short (2-3 minutes) videos explaining insider trading,
"It's not worth it" - Micro Film Series on Business Ethics-ICAC "Tim, a renovation contractor, has just got a job to renovate a branch of a chain restaurant and the work is supervised by the project manager Johnny. Johnny seems to be a stickler for the rules in the beginning but he later reveals his true colors by demanding Tim to offer him an unreasonably low rate for renovating his new home. Or else he would make things difficult for Tim. What is Tim going to do?"
Moral Illusions Explained-McCombs School of Business "We’re all familiar with optical or auditory illusions and how they can affect our perception. But just as our physical senses can be tricked, our moral sense can be fooled, too. Moral illusions can lead even the most well-meaning people astray. Learning about behavioral ethics can help you uncover these moral illusions. And it can also help you learn how to guard against them."

Articles (Optional)

Empty Ethics and Reasonable Responsibility: Vocabularies of Motive among Law and Business Students, Schleef, D., Law & social inquiry, 1997 Ethical reasoning in law students and business students compared.
An Empirical Study of Future Professionals’ Intentions to Engage in Unethical Business Practices, Devonish, D., et al., Journal of academic ethics, 2009 "This paper sought to test whether student demographics (gender, age, religion, type of degree and number of courses done containing ethics) influenced the likelihood of engaging in unethical business practices."
Case studies of corporate--related financial institutions promoting selfish interests through money laundering and associated unethical-based business practices, Swamy, M.R. Kumara, Journal of financial management and analysis, 2014 "The research paper is based on case studies of major corporate related financial institutions with recommendations to come out with practical solutions."
Compromising Long-Term Sustainability for Short-Term Profit Maximization: Unethical Business Practice, Doorasamy, M. & Baldavaloo, K., Foundations of management, 2016 "This paper addresses the underlying factors that determine the extent to which organizations adopt sustainable business practices and cleaner production techniques and technologies. It had been concluded that ethics is linked to sustainable business practices, because the objectives of both these concepts are to think about doing what’s right for others and the world, including the environment."
Why You Need an AI Ethics Committee
How to Be a Leader Who Stays True to Their Ethics
Bad apples, bad cases, and bad barrels: Meta-analytic evidence about sources of unethical decisions at work

Ethics Module 2 Required:

1) Toward an Applied Meaning for Ethics in Business by D. Robin (article, 12 pp.) "The purpose of this article is to offer one view of ethics in business that accommodates the mission of business. This purpose is achieved by reviewing the mission of ethics in applied disciplines like business and melding it into the mission of business in capitalistic societies."
2) The Impact of Ethics on Business: Two Teachers (video, 6:29 minutes) "A lot of common ethical issues in the workplace go unnoticed due to unconscious bias and this causes them to fester which ultimately ends up promoting a toxic working environment. In order to remove ethical issues from the workplace, you need to understand the most common issues so you can recognize them and adjust your practices as necessary. Here are 5 ways to avoid the most common ethical issues in the workplace."
3) Creating Ethical Cultures in Business: Brooke Deterline at TEDxPresidio (video, 8:23 minutes) "As Corporate Director for the Heroic Imagination Project (HIP), Brooke helps boards, executives, and teams at all levels develop the skills to act with courage and ingenuity in the face of challenging situations. This fosters leadership credibility and candor, builds trust, engagement and reduces risk."
Reasoning in Ethics-Ethics Lectures "Meta-ethical questions have to do with the very nature of ethics. One set of questions concern whether moral judgments can be true or not. Another set of meta-ethical questions are related to the role that reason plays in the making of ethical judgments. We are also going to look at how ethical views are related to culture. Different cultures clearly have different views of what is right and wrong, but does this mean that we cannot make ethical judgments that holds true for all people and societies?"
How to Make Tough Decisions: Crash Course Business "We make small choices like what to eat for lunch, but we also have to set goals, pick a career, and decide how to invest our hard-earned money. It’s not easy! We don’t want to make a decision out of fear, rather than doing what’s best for us. And we don’t want to regret a big choice and dwell on the “what ifs” either."
Being Your Best Self, Part 2: Moral Decision Making- McCombs School of Business "Moral decision making is the ability to produce a reasonable and defensible answer to an ethical question."
Ethical Leadership, Part 1: Perilous at the Top-McCombs School of Business The moral example set by leaders has a major impact upon the behavior of their subordinates, both good and bad, ethical and unethical. Despite their career success, leaders may be particularly vulnerable to ethical lapses.
The Era of Corporate Social Responsibility is Ending | Rachel Hutchisson | TEDxWilmington Rachel Hutchisson's talk is about why the end of Corporate Social Responsibility is A GOOD THING. Why is it a good thing? Because it will be replaced, by 'Human Social Responsibility.'"
Ethical Decision Making: A Review of the Empirical Literature, Ford, Robert C. ; Richardson, Woodrow D., Journal of business ethics, 1994 "The authors review the empirical literature in order to assess which variables are postulated as influencing ethical beliefs and decision making. The variables are divided into those unique to the individual decision maker and those considered situational in nature."
Someone to Look Up To: Executive-Follower Ethical Reasoning and Perceptions of Ethical Leadership Jordan, J., Et al., Journal of management, 2013 "Despite a business environment that highlights the importance of executives' ethical leadership, the individual antecedents of ethical leadership remain largely unknown. In this study, the authors propose that follower perceptions of ethical leadership depend on the executive leader's cognitive moral development (CMD) and, more importantly, on the relationship between executive leader and follower CMD."
Values, Authenticity, and Responsible Leadership, Freeman, R. Edward; Auster, Ellen R., Journal of Business Ethics, 2011 "We see being authentic as an ongoing process of conversation that not only starts with perceived values but also involves one’s history, relationships with others, and aspirations. Authenticity entails acting on these values for individuals and organizations and thus also becomes a necessary starting point for ethics. After all, if there is no motivation to justify one’s actions either to oneself or to others, then as Sartre has suggested, morality simply does not come into play. We argue that the idea of responsible leadership can be enriched with this more nuanced idea of the self and authenticity."
Values, Spirituality and Religion: Family Business and the Roots of Sustainable Ethical Behavior Astrachan, Joseph H. et al., Journal of business ethics, 2020 " In this editorial, we introduce the 10 papers included in this Special Issue , which investigate the relationship between religion or spirituality and family firm ethical behavior in various geographical, cultural and religious contexts, using a multitude of qualitative and quantitative methodologies."
Last Updated: Oct 13, 2023 4:52 PM
URL: https://libguides.lib.mtu.edu/businessethics

McCombs School of Business

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Videos Concepts Unwrapped View All 36 short illustrated videos explain behavioral ethics concepts and basic ethics principles. Concepts Unwrapped: Sports Edition View All 10 short videos introduce athletes to behavioral ethics concepts. Ethics Defined (Glossary) View All 58 animated videos - 1 to 2 minutes each - define key ethics terms and concepts. Ethics in Focus View All One-of-a-kind videos highlight the ethical aspects of current and historical subjects. Giving Voice To Values View All Eight short videos present the 7 principles of values-driven leadership from Gentile's Giving Voice to Values. In It To Win View All A documentary and six short videos reveal the behavioral ethics biases in super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff's story. Scandals Illustrated View All 30 videos - one minute each - introduce newsworthy scandals with ethical insights and case studies. Video Series

Case Studies UT Star Icon

Case Studies

More than 70 cases pair ethics concepts with real world situations. From journalism, performing arts, and scientific research to sports, law, and business, these case studies explore current and historic ethical dilemmas, their motivating biases, and their consequences. Each case includes discussion questions, related videos, and a bibliography.

A Million Little Pieces

James Frey’s popular memoir stirred controversy and media attention after it was revealed to contain numerous exaggerations and fabrications.

Abramoff: Lobbying Congress

Super-lobbyist Abramoff was caught in a scheme to lobby against his own clients. Was a corrupt individual or a corrupt system – or both – to blame?

Apple Suppliers & Labor Practices

Is tech company Apple, Inc. ethically obligated to oversee the questionable working conditions of other companies further down their supply chain?

Approaching the Presidency: Roosevelt & Taft

Some presidents view their responsibilities in strictly legal terms, others according to duty. Roosevelt and Taft took two extreme approaches.

Appropriating “Hope”

Fairey’s portrait of Barack Obama raised debate over the extent to which an artist can use and modify another’s artistic work, yet still call it one’s own.

Arctic Offshore Drilling

Competing groups frame the debate over oil drilling off Alaska’s coast in varying ways depending on their environmental and economic interests.

Banning Burkas: Freedom or Discrimination?

The French law banning women from wearing burkas in public sparked debate about discrimination and freedom of religion.

Birthing Vaccine Skepticism

Wakefield published an article riddled with inaccuracies and conflicts of interest that created significant vaccine hesitancy regarding the MMR vaccine.

Blurred Lines of Copyright

Marvin Gaye’s Estate won a lawsuit against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for the hit song “Blurred Lines,” which had a similar feel to one of his songs.

Bullfighting: Art or Not?

Bullfighting has been a prominent cultural and artistic event for centuries, but in recent decades it has faced increasing criticism for animal rights’ abuse.

Buying Green: Consumer Behavior

Do purchasing green products, such as organic foods and electric cars, give consumers the moral license to indulge in unethical behavior?

Cadavers in Car Safety Research

Engineers at Heidelberg University insist that the use of human cadavers in car safety research is ethical because their research can save lives.

Cardinals’ Computer Hacking

St. Louis Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa hacked into the Houston Astros’ webmail system, leading to legal repercussions and a lifetime ban from MLB.

Cheating: Atlanta’s School Scandal

Teachers and administrators at Parks Middle School adjust struggling students’ test scores in an effort to save their school from closure.

Cheating: Sign-Stealing in MLB

The Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scheme rocked the baseball world, leading to a game-changing MLB investigation and fallout.

Cheating: UNC’s Academic Fraud

UNC’s academic fraud scandal uncovered an 18-year scheme of unchecked coursework and fraudulent classes that enabled student-athletes to play sports.

Cheney v. U.S. District Court

A controversial case focuses on Justice Scalia’s personal friendship with Vice President Cheney and the possible conflict of interest it poses to the case.

Christina Fallin: “Appropriate Culturation?”

After Fallin posted a picture of herself wearing a Plain’s headdress on social media, uproar emerged over cultural appropriation and Fallin’s intentions.

Climate Change & the Paris Deal

While climate change poses many abstract problems, the actions (or inactions) of today’s populations will have tangible effects on future generations.

Cover-Up on Campus

While the Baylor University football team was winning on the field, university officials failed to take action when allegations of sexual assault by student athletes emerged.

Covering Female Athletes

Sports Illustrated stirs controversy when their cover photo of an Olympic skier seems to focus more on her physical appearance than her athletic abilities.

Covering Yourself? Journalists and the Bowl Championship

Can news outlets covering the Bowl Championship Series fairly report sports news if their own polls were used to create the news?

Cyber Harassment

After a student defames a middle school teacher on social media, the teacher confronts the student in class and posts a video of the confrontation online.

Defending Freedom of Tweets?

Running back Rashard Mendenhall receives backlash from fans after criticizing the celebration of the assassination of Osama Bin Laden in a tweet.

Dennis Kozlowski: Living Large

Dennis Kozlowski was an effective leader for Tyco in his first few years as CEO, but eventually faced criminal charges over his use of company assets.

Digital Downloads

File-sharing program Napster sparked debate over the legal and ethical dimensions of downloading unauthorized copies of copyrighted music.

Dr. V’s Magical Putter

Journalist Caleb Hannan outed Dr. V as a trans woman, sparking debate over the ethics of Hannan’s reporting, as well its role in Dr. V’s suicide.

East Germany’s Doping Machine

From 1968 to the late 1980s, East Germany (GDR) doped some 9,000 athletes to gain success in international athletic competitions despite being aware of the unfortunate side effects.

Ebola & American Intervention

Did the dispatch of U.S. military units to Liberia to aid in humanitarian relief during the Ebola epidemic help or hinder the process?

Edward Snowden: Traitor or Hero?

Was Edward Snowden’s release of confidential government documents ethically justifiable?

Ethical Pitfalls in Action

Why do good people do bad things? Behavioral ethics is the science of moral decision-making, which explores why and how people make the ethical (and unethical) decisions that they do.

Ethical Use of Home DNA Testing

The rising popularity of at-home DNA testing kits raises questions about privacy and consumer rights.

Flying the Confederate Flag

A heated debate ensues over whether or not the Confederate flag should be removed from the South Carolina State House grounds.

Freedom of Speech on Campus

In the wake of racially motivated offenses, student protests sparked debate over the roles of free speech, deliberation, and tolerance on campus.

Freedom vs. Duty in Clinical Social Work

What should social workers do when their personal values come in conflict with the clients they are meant to serve?

Full Disclosure: Manipulating Donors

When an intern witnesses a donor making a large gift to a non-profit organization under misleading circumstances, she struggles with what to do.

Gaming the System: The VA Scandal

The Veterans Administration’s incentives were meant to spur more efficient and productive healthcare, but not all administrators complied as intended.

German Police Battalion 101

During the Holocaust, ordinary Germans became willing killers even though they could have opted out from murdering their Jewish neighbors.

Head Injuries & American Football

Many studies have linked traumatic brain injuries and related conditions to American football, creating controversy around the safety of the sport.

Head Injuries & the NFL

American football is a rough and dangerous game and its impact on the players’ brain health has sparked a hotly contested debate.

Healthcare Obligations: Personal vs. Institutional

A medical doctor must make a difficult decision when informing patients of the effectiveness of flu shots while upholding institutional recommendations.

High Stakes Testing

In the wake of the No Child Left Behind Act, parents, teachers, and school administrators take different positions on how to assess student achievement.

In-FUR-mercials: Advertising & Adoption

When the Lied Animal Shelter faces a spike in animal intake, an advertising agency uses its moral imagination to increase pet adoptions.

Krogh & the Watergate Scandal

Egil Krogh was a young lawyer working for the Nixon Administration whose ethics faded from view when asked to play a part in the Watergate break-in.

Limbaugh on Drug Addiction

Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh argued that drug abuse was a choice, not a disease. He later became addicted to painkillers.

U.S. Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte’s “over-exaggeration” of an incident at the 2016 Rio Olympics led to very real consequences.

Meet Me at Starbucks

Two black men were arrested after an employee called the police on them, prompting Starbucks to implement “racial-bias” training across all its stores.

Myanmar Amber

Buying amber could potentially fund an ethnic civil war, but refraining allows collectors to acquire important specimens that could be used for research.

Negotiating Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy lawyer Gellene successfully represented a mining company during a major reorganization, but failed to disclose potential conflicts of interest.

Pao & Gender Bias

Ellen Pao stirred debate in the venture capital and tech industries when she filed a lawsuit against her employer on grounds of gender discrimination.

Pardoning Nixon

One month after Richard Nixon resigned from the presidency, Gerald Ford made the controversial decision to issue Nixon a full pardon.

Patient Autonomy & Informed Consent

Nursing staff and family members struggle with informed consent when taking care of a patient who has been deemed legally incompetent.

Prenatal Diagnosis & Parental Choice

Debate has emerged over the ethics of prenatal diagnosis and reproductive freedom in instances where testing has revealed genetic abnormalities.

Reporting on Robin Williams

After Robin Williams took his own life, news media covered the story in great detail, leading many to argue that such reporting violated the family’s privacy.

Responding to Child Migration

An influx of children migrants posed logistical and ethical dilemmas for U.S. authorities while intensifying ongoing debate about immigration.

Retracting Research: The Case of Chandok v. Klessig

A researcher makes the difficult decision to retract a published, peer-reviewed article after the original research results cannot be reproduced.

Sacking Social Media in College Sports

In the wake of questionable social media use by college athletes, the head coach at University of South Carolina bans his players from using Twitter.

Selling Enron

Following the deregulation of electricity markets in California, private energy company Enron profited greatly, but at a dire cost.

Snyder v. Phelps

Freedom of speech was put on trial in a case involving the Westboro Baptist Church and their protesting at the funeral of U.S. Marine Matthew Snyder.

Something Fishy at the Paralympics

Rampant cheating has plagued the Paralympics over the years, compromising the credibility and sportsmanship of Paralympian athletes.

Sports Blogs: The Wild West of Sports Journalism?

Deadspin pays an anonymous source for information related to NFL star Brett Favre, sparking debate over the ethics of “checkbook journalism.”

Stangl & the Holocaust

Franz Stangl was the most effective Nazi administrator in Poland, killing nearly one million Jews at Treblinka, but he claimed he was simply following orders.

Teaching Blackface: A Lesson on Stereotypes

A teacher was put on leave for showing a blackface video during a lesson on racial segregation, sparking discussion over how to teach about stereotypes.

The Astros’ Sign-Stealing Scandal

The Houston Astros rode a wave of success, culminating in a World Series win, but it all came crashing down when their sign-stealing scheme was revealed.

The Central Park Five

Despite the indisputable and overwhelming evidence of the innocence of the Central Park Five, some involved in the case refuse to believe it.

The CIA Leak

Legal and political fallout follows from the leak of classified information that led to the identification of CIA agent Valerie Plame.

The Collapse of Barings Bank

When faced with growing losses, investment banker Nick Leeson took big risks in an attempt to get out from under the losses. He lost.

The Costco Model

How can companies promote positive treatment of employees and benefit from leading with the best practices? Costco offers a model.

The FBI & Apple Security vs. Privacy

How can tech companies and government organizations strike a balance between maintaining national security and protecting user privacy?

The Miss Saigon Controversy

When a white actor was cast for the half-French, half-Vietnamese character in the Broadway production of Miss Saigon , debate ensued.

The Sandusky Scandal

Following the conviction of assistant coach Jerry Sandusky for sexual abuse, debate continues on how much university officials and head coach Joe Paterno knew of the crimes.

The Varsity Blues Scandal

A college admissions prep advisor told wealthy parents that while there were front doors into universities and back doors, he had created a side door that was worth exploring.

Providing radiation therapy to cancer patients, Therac-25 had malfunctions that resulted in 6 deaths. Who is accountable when technology causes harm?

Welfare Reform

The Welfare Reform Act changed how welfare operated, intensifying debate over the government’s role in supporting the poor through direct aid.

Wells Fargo and Moral Emotions

In a settlement with regulators, Wells Fargo Bank admitted that it had created as many as two million accounts for customers without their permission.

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O'Mathúna D, Iphofen R, editors. Ethics, Integrity and Policymaking: The Value of the Case Study [Internet]. Cham (CH): Springer; 2022. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-15746-2_1

Cover of Ethics, Integrity and Policymaking

Ethics, Integrity and Policymaking: The Value of the Case Study [Internet].

Chapter 1 making a case for the case: an introduction.

Dónal O’Mathúna and Ron Iphofen .

Affiliations

Published online: November 3, 2022.

This chapter agues for the importance of case studies in generating evidence to guide and/or support policymaking across a variety of fields. Case studies can offer the kind of depth and detail vital to the nuances of context, which may be important in securing effective policies that take account of influences not easily identified in more generalised studies. Case studies can be written in a variety of ways which are overviewed in this chapter, and can also be written with different purposes in mind. At the same time, case studies have limitations, particularly when evidence of causation is sought. Understanding these can help to ensure that case studies are appropriately used to assist in policymaking. This chapter also provides an overview of the types of case studies found in the rest of this volume, and briefly summarises the themes and topics addressed in each of the other chapters.

1.1. Judging the Ethics of Research

When asked to judge the ethical issues involved in research or any evidence-gathering activity, any research ethicist worth their salt will (or should) reply, at least initially: ‘It depends’. This is neither sophistry nor evasive legalism. Instead, it is a specific form of casuistry used in ethics in which general ethical principles are applied to the specifics of actual cases and inferences made through analogy. It is valued as a structured yet flexible approach to real-world ethical challenges. Case study methods recognise the complexities of depth and detail involved in assessing research activities. Another way of putting this is to say: ‘Don’t ask me to make a judgement about a piece of research until I have the details of the project and the context in which it will or did take place.’ Understanding and fully explicating a context is vital as far as ethical research (and evidence-gathering) is concerned, along with taking account of the complex interrelationship between context and method (Miller and Dingwall 1997 ).

This rationale lies behind this collection of case studies which is one outcome from the EU-funded PRO-RES Project. 1 One aim of this project was to establish the virtues, values, principles and standards most commonly held as supportive of ethical practice by researchers, scientists and evidence-generators and users. The project team conducted desk research, workshops and consulted throughout the project with a wide range of stakeholders (PRO-RES 2021a ). The resulting Scientific, Trustworthy, and Ethical evidence for Policy (STEP) ACCORD was devised, which all stakeholders could sign up to and endorse in the interests of ensuring any policies which are the outcome of research findings are based upon ethical evidence (PRO-RES 2021b ).

By ‘ethical evidence’ we mean results and findings that have been generated by research and other activities during which the standards of research ethics and integrity have been upheld (Iphofen and O’Mathúna 2022 ). The first statement of the STEP ACCORD is that policy should be evidence-based, meaning that it is underpinned by high-quality research, analysis and evidence (PRO-RES 2021b ). While our topic could be said to be research ethics, we have chosen to refer more broadly to evidence-generating activities. Much debate has occurred over the precise definition of research under the apparent assumption that ‘non-research projects’ fall outside the purview of requirements to obtain ethics approval from an ethics review body. This debate is more about the regulation of research than the ethics of research and has contributed to an unbalanced approach to the ethics of research (O’Mathúna 2018 ). Research and evidence-generating activities raise many ethical concerns, some similar and some distinct. When the focus is primarily on which projects need to obtain what sort of ethics approval from which type of committee, the ethical issues raised by those activities themselves can receive insufficient attention. This can leave everyone involved with these activities either struggling to figure out how to manage complex and challenging ethical dilemmas or pushing ahead with those activities confident that their approval letter means they have fulfilled all their ethical responsibilities. Unfortunately, this can lead to a view that research ethics is an impediment and burden that must be overcome so that the important work in the research itself can get going.

The alternative perspective advocated by PRO-RES, and the authors of the chapters in this volume, is that ethics underpins all phases of research, from when the idea for a project is conceived, all the way through its design and implementation, and on to how its findings are disseminated and put into practice in individual decisions or in policy. Given the range of activities involved in all these phases, multiple types of ethical issues can arise. Each occurs in its own context of time and place, and this must be taken into account. While ethical principles and theories have important contributions to make at each of these points, case studies are also very important. These allow for the normative effects of various assumptions and declarations to be judged in context. We therefore asked the authors of this volume’s chapters to identify various case studies which would demonstrate the ethical challenges entailed in various types of research and evidence-generating activities. These illustrative case studies explore various innovative topics and fields that raise challenges requiring ethical reflection and careful policymaking responses. The cases highlight diverse ethical issues and provide lessons for the various options available for policymaking (see Sect. 1.6 . below). Cases are drawn from many fields, including artificial intelligence, space science, energy, data protection, professional research practice and pandemic planning. The issues are examined in different locations, including Europe, India, Africa and in global contexts. Each case is examined in detail and also helps to anticipate lessons that could be learned and applied in other situations where ethical evidence is needed to inform evidence-based policymaking.

1.2. The Case for Cases

Case studies have increasingly been used, particularly in social science (Exworthy and Powell 2012 ). Many reasons underlie this trend, one being the movement towards evidence-based practice. Case studies provide a methodology by which a detailed study can be conducted of a social unit, whether that unit is a person, an organization, a policy or a larger group or system (Exworthy and Powell 2012 ). The case study is amenable to various methodologies, mostly qualitative, which allow investigations via documentary analyses, interviews, focus groups, observations, and more.

At the same time, consensus is lacking over the precise nature of a case study. Various definitions have been offered, but Yin ( 2017 ) provides a widely cited definition with two parts. One is that a case study is an in-depth inquiry into a real-life phenomenon where the context is highly pertinent. The second part of Yin’s definition addresses the many variables involved in the case, the multiple sources of evidence explored, and the inclusion of theoretical propositions to guide the analysis. While Yin’s emphasis is on the case study as a research method, he identifies important elements of broader relevance that point to the particular value of the case study for examining ethical issues.

Other definitions of case studies emphasize their story or narrative aspects (Gwee 2018 ). These stories frequently highlight a dilemma in contextually rich ways, with an emphasis on how decisions can be or need to be made. Case studies are particularly helpful with ethical issues to provide crucial context and explore (and evaluate) how ethical decisions have been made or need to be made. Classic cases include the Tuskegee public health syphilis study, the Henrietta Lacks human cell line case, the Milgram and Zimbardo psychology cases, the Tea Room Trade case, and the Belfast Project in oral history research (examined here in Chap. 10 ). Cases exemplify core ethical principles, and how they were applied or misapplied; in addition, they examine how policies have worked well or not (Chaps. 2 , 3 and 5 ). Cases can examine ethics in long-standing issues (like research misconduct (Chap. 7 ), energy production (Chap. 8 ), or Chap. 11 ’s consideration of researchers breaking the law), or with innovations in need of further ethical reflection because of their novelty (like extended space flight (Chap. 9 ) and AI (Chaps. 13 and 14 ), with the latter looking at automation in legal systems). These case studies help to situate the innovations within the context of widely regarded ethical principles and theories, and allow comparisons to be made with other technologies or practices where ethical positions have been developed. In doing so, these case studies offer pointers and suggestions for policymakers given that they are the ones who will develop applicable policies.

1.3. Research Design and Causal Inference

Not everyone is convinced of the value of the case study. It must be admitted that they have limitations, which we will reflect on shortly. Yet we believe that others go too far in their criticisms, revealing instead some prejudices against the value of the case (Yin 2017 ). In what has become a classic text for research design, Campbell and Stanley ( 1963 ) have few good words for what they call the ‘One Shot Case Study.’ They rank it below two other ‘pre-experimental’ designs—the One-Group Pretest–Posttest and the Static-Group Comparison—and conclude that case studies “have such a total absence of control to be of almost no scientific value” (Campbell and Stanley 1963 , 6). The other designs have, in turn, a baseline and outcome measure and some degree of comparative analysis which provides them some validity. Such a criticism is legitimate if one prioritises the experimental method as the most superior in terms of effectiveness evidence and, as for Campbell and Stanley, one is striving to assess the effectiveness of educational interventions.

What is missing from that assessment is that different methodologies are more appropriate for different kinds of questions. Questions of causation and whether a particular treatment, policy or educational strategy is more effective than another are best answered by experimental methods. While experimental designs are better suited to explore causal relationships, case studies are more suited to explore “how” and “why” questions (Yin 2017 ). It can be more productive to view different methodologies as complementing one another, rather than examining them in hierarchical terms.

The case study approach draws on a long tradition in ethnography and anthropology: “It stresses the importance of holistic perspectives and so has more of a ‘humanistic’ emphasis. It recognises that there are multiple influences on any single individual or group and that most other methods neglect the thorough understanding of this range of influences. They usually focus on a chosen variable or variables which are tested in terms of their influence. A case study tends to make no initial assumptions about which are the key variables—preferring to allow the case to ‘speak for itself’” (Iphofen et al. 2009 , 275). This tradition has sometimes discouraged people from conducting or using case studies on the assumption that they take massive amounts of time and lead to huge reports. This is the case with ethnography, but the case study method can be applied in more limited settings and can lead to high-quality, concise reports.

Another criticism of case studies is that they cannot be used to make generalizations. Certainly, there are limits to their generalisability, but the same is true of experimental studies. One randomized controlled trial cannot be generalised to the whole population without ensuring that its details are evaluated in the context of how it was conducted.

Similarly, it should not be assumed that generalisability can adequately guide practice or policy when it comes to the specifics of an individual case. A case study should not be used to support statistical generalizations (that the same percentage found in the case will be found in the general public). But a case study can be used to expand and generalize theories and thus have much usefulness. It affords a method of examining the specific (complex) interactions occurring in a case which can only be known from the details. Such an analysis can be carried out for individuals, policies or interventions.

The current COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the dangers of generalising in the wrong context. Some people have very mild cases of COVID-19 or are asymptomatic. Others get seriously ill and even die. Sometimes people generalise from cases they know and assume they will have mild symptoms. Then they refuse to take the COVID-19 vaccine, basically generalising from similar cases. Mass vaccination is recommended for the sake of the health of the public (generalised health) and to limit the spread of a deadly virus. Cases are reported of people having adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, and some people generalise from these that they will not take whatever risks might be involved in receiving the vaccine themselves. It might be theoretically possible to discover which individuals WILL react adversely to immunisation on a population level. But it is highly complex and expensive to do so, and takes an extensive period of time. Given the urgency of benefitting the health of ‘the public’, policymakers have decided that the risks to a sub-group are warranted. Only after the emergence of epidemiological data disclosing negative effects of some vaccines on some individuals will it become more clear which characteristics typify those cases which are likely to experience the adverse effects, and more accurately quantify the risks of experiencing those effects.

Much literature now points to the advantages and disadvantages of case studies (Gomm et al. 2000 ), and how to use them and conduct them with adequate rigour to ensure the validity of the evidence generated (Schell 1992 ; Yin 2011 , 2017 ). At the same time, legitimate critiques have been made of some case studies because they have been conducted without adequate rigor, in unsystematic ways, or in ways that allowed bias to have more influence than evidence (Hammersley 2001 ). Part of the problem here is similar to interviewing, where some will assume that since interviews are a form of conversation, anyone can do it. Case studies have some similarities to stories, but that doesn’t mean they are quick and easy ways to report on events. That view can lead to the situation where “most people feel that they can prepare a case study, and nearly all of us believe we can understand one. Since neither view is well founded, the case study receives a lot of approbation it does not deserve” (Hoaglin et al., cited in Yin 2017 , 16).

Case studies can be conducted and used in a wide range of ways (Gwee 2018 ). Case studies can be used as a research method, as a teaching tool, as a way of recording events so that learning can be applied to practice, and to facilitate practical problem-solving skills (Luck et al. 2006 ). Significant differences exist between a case study that was developed and used in research compared to one used for teaching (Yin 2017 ). A valid rationale for studying a ‘case’ should be provided so that it is clear that the proposed method is suitable to the topic and subject being studied. The unit of study for a case could be an individual person, social group, community, or society. Sometimes that specific case alone will constitute the actual research project. Thus, the study could be of one individual’s experience, with insights and understanding gained of the individual’s situation which could be of use to understand others’ experiences. Often there will be attempts made at a comparison between cases—one organisation being compared to another, with both being studied in some detail, and in terms of the same or similar criteria. Given this variety, it is important to use cases in ways appropriate to how they were generated.

The case study continues to be an important piece of evidence in clinical decision-making in medicine and healthcare. Here, case studies do not demonstrate causation or effectiveness, but are used as an important step in understanding the experiences of patients, particularly with a new or confusing set of symptoms. This was clearly seen as clinicians published case studies describing a new respiratory infection which the world now knows to be COVID-19. Only as case studies were generated, and the patterns brought together in larger collections of cases, did the characteristics of the illness come to inform those seeking to diagnose at the bedside (Borges do Nascimento et al. 2020 ). Indeed case studies are frequently favoured in nursing, healthcare and social work research where professional missions require a focus on the care of the individual and where cases facilitate making use of the range of research paradigms (Galatzer-Levy et al. 2000 ; Mattaini 1996 ; Gray 1998 ; Luck et al. 2006 ).

1.4. Devil’s in the Detail

Our main concern in this collection is not with case study aetiology but rather to draw on the advantages of the method to highlight key ethical issues related to the use of evidence in influencing policy. Thus, we make no claim to causal ‘generalisation’ on the basis of these reports—but instead we seek to help elucidate ethics issues, if even theoretical, and anticipate responses and obstacles in similar situations and contexts that might help decision-making in novel circumstances. A key strength of case studies is their capacity to connect abstract theoretical concepts to the complex realities of practice and the real world (Luck et al. 2006 ). Ethics cases clearly fit this description and allow the contextual details of issues and dilemmas to be included in discussions of how ethical principles apply as policy is being developed.

Since cases are highly focussed on the specifics of the situation, more time can be given over to data gathering which may be of both qualitative and quantitative natures. Given the many variables involved in the ‘real life’ setting, increased methodological flexibility is required (Yin 2017 ). This means seeking to maximise the data sources—such as archives (personal and public), records (such as personal diaries), observations (participant and covert) and interviews (face-to-face and online)—and revisiting all sources when necessary and as case participants and time allows.

1.5. Cases and Policymaking

Case studies allow researchers and practitioners to learn from the specifics of a situation and apply that learning in similar situations. Ethics case studies allow such reflection to facilitate the development of ethical decision-making skills. This volume has major interests in ethics and evidence-generation (research), but also in a third area: policymaking. Cases can influence policymaking, such as how one case can receive widespread attention and become the impetus to create policy that aims to prevent similar cases. For example, the US federal Brady Law was enacted in 1993 to require background checks on people before they purchase a gun (ATF 2021 ). The law was named for White House Press Secretary James Brady, and his case became widely known in the US. He was shot and paralyzed during John Hinckley, Jr.’s 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. Another example, this time in a research context, was how the Tuskegee Syphilis Study led, after its public exposure in 1971, to the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare appointing an expert panel to examine the ethics of that case. This resulted in federal policymakers enacting the National Research Act in 1974, which included setting up a national commission that published the Belmont Report in 1976. This report continues to strongly influence research ethics practice around the world. These examples highlight the power of a case study to influence policymaking.

One of the challenges for policymakers, though, is that compelling cases can often be provided for opposite sides of an issue. Also, while the Belmont Report has been praised for articulating a small number of key ethical principles, how those principles should be applied in specific instances of research remains an ongoing challenge and a point of much discussion. This is particularly relevant for innovative techniques and technologies. Hence the importance of cases interacting with general principles and leading to ongoing reflection and debate over the applicable cases. At the same time, new areas of research and evidence generation activities will lead to questions about how existing ethical principles and values apply. New case studies can help to facilitate that reflection, which can then allow policymakers to consider whether existing policy should be adapted or whether whole new areas of policy are needed.

Case studies also can play an important role in learning from and evaluating policy. Policymakers tend to focus on practical, day-to-day concerns and with the introduction of new programmes (Exworthy and Peckam 2012 ). Time and resources may be scant when it comes to evaluating how well existing policies are performing or reflecting on how policies can be adapted to overcome shortcomings (Hunter 2003 ). Effective policies may exist elsewhere (historically or geographically) and be more easily adapted to a new context instead of starting policymaking from scratch. Case studies can permit learning from past policies (or situations where policies did not exist), and they can illuminate various factors that should be explored in more detail in the context of the current issue or situation. Chaps. 2 , 3 and 5 in this volume are examples of this type of case study.

1.6. The Moral Gain

This volume reflects the ambiguity of ethical dilemmas in contemporary policymaking. Analyses will reflect current debates where consensus has not been achieved yet. These cases illustrate key points made throughout the PRO-RES project: that ethical decision-making is a fluid enterprise, where values, principles and standards must constantly be applied to new situations, new events and new research developments. The cases illustrate how no ‘one point’ exists in the research process where judgements about ethics can be regarded as ‘final.’ Case studies provide excellent ways for readers to develop important decision-making skills.

Research produces novel products and processes which can have broad implications for society, the environment and relationships. Research methods themselves are modified or applied in new ways and places, requiring further ethical reflection. New topics and whole fields of research develop and require careful evaluation and thoughtful responses. New case studies are needed because research constantly generates new issues and new ethics questions for policymaking.

The cases found in this volume address a wide range of topics and involve several disciplines. The cases were selected by the parameters of the PRO-RES project and the Horizon 2020 funding call to which it responded. First, the call was concerned with both research ethics and scientific integrity and each of the cases addresses one or both of these areas. The call sought projects that addressed non-medical research, and the cases here address disciplines such as social sciences, engineering, artificial intelligence and One Health. The call also sought particular attention be given to (a) covert research, (b) working in dangerous areas/conflict zones and (c) behavioral research collecting data from social media/internet sources. Hence, we included cases that addressed each of these areas. Finally, while an EU-funded project can be expected to have a European focus, the issues addressed have global implications. Therefore, we wanted to include cases studies from outside Europe and did so by involving authors from India and Africa to reflect on the volume’s areas of interest.

The first case study offered in this volume (Chap. 2 ) examines a significant policy approach taken by the European Union to address ethics and integrity in research and innovation: Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). This chapter examines the lessons that can be learned from RRI in a European context. Chapter 3 elaborates on this topic with another policy learning case study, but this time examining RRI in India. One of the critiques made of RRI is that it can be Euro-centric. This case study examines this claim, and also describes how a distinctively Indian concept, Scientific Temper, can add to and contextualise RRI. Chapter 4 takes a different approach in being a case study of the development of research ethics guidance in the United Kingdom (UK). It explores the history underlying the research ethics framework commissioned by the UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO) and the Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA), and points to lessons that can be learned about the policy-development process itself.

While staying focused on policy related to research ethics, the chapters that follow include case studies that address more targeted concerns. Chapter 5 examines the impact of the European Union’s (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the Republic of Croatia. Research data collected in Croatia is used to explore the handling of personal data before and after the introduction of GDPR. This case study aims to provide lessons learned that could contribute to research ethics policies and procedures in other European Member States.

Chapter 6 moves from policy itself to the role of policy advisors in policymaking. This case study explores the distinct responsibilities of those elevated to the role of “policy advisor,” especially given the current lack of policy to regulate this field or how its advice is used by policymakers. Next, Chap. 7 straddles the previous chapters’ focus on policy and its evaluation while introducing the focus of the next section on historical case studies. This chapter uses the so-called “race for the superconductor” as a case study by which the PRO-RES ethics framework is used to explore specific ethical dilemmas (PRO-RES 2021b ). This case study is especially useful for policymakers because of how it reveals the multiple difficulties in balancing economic, political, institutional and professional requirements and values.

The next case study continues the use of historical cases, but here to explore the challenges facing innovative research into unorthodox energy technology that has the potential to displace traditional energy suppliers. The wave power case in Chap. 8 highlights how conducting research with integrity can have serious consequences and come with considerable cost. The case also points to the importance of transparency in how evidence is used in policymaking so that trust in science and scientists is promoted at the same time as science is used in the public interest. Another area of cutting-edge scientific innovation is explored in Chap. 9 , but this time looking to the future. This case study examines space exploration, and specifically the ethical issues around establishing safe exposure standards for astronauts embarking on extended duration spaceflights. This case highlights the ethical challenges in policymaking focused on an elite group of people (astronauts) who embark on extremely risky activities in the name of science and humanity.

Chapter 10 moves from the physical sciences to the social sciences. The Belfast Project provides a case study to explore the ethical challenges of conducting research after violent conflict. In this case, researchers promised anonymity and confidentiality to research participants, yet that was overturned through legal proceedings which highlighted the limits of confidentiality in research. This case points to the difficulty of balancing the value of research archives in understanding conflict against the value of providing juridical evidence to promote justice. Another social science case is examined in Chap. 11 , this time in ethnography. This so-called ‘urban explorer’ case study explores the justifications that might exist for undertaking covert research where researchers break the law (in this case by trespassing) in order to investigate a topic that would remain otherwise poorly understood. This case raises a number of important questions for policymakers around: the freedoms that researchers should be given to act in the public interest; when researchers are justified in breaking the law; and what responsibilities and consequences researchers should accept if they believe they are justified in doing so.

Further complexity in research and evidence generation is introduced in Chap. 12 . A case study in One Health is used to explore ethical issues at the intersection of animal, human and environmental ethics. The pertinence of such studies has been highlighted by COVID-19, yet policies lag behind in recognising the urgency and complexity of initiating investigations into novel outbreaks, such as the one discussed here that occurred among animals in Ethiopia. Chapter 13 retains the COVID-19 setting, but returns the attention to technological innovation. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the focus of these two chapters in the volume, here examining the ethical challenges arising from the emergency authorisation of using AI to respond to the public health needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Chapter 14 addresses a longer term use of AI in addressing problems and challenges in the legal system. Using the so-called Robodebt case, the chapter explores the reasons why legal systems are turning to AI and other automated procedures. The Robodebt case highlights problems when AI algorithms are built on inaccurate assumptions and implemented with little human oversight. This case shows the massive problems for hundreds of thousands of Australians who became victims of poorly conceived AI and makes recommendations to assist policymakers to avoid similar debacles. The last chapter (Chap. 15 ) draws some general conclusions from all the cases that are relevant when using case studies.

1.7. Into the Future

This volume focuses on ethics in research and professional integrity and how we can be clear about the lessons that can be drawn to assist policymakers. The cases provided cover a wide range of situations, settings, and disciplines. They cover international, national, organisational, group and individual levels of concern. Each case raises distinct issues, yet also points to some general features of research, evidence-generation, ethics and policymaking. All the studies illustrate the difficulties of drawing clear ‘boundaries’ between the research and the context. All these case studies show how in real situations dynamic judgements have to be made about many different issues. Guidelines and policies do help and are needed. But at the same time, researchers, policymakers and everyone else involved in evidence generation and evidence implementation need to embody the virtues that are central to good research. Judgments will need to be made in many areas, for example, about how much transparency can be allowed, or is ethically justified; how much risk can be taken, both with participants’ safety and also with the researchers’ safety; how much information can be disclosed to or withheld from participants in their own interests and for the benefit of the ‘science’; and many others. All of these point to just how difficult it can be to apply common standards across disciplines, professions, cultures and countries. That difficulty must be acknowledged and lead to open discussions with the aim of improving practice. The cases presented here point to efforts that have been made towards this. None of them is perfect. Lessons must be learned from all of them, towards which Chap. 15 aims to be a starting point. Only by openly discussing and reflecting on past practice can lessons be learned that can inform policymaking that aims to improve future practice. In this way, ethical progress can become an essential aspect of innovation in research and evidence-generation.

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Borges do Nascimento, Israel J., Thilo C. von Groote, Dónal P. O’Mathúna, Hebatullah M. Abdulazeem, Catherine Henderson, Umesh Jayarajah, et al. 2020. Clinical, laboratory and radiological characteristics and outcomes of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection in humans: a systematic review and series of meta-analyses. PLoS ONE 15(9):e0239235. https://doi .org/10.1371/journal .pone.0239235 . [ PMC free article : PMC7498028 ] [ PubMed : 32941548 ]
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Galatzer-Levy, R.M., Bachrach, H., Skolnikoff, A., and Wadlron, S. Jr. 2000. The single case method. In Does Psychoanalysis Work? , 230–242. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.
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PRO-RES is a European Commission-funded project aiming to PROmote ethics and integrity in non-medical RESearch by building a supported guidance framework for all non-medical sciences and humanities disciplines adopting social science methodologies. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 788352. Open access fees for this volume were paid for through the PRO-RES funding.

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

The images or other third party material in this chapter are included in the chapter's Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the chapter's Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder.

Cite this Page O’Mathúna D, Iphofen R. Making a Case for the Case: An Introduction. 2022 Nov 3. In: O'Mathúna D, Iphofen R, editors. Ethics, Integrity and Policymaking: The Value of the Case Study [Internet]. Cham (CH): Springer; 2022. Chapter 1. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-15746-2_1
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Judging the Ethics of Research
The Case for Cases
Research Design and Causal Inference
Devil’s in the Detail
Cases and Policymaking
The Moral Gain
Into the Future

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“Ad”mission of guilt
“Do I stop him?”
Newspaper joins war against drugs
Have I got a deal for you!
Identifying what’s right
Is “Enough!” too much?
Issues of bench and bar
Knowing when to say “when!”
Stop! This is a warning…
Strange bedfellows
Gambling with being first
Making the right ethical choice can mean winning by losing
Playing into a hoaxster’s hands
“They said it first”
Is it news, ad or informercial?
Letter to the editor
Games publishers play
An offer you can refuse
An oily gift horse
Public service . . . or “news-mercials”
As life passes by
Bringing death close
A careless step, a rash of calls
Distortion of reality?
Of life and death
Naked came the rider
“A photo that had to be used”
A picture of controversy
Freedom of political expression
Brother, can you spare some time?
Columnist’s crusade OK with Seattle
Kiss and tell
The making of a govenor
Past but not over
Of publishers and politics
To tell the truth
Truth & Consequences
“Truth boxes”
When journalists become flacks
A book for all journalists who believe
The Billboard Bandit
Food for thought
Grand jury probe
Judgement on journalists
Lessons from an ancient spirit
Lying for the story . . .
Newspaper nabs Atlanta’s Dahmer
One way to a good end
Over the fence
“Psst! Pass it on!”
Rules aren’t neat on Crack Street
“Someone had to be her advocate”
Trial by Fire
Trial by proximity
Using deceit to get the truth
When advocacy is okay
Witness to an execution
Are we our brother’s keeper? . . . You bet we are!
Betraying a trust

Broken promise

“But I thought you were . . . ”
“Can I take it back?”
Competitive disadvantage
Getting it on tape
The great quote question
How to handle suicide threats
Let’s make a deal!
A phone-y issue?
The source wanted out
The story that died in a lie
Thou shalt not break thy promise
Thou shalt not concoct thy quote
Thou shalt not trick thy source
Too good to be true
Vulnerable sources and journalistic responsibility
The way things used to be . . .
When a story just isn’t worth it
When a story source threatens suicide
When public should remain private
The ethics of “outing”
“For personal reasons”
Intruding on grief
Intruding on private pain
Privacy case settled against TV station
Seeing both sides
Two views on “outing”
Unwanted spotlight
Whose right is it anyway?
Other views on the Christine Busalacchi case
The death of a soldier
Firing at Round Rock
A kinder, gentler news media
Operation: Buy yourself a parade
Rallying ’round the flag
“Salute to military” ads canceled
Tell the truth, stay alive
The windbags of war
Absent with no malice
Anonymity for rape victims . . .
An exception to the rule
The boy with a broken heart
Civilly suitable
Creating a victim
“Everyone already knew”
An exceptional case
Innocent victims
Minor infraction
Names make news
Naming a victim
Naming “johns”
Profile of controversy
What the media all missed
Punishing plagiarizers
Sounding an alarm on AIDS
Suffer the children
Anchor’s away
The day the earth stood still
Doing your own ethics audit
Good guys, bad guys and TV news
Is it just me, or . . . ?
The Post’s exam answer story
TV station “teases” suicide
Yanking Doonesbury
The year in review
Colorado media’s option play
Deadly lesson
Deciding which critically ill person gets coverage
When journalists play God . . .
A delicate balance
The Fallen Servant
Handle with care
It’s the principle, really
Killing news
Maybe what seems so right is wrong
On the line
Protest and apology after Daily Beacon story
Red flag for badgering
Sharing the community’s grief
The “super-crip” stereotype
“And then he said *&%*!!!”
When big is not better
When the KKK comes calling
Not the straight story
Agreeing to disagree
All in the family
Family feud
Author! Author!
The Bee that roared
Brewing controversy
Building barriers
Other views from librarians
The ethics of information selling
Close to home
Family ties
How now, sacred cow?
The ties that bind
“Like any other story”
When your newspaper is the news
Not friendly fire
Overdraft on credibility?
The problem is the writing
Written rules can be hazardous
Project censored, sins of omission and the hardest “W” of all – “why”
Risking the newsroom’s image
The Media School

Ethics Case Studies

Browse Ethics Case Studies
Handling Sources

Breaching a reporter-source confidence

When a journalist makes a promise to a source, he or she usually has every intention of honoring that pledge. But sometimes a reporter doesn’t have the authority.

By Andrea Peyser

Andrea Peyser is a reporter for The New York Post. The incident on which this article is based took place when she was a reporter for The Tampa Tribune.

Author bio information is from the time of article submission and may not be current.

Source: FineLine: The Newsletter On Journalism Ethics, vol. 1, no. 5 (July 1989), p. 5.

This case was produced for FineLine, a publication of Billy Goat Strut Publishing, 600 East Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202. Reprinted with the permission of Billy Goat Strut Publishing. This case may be reproduced for classroom and research purposes. Publication of this case in electronic or printed form requires written permission from the publisher and Indiana University. An exception is granted for use in readers designed for specific academic courses.

Breaking a promise for anonymity is always a painful, ethically dangerous decision for a newspaper. It becomes excruciating when the person being revealed is a 5-year-old girl with AIDS.

In 1987, The Tampa Tribune published the name of Eliana Martinez, a child involved in a highly publicized struggle for entry into the public school system. The Tribune made the difficult decision despite impassioned entreaties from Eliana’s mother, who feared her daughter – who is mentally retarded – would be mercilessly harassed.

In writing the story, I was forced to break a long-standing promise to keep Eliana’s identity a secret – and found myself thrust into a debate pitting an innocent child’s safety against the perceived media manipulation of her mother.

Rose Martinez adopted Eliana as a baby from her native Puerto Rico, where the child had contracted the AIDS virus from blood transfusions.

Through intense love and attention at her mother’s Florida home, Eliana evolved from a mute, staring vegetable to an active, laughing child – though one without the ability to speak, read or control her bowels.

With fierce resolve, Rosa Martinez entered into a fight with the school board in Tampa to have Eliana placed in special-education classes – the only place, she felt, her daughter would reach her full potential. The school board, fearing Eliana’s lack of toilet training would pose a health threat to other children and teachers, denied the request.

Eliana’s mother took her struggle to the Tribune, giving a reporter an exclusive interview on one condition: Her daughter’s full name and address be kept a secret, at least until the case made it to federal court.

Rosa Martinez’s crusade attracted considerable attention from local print and broadcast news organizations, all of whom followed the Tribune’s lead and did not identify Eliana – even when she was paraded before a public school board meeting.

In the midst of the battle, I took over the education beat from the reporter who had broken Eliana’s story. At the time Rosa Martinez, having exhausted all her options with the school board, was about to plead her case before a state hearing officer.

An administrative hearing is not a legal proceeding. There is no jury or judge, although testimony and evidence are presented. It was the job of the hearing officer to give a second opinion of the school board’s decision to bar Eliana from school.

Rosa Martinez, always accessible to the media, agreed to open the hearing to the public – an unusual move in a case involving a minor. Before the hearing, she reminded me that Eliana’s full name was to be kept secret for now.

But Lawrence McConnell, who was then assistant managing editor and as new to the case as I was, demanded the child’s identity be published.

His reason was simple: Rosa Martinez had opened the case to the public, therefore, anyone who wanted to could attend the hearing and learn the child’s name. McConnell also believed the mother had taken too much control over the media in an attempt to further her own agenda.

It was with a heavy heart that I called Rosa Martinez to tell her that the family’s name would be revealed in the next morning’s paper. She begged me not to print it. I told her – as did a slew of editors up the line – that there was no choice.

While I agreed with the editor that the woman had exercised control, perhaps too much control, over news coverage, I wondered whether my paper was justified in flexing its First Amendment muscle in a case involving a sick child.

The story was about Eliana, not her mother. It was unlikely that the child was aware of what was going on around her. Didn’t her safety and privacy outweigh the public’s right to know? ( Shortly after the Tribune article was published, other media started using Eliana’s full name.)

In addition, it was her mother’s cooperation that made it possible in the first place for us to cover the story. Should we risk at this point losing her goodwill even if it meant missing out on future stories?

By far the most troubling aspect was the broken promise. The Tribune had agreed to wait until the case arrived in federal court before publishing Eliana’s name. Was it possible that Rosa Martinez might have decided not to bring the case to court, in order to protect her daughter’s privacy? By jumping the gun, we made the decision for her.

I am still troubled by the newspaper’s decision. There is a special trust between reporter and source that cannot be violated if we are to maintain our integrity. But perhaps the responsibility for this breach lies with both reporter and source: The reporter made a mistake by promising too much in pursuit of a good story. Rosa Martinez made a mistake by asking for too much in pursuit of her goal.

3 Key Tips to Writing a Great Ethics Case Study

Table of Contents

Writing an ethics case study is one of the most effective ways to explore an ethical dilemma or research any topic. Studying real-life scenarios and their circumstances might help you understand what went wrong and how to avoid similar problems. Read on if you’re ready to learn about writing an honest and informative ethics case study.

What Is an Ethics Case Study?

An ethics case study analyzes a specific ethical dilemma or situation that presents a moral conflict . Ethics case studies demonstrate how moral concepts apply in real life and how to make ethical decisions. A good ethics case study includes extensive research, numerous views, and an emphasis on the ethical implications of each possible action. It must include enough information about the circumstance and the people involved to let readers understand the intricacy of the issue. In an ethics case study, it’s essential to remain impartial and present all sides of the argument without bias. This case study style encourages critical thinking and meditation on complicated ethical dilemmas rather than persuasion. A well-written ethics case study might make us question our ideals as we meet ethical issues in our personal and professional lives.

Why Write an Ethics Case Study?

Ethics case studies help people understand how moral ideas apply in real life and make good decisions. These case studies help readers grasp complex ethical issues by researching, considering various views , and evaluating the ethical consequences of potential actions. Ethics case studies encourage critical thinking and reflection on complex ethical dilemmas by remaining impartial and presenting all sides of an argument without bias. These case studies enable readers to explore their values and views when facing ethical issues in their personal and professional lives. Ultimately, an ethics case study is a powerful way to help others navigate the complexities of ethical decision-making. Writers can aid their readers in making morally sound decisions by thoroughly understanding the situations and people involved. Doing so may create a more just and equitable world that respects honesty, integrity, and human dignity.

person wearing brown sweater writing with pen in book

How to Write an Ethics Case Study in Steps

Ethics is a complex and subjective topic, making it challenging to navigate ethical dilemmas. Writing an ethics case study is one way to help people understand the intricacies of ethical decision-making. When writing one, it’s essential to remain impartial and present all sides of the argument without bias. This approach encourages critical thinking and reflection on complex ethical issues.

1. Select an Ethical Issue

Begin by selecting a specific ethical issue that you want to explore in depth. You can recall ethical issues from memory, society, a book, a movie, or a similar experience.

2. Gather Relevant Information

Once you have gathered all relevant information and analyzed the situation thoroughly, it’s time to write your case study. Include details about their backgrounds, motivations, and values. It’s essential to consider the impact on everyone involved, including any potential stakeholders affected by the outcome.

3. Writing Format

The format should include an introduction, background information, an analysis of the issue, alternative solutions, recommendations, and a conclusion. Remember to remain objective throughout the process and avoid inserting personal biases or opinions.

In conclusion, writing an ethics case study can be a challenging but rewarding task. It allows you to explore complex ethical dilemmas and develop critical thinking skills. However, it is essential to remember that the output must comply with specific rules to communicate your ideas effectively. This means using clear and concise language and avoiding jargon or technical terms whenever possible. Furthermore, when writing an ethics case study, it is essential to remember your target reader.

3 Key Tips to Writing a Great Ethics Case Study

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Ethics Case Study – 2 – Honesty and Integrity

Jayanth is a son-in-law of a local MLA and is now posted as block development officer in his father-in-law’s constituency. He comes to know that MLA’s followers, who are mainly small contractors and many elected members of Gram Panchayat, are hand in glove with local Panchayat officials in misusing MGNREGA funds. He finds that each Panchayat secretary along with elected members have used machines to complete many works under the scheme and siphoned off funds using fake job cards. He also finds out that all this was done at the behest of his father-in-law, the local MLA. Now, the state government has taken cognizance of the issue after a media report and has ordered inquiry into the scam.

Jayanth has to probe the matter and file a report to higher authorities. His father-in-law is pressurizing him to file a false report as he himself is under pressure from his followers, who if found guilty will be slapped with a criminal case. Some contractors have contacted and requested him to not to mention their names in the report in return for a hefty bribe. Some Panchayat secretaries have requested him to spare them as according to them Panchayat members had coerced them into becoming partners in crime. Jayanth is recently married and it is his first government job.

What should be his course of action? (200 Words)

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Find case studies and scenarios on a variety of fields in applied ethics.

Cases can also be viewed by the following categories:

For permission to reprint cases, submit requests to [email protected] .

Looking to draft your own case studies? This template provides the basics for writing ethics case studies in technology (though with some modification it could be used in other fields as well).

How might news platforms and products ensure that ethical journalism on chronic issues is not drowned out by the noise of runaway political news cycles?

AI-generated text, voices, and images used for entertainment productions and impersonation raise ethical questions.

Ethical questions arise in interactions among students, instructors, administrators, and providers of AI tools.

In water rights discussions, there is an ethical responsibility to include Indigenous people in both conversations and legislation decisions.

In this business ethics case study, Swedish multinational company IKEA faced accusations relating to child labor abuses in the rug industry in Pakistan which posed a serious challenge for the company and its supply chain management goals.

A dog may be humanity’s best friend. But that may not always be the case in the workplace.

A recent college graduate works in the finance and analytics department of a large publicly traded software company and discovers an alarming discrepancy in sales records, raising concerns about the company’s commitment to truthful reporting to investors.

What responsibility does an employee have when information they obtained in confidence from a coworker friend may be in conflict with the needs of the company or raises legal and ethical questions.

A manager at a prominent multinational company is ethically challenged by a thin line between opportunity for economic expansion in a deeply underserved community, awareness of child labor practices, and cultural relativism.

A volunteer providing service in the Dominican Republic discovered that the non-profit he had partnered with was exchanging his donor money on the black market, prompting him to navigate a series of complex decisions with significant ethical implications.

Ethics Case Study: Do Not Let Your Friends Suffer

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What are examples of ethics violations?

Ethics violations such as discrimination, safety violations, poor working conditions and releasing proprietary information are other examples. Situations such as bribery, forgery and theft, while certainly ethically improper, cross over into criminal activity and are often dealt with outside the company.

What is the most common ethical violation?

What are the types of ethical violations.

Fraud or deceptive practices.
Subversion.
Unprofessional conduct.
Scope-of-practice violations.
Being unfit to practice.
Improper management of patient records.
Violation of state laws, federal laws, or regulatory rules.
Failure to report violations or errors.

What are 5 examples of ethics?

Honesty. Many people view honesty as an important ethic. ...
Loyalty. Loyalty is another common personal ethic that many professionals share. ...
Integrity. ...
Respect. ...
Selflessness. ...
Responsibility.

What is the most common violation of ethics in the workplace?

Lying to employees . The fastest way to lose the trust of your employees is to lie to them. If you ask employees whether their manager or supervisor has lied to them within the past year, you may be surprised at the results. Lying is unethical.

Ethics Case Study: It was Just a Careless Mistake

What is bad work ethics?

A bad work ethic is an attitude that an employee demonstrates that shows a lack of ambition and professionalism in the workplace . People with a strong work ethic often seem as though they have a competitive spirit, although their competitiveness is often within themselves to achieve their goals within their occupation.

What is considered unethical behavior?

Unethical behavior can be defined as actions that are against social norms or acts that are considered unacceptable to the public . Ethical behavior is the complete opposite of unethical behavior. Ethical behavior follows the majority of social norms and such actions are acceptable to the public.

What are the 7 types of ethics?

Supernaturalism.
Subjectivism.
Consequentialism.
Intuitionism.
Duty-based ethics.
Virtue ethics.
Situation ethics.

What are the 7 codes of ethics?

Be an ethical leader.
Use moral courage.
Consider personal and professional reputation.
Set the right tone at the top.
Maintain an enquiring mindset.
Consider the public interest.
Consider 'the right, the good and the virtuous' actions"

What are ethics issues?

Ethical issues occur when a given decision, scenario or activity creates a conflict with a society's moral principles . Both individuals and businesses can be involved in these conflicts, since any of their activities might be put to question from an ethical standpoint.

What are the six ethical issues?

These principles include voluntary participation, informed consent, anonymity, confidentiality, potential for harm, and results communication .

What is an ethical violation in business?

Among the many types of business ethics violations are those that create a hostile business environment, such as the intimidation or sexual harassment of workers . Stealing, lying and mismanaging funds are included among ethical principals that are sometimes broken within the business world.

What is a breach of ethics?

An ethical breach occurs when someone within a system or community makes an ethical choice that sets a standard by which others can make a similar decision . The danger of ethical breaches is that they are a fundamental change in the ethics of your organization.

What are the top 5 ethical issues in healthcare?

Balancing Care Quality and Efficiency. ...
Improving Access to Care. ...
Building and Sustaining the Healthcare Workforce of the Future. ...
Addressing End-of Life Issues. ...
Allocating Limited Medications and Donor Organs.

What is a major reason for the violation of ethics codes?

what is the major reason for the violation of ethics codes? lack of specificity . employees must judge whether a specific behavior is unethical.

What are ethical violations in healthcare?

Serious ethical violations are acts that not only disregard codes of medical ethics, but also risk directly harming patients and subjecting the wrongdoer to criminal, tort, or medical board actions .

What are ethics examples?

Ethics, for example, refers to those standards that impose the reasonable obligations to refrain from rape, stealing, murder, assault, slander, and fraud . Ethical standards also include those that enjoin virtues of honesty, compassion, and loyalty.

What are personal ethics examples?

Some code of ethics examples include integrity, selflessness, honesty, loyalty, equality, fairness, empathy, respect, and self-respect . This article is a complete resource for forming your personal ethics and transforming them into a compelling personal ethics statement.

What are the four ethical issues that you have learned?

The most widely known is the one introduced by Beauchamp and Childress. This framework approaches ethical issues in the context of four moral principles: respect for autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice (see table 1).

What is good and bad ethics?

Both morality and ethics loosely have to do with distinguishing the difference between “good and bad” or “right and wrong.” Many people think of morality as something that's personal and normative, whereas ethics is the standards of “good and bad” distinguished by a certain community or social setting .

What are the 3 basic types of ethical issues?

The three schools are virtue ethics, consequentialist ethics, and deontological or duty-based ethics .

What are the 10 kinds of ethics?

HONESTY. ...
INTEGRITY. ...
PROMISE-KEEPING & TRUSTWORTHINESS. ...
LOYALTY. ...
FAIRNESS. ...
CONCERN FOR OTHERS. ...
RESPECT FOR OTHERS. ...
LAW ABIDING.

What is an example of an unethical situation?

You lie on your resume in order to get a job . Friends talk about another friend behind his back. A student takes credit for work they did not do. A college student cheats on a school paper by copying it off the Internet.

What is unethical but legal?

Breaking promises is generally legal, but is widely thought of as unethical; Cheating on your husband or wife or boyfriend or girlfriend is legal, but unethical, though the rule against it is perhaps more honoured in the breach; …and so on.

What is unethical and example?

adjective. lacking moral principles; unwilling to adhere to proper rules of conduct . not in accord with the standards of a profession: She treated patients outside the area of her training, and the appropriate medical organization punished her unethical behavior.

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Ethics Case Study: It was Just a Careless Mistake
David, the Finance Director of a company was alerted to the fact that major customer, Super Pte Ltd, had returned most of the goods shipped to them near the ...
Ethics Case Study: It was Just a Careless Mistake
About the content. David, the Finance Director of a company was alerted to the fact that major customer, Super Pte Ltd, had returned most of the goods shipped to them near the end of the last year. While David is proposing adjustments to the financial statements in order to reflect the return, his proposal is faced with stiff opposition from ...
Assignment
Case Study assignment on case: it was just careless mistake course code: sec: 02 submitted to nikhil chandra shil coordinator, graduate studies (mba emba ... What is the ethical dilemma as presented in the case? Answer: The ethical dilemma presented in the case is about honesty and integrity. The Finance Director wants to adjust the 4 million ...
ETHICAL REASONING IN BUSINESS (AACSB)
Ethics Case Study: It was Just a Careless Mistake-Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants "David, the Finance Director of a company was alerted to the fact that major customer, Super Pte Ltd, had returned most of the goods shipped to them near the end of the last year.
Videos & animated series
Ethics Case Study 2: It was Just a Careless Mistake. David, the Finance Director of a company was alerted to the fact that major customer, Super Pte Ltd, had returned most of the goods shipped to them near the end of the last year.
Discussion Video Ethics Case Study It was Just a Careless Mistake
Discussion: Video: Ethics Case Study: It was Just a Careless Mistake Theory of ethics are: Ethical Fundamentalism; utilitarianism ; Kantian ethics; Rawl's social justice theory; Ethical relativism . Please describe the Theory of Ethics you would use to analyze this scenario & why?
It Was Just A Careless Mistake| Ethics Case Study
presented byVinisha.S(URK23CS5041)Aiswarya.A.V(URK23CS5048)Divya Dharshini.G(URK23CS5012)Batch 9| CSE(AI)
It was just a careless mistake case study.docx
In the case study, "It was Just a Careless Mistake," of the items that were listed in the "Learning Points" section, I believe that the intimidation threat and the self-interest threat would be the most unethical. I feel as though the intimidation threat and self-interest threat are the most unethical due to my belief that if you are threatening someone to do something, chances are ...
Case Studies
More than 70 cases pair ethics concepts with real world situations. From journalism, performing arts, and scientific research to sports, law, and business, these case studies explore current and historic ethical dilemmas, their motivating biases, and their consequences. Each case includes discussion questions, related videos, and a bibliography.
Ethics Case Study: It was Just a Careless Mistake
关于内容. David, the Finance Director of a company was alerted to the fact that major customer, Super Pte Ltd, had returned most of the goods shipped to them near the end of the last year. While David is proposing adjustments to the financial statements in order to reflect the return, his proposal is faced with stiff opposition from within ...
ethics.docx
View ethics.docx from WRIT 201 at Rutgers University. "It was Just a Careless Mistake" After I watched this video, I found that the most unethical and damaging movement from Johnny is the ... It was just a careless mistake case study.docx. University of Mississippi. WRIT 440. ALA 3 week 6.docx. Solutions Available. Westcliff University. BUS 325.
Making a Case for the Case: An Introduction
Ethics case studies allow such reflection to facilitate the development of ethical decision-making skills. This volume has major interests in ethics and evidence-generation (research), but also in a third area: policymaking. ... All of these point to just how difficult it can be to apply common standards across disciplines, professions ...
Technology Ethics Cases
This template provides the basics for writing ethics case studies in technology (though with some modification it could be used in other fields as well). AI, Comedy, and Counterculture . An Ethics Case Study. AI-generated text, voices, and images used for entertainment productions and impersonation raise ethical questions.
Discussion Video Ethics Case Study It was Just a Careless Mistake
Video: Ethics Case Study: It was Just a Careless Mistake . Please describe the Theory of Ethics you would use to analyze this scenario & why? Then indicate the theory of social responsibility utilized by David & Johnny (if they are different) in making their decisions. Briefly explain your position and what you would advise David & why.
Broken promise: Handling Sources: Browse Ethics Case Studies: Ethics
A careless step, a rash of calls; ... The reporter made a mistake by promising too much in pursuit of a good story. Rosa Martinez made a mistake by asking for too much in pursuit of her goal. Aiding law enforcement; ... Ethics Case Studies resources and social media channels. The Media School;
3 Key Tips to Writing a Great Ethics Case Study
Select an Ethical Issue. 2. Gather Relevant Information. 3. Writing Format. Conclusion. . Writing an ethics case study is one of the most effective ways to explore an ethical dilemma or research any topic. Studying real-life scenarios and their circumstances might help you understand what went wrong and how to avoid similar problems.
Ethics Case Study
Jayanth is a son-in-law of a local MLA and is now posted as block development officer in his father-in-law's constituency. He comes to know that MLA's followers, who are mainly small contractors and many elected members of Gram Panchayat, are hand in glove with local Panchayat officials in misusing MGNREGA funds. He finds that each … Continue reading "Ethics Case Study - 2 - Honesty ...
Is negligence an ethical issue?
Definition. A failure to behave with the level of care that someone of ordinary prudence would have exercised under the same circumstances. The behavior usually consists of actions, but can also consist of omissions when there is some duty to act (e.g., a duty to help victims of one's previous conduct).
Crisis Data: An Ethics Case Study
In January 2022, Politico published an article about a nonprofit called Crisis Text Line, which offers support via text messages for people who are going through mental health crises. For years, the nonprofit had been collecting a database of messages exchanged, and used the data to triage the incoming calls for help and to train its volunteers ...
Ethics Cases
A Business Ethics Case Study. A volunteer providing service in the Dominican Republic discovered that the non-profit he had partnered with was exchanging his donor money on the black market, prompting him to navigate a series of complex decisions with significant ethical implications. Case studies and scenarios illustrating ethical dilemmas in ...
Ethics Case Study: It was just a Careless Mistake. Through a memo
Answer to Ethics Case Study: It was just a Careless Mistake. Through a memo...
Ethics Case Study: Do Not Let Your Friends Suffer
Watch the video to find out. This is one of two animated ethics case studies produced by ISCA to promote ethics. more_horiz Read more. more_horiz Read less. ... starstarstarstarstar 5/5. calendar_today Published on Jun 17, 2015. access_time 2 minutes. Video. Ethics Case Study: It was Just a Careless Mistake starstarstarstarstar 5/5. calendar ...
What are examples of ethics violations?
Ethics Case Study: It was Just a Careless Mistake. 39 related questions found. What is bad work ethics? ... An ethical breach occurs when someone within a system or community makes an ethical choice that sets a standard by which others can make a similar decision. The danger of ethical breaches is that they are a fundamental change in the ...