...Trident University International Module 1 Case Assignment ETH 501: Business Ethics Dr. Mark Friske 24 November 2013 Introduction Adelphia Communications, one of the largest cable companies is the country at the time, is defunct as of 2006 due to multiple unethical decisions by the Rigas family. Any business, if subjected to unethical decision making to this extent, would be destined for failure and Adelphia Communications is no exception. The two main unethical actions that are highlighted are lying and stealing. Were these actions justified, deontologically speaking? How does Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative apply to these two unethical actions in a business scenario? The Scandal Adelphia was a cable television company formed in 1952 by John Rigas and two other partners. John Rigas eventually bought out the partners of the company and grew the business with his brother and sons making it a family business. In 1986 the company became publically listed and eventually became the fifth largest cable company in the United States before it filed for bankruptcy in 2002 due to internal corruption. One example of the internal corruption at Adelphia was the accounting techniques that were used by the Rigas family. Billions of dollars in debt and liabilities were hidden from the public and off of the financial reports to make the company appear in better shape than it actually was. The former cable television company also would alter the amount...
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...Chapter 1 Career Success Begins With Communication Skills Multiple Choice 1. One of the fastest ways to ensure your career success is to a. learn how to design Web pages. b. post a persuasive résumé online. c. develop excellent communication skills. d. invite your boss out to lunch periodically. ANS: c REF: p. 2 TYPE: Con DIF: 3 TOP: Communication Skills: Your Ticket to Work or Your Ticket Out the Door NOT: Developing excellent communication skills is one of the fastest ways to ensure your career success. AAC: Tier 1—Reflective Thinking; Tier 2—Conclusion 2. On the job you are more likely to be taken seriously and promoted if you a. look and sound professional. b. frame your degree or certificate and hang it on your office or cubicle wall. c. appear to be busy even when you’re not really doing anything. d. do all of the above. ANS: a REF: pp. 4-5 TYPE: Con DIF: 3 TOP: Professionalism Counts With Employers NOT: If you look and sound professional while working, you are more likely to be taken seriously and promoted. AAC: Tier 1—Reflective Thinking; Tier 2—Conclusion 3. Because the U.S. economy is increasingly _____________ based, education is extremely important. a. politically b. production c. knowledge d. labor ANS: c REF: p. 9 TYPE: Con DIF: 3 TOP: How Does Your Education Affect Your Income? NOT:...
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...Chapter 1—Test Bank Career Success Begins With Communication Skills DIFFICULTY (DIF) TYPE OTHER CODES 5 = Most difficult Ap: Application question ANS: Answer 3 = Average difficulty Con: Conceptual question REF: Page Reference 1 = Least difficult Def: Definition OBJ: Chapter Objective NOT: Note (feedback/explanations) AAC: AACSB Competencies Multiple Choice 1. One of the fastest ways to ensure your career success is to a. learn how to design Web pages. b. post a persuasive résumé online. c. develop excellent communication skills. d. invite your boss out to lunch periodically. ANS: c REF: p. 2 TYPE: Con DIF: 3 TOP: Communication Skills: Your Ticket to Work or Your Ticket Out the Door NOT: Developing excellent communication skills is one of the fastest ways to ensure your career success. AAC: Tier 1—Reflective Thinking; Tier 2—Conclusion 2. On the job you are more likely to be taken seriously and promoted if you a. look and sound professional. b. frame your degree or certificate and hang it on your office or cubicle wall. c. appear to be busy even when you’re not really doing anything. d. do all of the above. ANS: a REF: pp. 4-5 TYPE: Con DIF: 3 TOP: Professionalism Counts With Employers NOT: If you look and sound professional while working, you are more likely to be taken seriously and promoted. AAC: Tier 1—Reflective Thinking; Tier 2—Conclusion ...
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...Introduction Communication is the exchange and flow of information and ideas from one individual to another via the usage of the mouth. This can be through the telephone, fax mail, email, or the aspect of using the face-face entity at the workplace. Basically, this document will illustrate in detail on how to undertake the approach of involving better and improved communication ways that lead to better and positive outcome of the firm. In essence, this shows that the paper is intended to bring about a positive outcome that would be influenced by the presence of improved communication links within a workplace environment (Perkins, 2010). Problem statement Basically, this paper tends to base its attribute on how to improve interaction in the workplace, and hence bring about a positive outcome in the workplace. Therefore, it is essential for firms to undertake the aspect of looking for better ways that can be put into practice improved communication approaches in order to enable the workplace atmosphere contribute to positive outcome. This will be an approach that will assist both clients and the employees working in the firm at stake in the market (Lasater, 2010). Statement of objective The paper is entailed to show that the presence of improved communication links at the workplace is essential as they are designed to generate positive implications. Basically, it also goes to the extent of illustrating that coordination of the individuals involved in the improvement of...
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...of this case assignment centers on the examination of the how the Adelphia Communications’ executives violated the trust of the company’s shareholders and the trust of the community through the analytical view of deontological ethics. This analysis will be achieved by defining deontological ethics and Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative. A review of the Adelphia Communications Scandal will be conducted with a general assessment of what ethical issues were present based on deontological ethics and Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative. The Adelphia Communications Scandal The Adelphia Communications Corporation was the sixth largest provider of cable services in the United States prior to filing bankruptcy in 2002 due to a major accounting scandal. Adelphia’s management intentionally misled investors by falsifying financial statements to give the appearance the organization was financially solid and performing well above normal, by excluding billions of dollars of debt from financial statements. The auditors fail to find any fraudulent action in the financial statements. John Rigas was the original founder of the corporation and later joined with his brother and sons. The Adelphia Communications Corporation (investors) provided over $2.3 billion worth of personal loans to the Rigas family. The Rigas family received assets via fund transfers from the Adelphia Communications Corporation through journal entries to purchase extravagant homes, land for...
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...Intercultural Communication August 21, 2013 The example of poor intercultural communication between the United States of America and Mexico is how the communication significantly affected foreign policy and international commerce between the two countries. Mexico is a country of intercultural significance and neighbors the United States of America. The United States of America is traditional and within the country, many cultures exist. The work ethic and language, within intercultural communication in Mexico and the United States of America, are similar. The population of the United States exceeds 313 million people and this statistic results in America as the third largest country in the world. The diverse population of the United States is 64 percent Caucasian, 16 percent Hispanic, 13 percent Black, five percent Asian and Pacific Islander, and one percent Native American. One could state that the United States of America consists of a plethora of cultures. The population of Mexico is 113.7 million people and increasing 1.10 percent annually (Huntington, 2005). Mexico’s population is an estimated 60 percent mixture of with indigenous heritage and Spanish. The multiple indigenous groups are approximately 30 percent, and the European ancestry is approximately nine percent. The largest city in Mexico is Mexico City and New York is the largest city in the United States of America. The two cities are over 17 million, another similarity between the two countries (Rosenberg, 2013)...
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...Adelphia Communications scandal By Insert name Insert institution Adelphia Communications scandal Introduction Adelphia Communications Company was a television cable company whose headquarters centered in Coudersport, Pennsylvania. It ranked as the fifth most prestigious cable companies in United States. John Rigas is the founder of the company. The company was highly respected until an infamous scandal ensued following claims of bankrupt in 2002, at which time its headquarters relocated to greenwood Village, Colorado. According to Jefferson (2007), after the ensuing controversial legal proceedings ended, the company’s assets were liquefied. Time Warner Cable acquired most of the company’s assets in 2006. LFC auctioned the rest of the assets. Pioneer Telephone bought the existing Adelphia Communications Corporation’s telephone business skeleton, which had over 110,000 registered customers across 27 states in United States of America. The scandal The scandal is about carefully concealed fraudulent activities involving the company and the Rigas family, the founder. Adelphia Communications corporate made an agreement with the Rigas family that placed the two parties as guarantors of each other. Investigations following the file for bankruptcy uncovered shocking revelations of the operations involving the two parties: the company and Rigas family. Apparently, Rigas family borrowed heavily from the company for their own personal gain, leading to a deficit of billions of...
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...Demonstrative communication is a silent way to communicate, which is key to interacting with another without speaking. Demonstrative communication, also known as nonverbal communication, is an imperative part of communicating with any person whether it is personal or business. It is a foundation of how two or more people respond and interact with another. Nonverbal communication involves both listening and responding while using subtle cues such as facial expressions, gestures, posture, and many others described later in this essay. Cheeseebro, O’Connor, & Rios (2010), contend listening involves attending to what the other person is stating and being opportunistic (p. 114). Responding is a form of giving and receiving feedback by not only verbal responses, but also nonverbal as well. For instance, if a person’s boss asks him or her to do something, he or she will respond by saying, “Yes, Sir.” By adding the nonverbal cues to the combination, he or she can roll their eyes and appear as though they do not want to do what is asked but will do it anyway. The person could have had a strong eye contact while smiling implementing he or she is happy to do the task. Nonverbal Communication Types According to the Helpguide.org website, there are seven types of demonstrative communication that includes facial expressions, body movements and posture; gestures, eye contact, touch, space, and voice. These are major components to effective communication so without further...
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...Adelphia Communications scandal Matthew Tassin Trident University Ethics 501 Introduction Adelphia Communications Company was a television cable company whose headquarters centered in Coudersport, Pennsylvania. It ranked as the fifth most prestigious cable companies in United States. John Rigas is the founder of the company. The company was highly respected until an infamous scandal ensued following claims of bankrupt in 2002, at which time its headquarters relocated to greenwood Village, Colorado. According to Jefferson (2007), after the ensuing controversial legal proceedings ended, the company’s assets were liquefied. Time Warner Cable acquired most of the company’s assets in 2006. LFC auctioned the rest of the assets. Pioneer Telephone bought the existing Adelphia Communications Corporation’s telephone business skeleton, which had over 110,000 registered customers across 27 states in United States of America. The scandal The scandal is about carefully concealed fraudulent activities involving the company and the Rigas family, the founder. Adelphia Communications corporate made an agreement with the Rigas family that placed the two parties as guarantors of each other. Investigations following the file for bankruptcy uncovered shocking revelations of the operations involving the two parties: the company and Rigas family. Apparently, Rigas family borrowed heavily from the company for their own personal gain, leading to a deficit of billions of dollars in the company’s...
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...Effective Communications Paper HCS/325 Ahkeda Holland August 15, 2012 Communication is an imperative social contact source for any thriving organization. Communication should be one of the main foundations on building a strong operational business. Communication is not only imperative to the employees but to the consumers of the organization whom are dependent on the staffs communication while receiving services. Without effective communication between staff, consumers’ lives and health could become at risk when the possibility of errors arise. Organizational structure is one of the most efficient methods for allocation of relevant information. A prim structure is vital to authorize alliances of the organization to communicate awareness with the staff and other operations with the establishment. The separation of an organization for functional structure can builds on excellent rewards, when effective information is used effectively within a department assigning tasks with the skill and gained knowledge of each department of the establishment. Each alliance of the structure shares the information and applies teamwork with every department to provide logical skills when approaching conflict. Social networking within an organization has become effective with providing information and this technique is also developing effective communication from one organization to the next. By providing monthly, weekly, and sometimes daily memo updates for the staff and consumers keeps...
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...analogy that best describes effective communication is when the brain is not communicating properly to the body; the body and the brain become ineffective, not functioning properly. The same applies in the business world. The vitality of a business depends on how well the organization head communicates, by way of sending and receiving messages, to and from the rest of the work body known as employees and stakeholders. Now in these days, technology pretty much shapes day to day lives, faster than can be envisioned. Technology has enabled diverse entities despite time zone, distance, color, or creed to all come together as one workforce. There was a time, when internal communication consisted solely on sending memos, writing formal letters, amongst others. Today contemporary businesses communication encompasses a wide range of communication trends. Workforce now communicates by means of email interaction, teleconferencing and videoconferencing. It is imperative for the vitality of an organization for all employees to comprehend how to communicate with their peers depending on the industry’s dichotomy and follow policies and procedures when communicating properly. Some basic principles to follow when communicating are wording, tone, composition, body, organization, grammar, abbreviation, spelling, and capitalization. Since technology is dramatically changing, hand written memos, meeting minutes, and other official forms of communication have transitioned to emails. As mentioned...
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...Running head: Adelphia Communications Scandal TUI UNIVERSITY Errol Hammonds Case #1 ETH 501 Business Ethics and Deontology Dr. Bonnie Adams 21 October 2013 Adelphia Communications Scandal Adelphia – which means “brothers’ in Greek – used to be one of America’s largest cable companies. John Rigas [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Rigas] founded the company and served as CEO and chairman. His son Tim had the position of Chief Financial Officer and two other sons were VPs. John Rigas also has a son-in-law Peter Venetis who was also a board member. Of the board’s nine seats, the Rigas family held five of them. They also owned the majority of class B super voting shares that gave the family majority voting rights. It is how the family maintained control even after the company went public. In the summer of 2002, three members of the Rigas family were arrested and charged with looting the nation's sixth-largest cable-television company. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint against the company accusing it of fraud. The charges marked the latest effort by the federal government to crack down on corporate malfeasance as public confidence and the financial markets have been battered by seemingly relentless disclosures of financial shenanigans. The scandal was discovered when the Rigases disclosed that Adelphia was responsible for more than $2 billion in loans to family-owned entities. Outside board members took control and...
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...Communication Opinion Wanda Juhl HCS/320 November 13, 2012 Patricia Bird Communication Opinion Introduction Effective communication skills are vital in people’s personal life and in their professional lives. Communication is even more important when conversing with a patient regarding his or her health problems. Words are not the only manner in which we communicate. Successful communication starts as soon as a patient walks in the door, patients should be treated with respect, kindness, and consideration from everyone in the office from the receptionist, nurse, and the doctor. If health care providers cannot communicate and make their patients feel at ease, they will find it difficult to determine what is ailing their patients. Basic elements of communication Du Pré (2005) stated, “Communication is the process of understanding and sharing meaning.” When communicating we have to keep in mind that people are different, and we all come from different backgrounds. We have to try to relate to who the person is, where the person came from or what his or her past experiences were. An excellent communicator tries to relate to the person and understand the person he or she is conversing with. It takes two people to communicate, if two people are not actively involved the result is one person talking and the other listening. Compassion is an element involved in effective communication. When people believe the person is compassionate toward...
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...myself, network, and team. What this book has made me do is take stock of all of the work that it takes to hone a skill set to become an effective leader and to continue to develop that skill set no matter how daunting the task may seem. I had never really considered the ideas of the three imperatives and I would say honestly there are some ideas in this book that I do currently understand and utilize. That being said, I learned these skills through making mistakes, which for me was a very humbling experience to say the least. This is not the way to become a great leader, but I think it is the reality in many cases. After reading the book Being The Boss it has given me a road map of what I need to work on and how to work on it. I believe that after reading this book this will make me consider management in a different light and will change the way that I work on a day-to-day basis, as well as planning into the future. There are three major imperatives that the authors discuss throughout the book and they require you to think about your own situation and rate yourself at the end of the chapters on the sub categories within these imperatives. One of the first of the three imperatives that was covered in the book is how you should go about managing yourself and the importance of this concept. One of the initial issues covered that struck a chord with me was that there are several paradoxes that we all face as...
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...level of success. As Kids Things & Stuff inventory complements but does not compete with these outlets, it is ideally positioned to gain market share. Of course, it is imperative to target the desired market carefully, so as to gain the most exposure for every advertising dollar spent. What is Kids Things & Stuff? Kids Things & Stuff is a retail store offering furniture and accessories for children ages newborn through thirteen. Typical furniture merchandise ranges from infant bedroom items such as cribs and changing tables to older children and teen items such as bookcases, desks, and bunk beds. Typical accessory merchandise includes lamps, artwork, globes, carpets and area rugs, and bookends. The store itself is a colorful, exciting environment that invites shoppers in and encourages them to stay. Displays are appealing and creative, the merchandise is of a high quality, and the prices are competitive. Identifying the Consumer Although merchandise at Kids Things & Stuff is bought and paid for by adults, it is imperative to target both adults and children as potential consumers. Most purchases at Kids Things & Stuff will not be by impulse shoppers, but rather by educated consumers who have spent a great deal of time considering exactly what they want and need. It is imperative that Kids Things & Stuff reach these consumers before they set out for the store, so that they arrive prepared to buy. Pinpointing...
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