Project Two Guidelines and Rubric.html

BUS 206 Project Two Guidelines and Rubric

Competency

In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:

Differentiate between matters of law and matters of ethics in business situations

Scenario

Evaluate the issues raised by employee Daris Jones in the situation below. Determine if the company is acting legally and ethically in its use of the WorkWhen! system. Read the scenario and respond to the questions that follow for analysis.

Apex Retail Corp, a national chain of retail stores, recently implemented the WorkWhen! GPS tracking system. Employees have been directed to install the system on their phones, which they are required to carry for scheduling, communication, and logistics.

The Issue: The WorkWhen! app uses GPS to track employee locations. Apex’s policy states that this tracking is primarily for ensuring the safety of its employees during work-related travel and to monitor vehicle use for delivery tasks. However, the app’s functionality is active 24/7, even outside of work hours. The app can zero in on restaurants, churches, clubs, bars, and every other location an employee visits when not working. A new AI application can also provide the employer with detailed information about the locations tracked—the name of the business, its purpose, and other related information.

Several employees have expressed concerns about being monitored during their personal time, such as while they were attending medical appointments, going to social events, or even going on vacations. One employee, Darius Jones, tested the tracking by checking the app’s activity log. He discovered that his supervisor had access to detailed location data for his off-hours activities. One evening a week, he attends an anonymous alcohol recovery program, and he is uncomfortable that the tracker can identify exactly where he is and why.

When Darius raised concerns, his manager Mike claimed the tracking was harmless and purely for operational purposes. Mike then explained that it is important for employees to realize that they represent the company when they’re on and off the clock. After Darius disabled the tracking feature during his time off, he was reprimanded for “noncompliance” with company policy. This reprimand led Darius to file a complaint with a state labor board, alleging an invasion of privacy and retaliation for asserting his rights.

Directions

Report

Evaluate the ethical and legal implications of advances in technology in business. Your evaluation should be framed as a report for the owner, Apex Retail, that includes the sections and information listed below. Cite your sources using APA style.

Introduction
1. Include a definition of ethics and an explanation of how ethics compares to law.
2. Provide an explanation of corporate social responsibility and how it relates to ethical business practices.
Analysis
1. Provide a summary of the ethical and legal issues involved in this situation.
2. Briefly describe the relevant stakeholders, key facts, and potential implications or impact of the situation. Elaborate and explain your answers.
  1. For example, does Apex’s policy and use of WorkWhen! violate state or federal privacy laws, such as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and Work or Biometric Privacy Laws?
  2. Is it ethical for Apex to track employees during their personal time, even if no misuse of the data is alleged?
  3. Should companies be allowed to enforce policies that impact employee autonomy outside of work hours?
  4. What are the potential implications of such policies and decisions?
Recommendation: Include a viable recommended course of action.
1. What safeguards should Apex implement to ensure the system is used only for its intended purpose?
2. How could Apex address employee concerns while maintaining operational needs?
Conclusion: Describe how advances in technology in the modern business world have both legal and ethical implications.

Ethical Test or Framework

Select a test or framework for Apex to use in evaluating the use of a tracking device on employees. Demonstrate how the ethical theory you chose could be used when faced with an ethical dilemma. Cite your sources using APA style.

Test or framework
1. Select a test or framework option from among those described in the textbook. Name the option you selected and describe the test or framework, including its advantages and potential shortcomings.
2. Explain why the test or framework that you selected is appropriate for this company; justify your selection.
Apply the test or framework to the scenario to demonstrate how Apex could have used it to guide its use of employee monitoring tools.

🟥 Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Step 1: Understand the Assignment Requirements

Before writing, review the rubric and ensure your report includes all required sections:

Introduction
Analysis
Recommendation
Conclusion
Ethical Test or Framework Application

The report must be written in APA style, with in-text citations and a reference page. Use North American sources from credible business, law, or ethics journals whenever possible.

Step 2: Write the Introduction

Include:

Definition of Ethics – Explain ethics as principles guiding right and wrong behavior in business. Compare ethics to law (law enforces minimum standards; ethics reflects broader moral obligations).
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – Explain CSR and how it connects to ethical business practices. For example, respecting employee privacy reflects CSR because it aligns with broader societal expectations.

Use your textbook or credible sources for definitions and explanations, such as:

Ferrell, O.C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2022). Business ethics: Ethical decision making & cases (13th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Step 3: Conduct the Analysis

Address each point clearly under headings:

a. Ethical Issues:

Is it ethical for Apex to track employees 24/7, including personal time?
Does tracking violate employees’ autonomy, privacy, or trust?

b. Legal Issues:

Check state and federal privacy laws, e.g., Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), Workplace Privacy Laws, or Biometric Privacy Laws.
Discuss whether Apex’s tracking policy could be considered retaliatory when employees raise privacy concerns.

c. Stakeholders:

Employees (privacy, autonomy)
Supervisors/managers (responsibility to monitor operations)
Company owners (legal liability, operational efficiency)
Regulators (labor boards, privacy commissions)

d. Potential Implications:

Employee morale and retention
Risk of legal action or fines
Public perception of the company

Step 4: Provide a Recommendation

Include:

Safeguards for the system – Limit tracking to work hours; encrypt data; restrict access to sensitive personal information.
Employee communication – Transparency about why, when, and how tracking occurs.
Operational balance – Maintain monitoring for safety while protecting privacy.

Step 5: Write the Conclusion

Summarize how advances in technology create both ethical and legal challenges in modern business.

Technology can improve efficiency and safety but requires clear policies and ethical oversight to avoid violating privacy.

Step 6: Apply an Ethical Test or Framework

Choose a framework from your textbook, e.g., Utilitarianism, Rights Approach, or Justice Approach.

Example: Rights Approach

Focus: Does the action respect employees’ fundamental rights (privacy, autonomy)?
Advantages: Protects individual freedoms, prevents abuse.
Shortcomings: May limit company flexibility or efficiency.
Application: Apex could have used this approach to evaluate WorkWhen! and restricted tracking to work hours, ensuring rights are respected while achieving operational goals.

Step 7: Structure Your Report

Use clear headings:

Introduction
Ethical and Legal Analysis
Recommendation
Conclusion
Ethical Test or Framework Application

This makes it easy to read and aligns with rubric expectations.

Step 8: Use APA Style and Cite Sources

Include title page, in-text citations, and reference page.
Use at least four credible sources: textbooks, peer-reviewed North American journals, or government sites.

Helpful APA Resources:

APA Style Guide: https://apastyle.apa.org/
Purdue Online Writing Lab – APA Formatting: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

Relevant North American Sources:

Ferrell, O.C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2022). Business ethics: Ethical decision making & cases (13th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Tavani, H.T. (2021). Ethics and technology: Controversies, questions, and strategies for ethical computing (6th ed.). Wiley.
U.S. Department of Labor – Workplace Privacy Guidelines: https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/workhours/privacy
Journal of Business Ethics (North American peer-reviewed articles on employee monitoring and privacy)

Step 9: Review and Submit

Ensure all required sections are included and clearly labeled.
Check grammar, spelling, and APA formatting.
Confirm that your ethical analysis and recommendations are logical and supported by sources.

Ethical and Legal Evaluation of Employee GPS Tracking: Apex Retail Case Study