Esparza 1 5-2 Project Two: Ethical Test/Framework Juan Esparza Southern New Hampshire University BUS 206: Business Law I Professor Traci Cull November 26, 2023
Esparza 2 Ethical Test/Framework The ethical framework I would use would be the WH Framework. The "W" stands for whom, as in who is affected by our choices. And the "H" is for how the decisions are going to be made ethically. With this framework we can find the group that is most affected by any decisions made and how they will be affected by said decisions. Additionally, we will better understand how these decisions are being made and the ethical choices behind them. With this method, one can see who is most affected by the security breach. If Steve were to have used this framework and spoken to his leaders, he would have understood that the recent data breach to the company had the potential to affect many lives. Although the information accessed was just names, addresses, and phone numbers, that information could be sold outside and negatively affect the company's consumers. It potentially could lead to possible issues where the company could be held liable and sued in court if the consumer is not notified within an appropriate timeframe. Steve, as an IT professional, should understand the implications of a data breach and bring it to the attention of his bosses immediately. Making ethical decisions using the "Golden Rule" in this situation is a wise choice. Adding in a hint of Deontology, where choices are made based on right or wrong and not consequences, would also help. In this case the company could reach out to those affected and inform them of the situation. All this together would help the company keep its reputation even though it was hacked and maintain the trust of its consumers because they were able to stop the hack and inform the offended parties.
Esparza 3 References Kubasek, N. K., Neil Browne, M., Dhooge, L. J., Herron, D. J., & Barkacs, L. L. (2023). Dynamic Business Law. Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. (2021, November 8). A Framework for Ethical Decision Making. Santa Clara University. https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/a- framework-for-ethical-decision-making/