Business Law 1
Project Two Framework
The framework that all employees should use at Mountain Top View, Inc. is the WH
framework. It is two ethical guidelines that causes us to contemplate our actions and who they
may influence, the goal due to the action, and how we see its moral value (whether by utilitarian
ethics, deontology, etc.) McGraw. 2019. Pg. 21). When faced with an ethical dilemma,
stakeholders should ask themselves whom would be affected based on the decisions that they
make. These decisions will impact all stakeholders in the firm as well as future generations to
come. They should consider how these decisions will be made and whether it be public
disclosure, universalization, or the golden rule (McGraw-Hill, 2019. Pg. 22).
The WH framework is appropriate for this company because it will aid both the owner
and managers with avoiding unethical actions. The framework is a guideline for all stakeholders
to use in case they are faced with decisions they are unsure of. It forces the company to look at
how they make ethical decisions. Which will make them consider how the public views them,
which will affect how Mountain Top Inc. reacts due to positive or negative responses from the
public. Also, this framework would equip the stakeholders on how to properly conduct
themselves if they are ever faced with another breach or any unethical event (McGraw. 2019. Pg.
24).
In the scenario, when Steve recognized the data breach, he should have secured all
systems that were affected, removing all devices from the web without powering them down. He
should then consider the other individuals who are affected, (the owner, employees, and
customers) and notify Ms. Applewood and Mr. Rodriguez immediately. Once the proper parties
are notified, they should fix their vulnerabilities to ensure that another breach does not occur. Ms
Applewood should then involve the authorities and notify them of the breach. This will
document what happened and the company can have this on file for their own protection. With
everything documented with the proper authorities and the breach is secured, Ms. Applewood
should then notify customers whose information were compromised. This will allow customers
to take the proper steps to further protect their personal information. Depending on the state Mrs
Applewood's resides in, she will be informed on the proper steps to take and what to include
when she notifies her customers of the data breach. She should notify the customers on what
happened and what information was taken. She should include what actions are being taken and
reassure her customers that their information is now secured. Preventative measures should be
discussed with each customer to keep them loyal to the business. Ms. Applewood should provide
customers with a guaranteed way to contact her so that they can get their questions and
concerned answered. Offering a free credit monitoring service will be a good start to making
customers feel safe and secure with the business (FTC, 2019).
References
Data Breach Response: A Guide for Business.