Ethics Case Study Assignment

Worth: 3 points

Format: Individual or group work

Overview

You will analyze one of the ethical scenarios from our class materials, develop a comprehensive case study analysis, and present your findings through both written analysis and professional role-play.

Learning Objectives

Apply ethical frameworks to real-world professional dilemmas
Develop strategies for communicating ethical concerns in professional contexts
Practice advocating for ethical positions while considering multiple stakeholders
Build confidence in addressing challenging workplace situations

Assignment Timeline

Day	Activity	Deliverable
Course Period 1	Select scenario, begin analysis	Share scenario selection with class
Course Period 2 - Part 1	Post case study analysis	Upload analysis to the Ethics discussion forum
Course Period 2 - Part 2	Present role-play	Perform role-play for class
End of week	Submit final report	Submit polished case study via course assignment

Assignment Components

1. Scenario Selection (Class Period 1)

Choose one scenario from our Ethics Scenarios list
Post your selection to the Ethics discussion forum with:
- Scenario number and title
- Brief explanation of why you selected this scenario
- One initial question or concern it raises for you

2. Case Study Analysis (Class Period 2 - Part 1)

Post to Ethics discussion forum before class:

Your analysis should include bullet points that address:

A. Situation Summary

Briefly describe the ethical dilemma in your own words
Identify the central ethical question(s) at stake

B. Stakeholder Analysis

Identify all parties affected by this situation
Analyze the power relationships between stakeholders
Consider both immediate and indirect impacts

C. Ethical Framework Application

Apply at least two different ethical frameworks from our coursework (consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics, etc.)
Analyze how each framework would approach this dilemma
Identify areas where frameworks might conflict

D. Consequences Assessment

Analyze potential consequences of addressing the situation
Analyze potential consequences of NOT addressing the situation
Consider short-term and long-term implications

E. Recommended Action Plan

Present your recommended course of action with clear justification
Explain how you would advocate for this position
Address potential counterarguments or obstacles

3. Professional Role-Play (Class Period 2 - Part 2)

Perform a 5-7 minute role-play demonstrating how you would communicate your ethical concerns in a professional context.

Role-play requirements:

Choose your scenario: Select a key conversation from your case study (e.g., talking to a manager, addressing a client, confronting a colleague)
Set the scene: Briefly introduce the context for the class
Demonstrate professional communication: Show how you would actually handle this conversation
Include your key message: Clearly present your analysis and recommendation

You may:

Perform solo (addressing the audience as your conversation partner)
Work with a classmate to play multiple roles
Use easy to incorporate props or visual aids if helpful

Professional communication should demonstrate:

Respectful but direct communication
Clear articulation of ethical concerns
Evidence-based reasoning
Consideration of the listener’s perspective
Specific, actionable recommendations

Final Report (End of week)

Submit via course assignment (MS Word format preferred)

Expand your work from the week into a polished case study report (1,200-1,500 words) that includes:

Report Sections

Administrative Information

Give your report an illustrative title
Name the authors of the report
Identify the class (ENG401: Business English II), the instructor and the date of the report

1. Executive Summary

Key ethical issue and recommended action
Primary stakeholders affected
Bottom-line recommendation with brief justification

2. Professional Communication Strategy

Script from your role-play, refined based on class discussion and feedback
Analysis of what communication approaches work best for this type of ethical concern, given the cultural context (of workplace, region, age, affinity groups, etc.)
Reflection on your role-play performance, what went well, what did you learn

3. Your Conclusions Here you can focus on personal reflections, such as:

What you learned about your own ethical decision-making process
How this exercise might influence your future professional behavior
What additional skills or knowledge you need to handle similar situations

You may also focus on industry implications, like:

How this type of ethical dilemma reflects broader challenges in the language industry
Suggestions for how the industry might better prepare professionals to handle such situations

You could also look at culture considerations, like:

How different cultural contexts affect the perspectives with which key stakeholders view the issue
How your approach to resolving this issue might change if you were in another context

File Naming Conventions

LastNames1_LastNames2_EthicsCaseStudy.docx (list all team members’ last names separated by underscores)

Examples:

Brandt_MartínezWilliams_EthicsCaseStudy.docx
MartínezWilliams_Chen_Brandt_EthicsCaseStudy.docx
Chen_EthicsCaseStudy.docx

Please deliver your document in MS Word format so that it can be easily commented on and edited using track changes.

Assessment Criteria

Category	Effective	Needs Improvement
Ethical Analysis	Applies ethical frameworks thoughtfully, demonstrates deep understanding of complexity	Superficial analysis, misses key ethical considerations
Professional Communication	Clear, respectful, strategic communication in role-play; addresses audience needs	Unclear delivery, inappropriate tone, or fails to adapt to audience
Stakeholder Consideration	Comprehensive analysis of affected parties and power dynamics	Limited stakeholder identification, misses important perspectives
Practical Solutions	Realistic, well-justified recommendations with implementation strategy	Vague or impractical suggestions, weak justification
Reflection & Integration	Evidence of personal growth and understanding of industry implications	Surface-level reflection, limited connection to broader professional development
Attention to Detail & Formatting	Polished document that is free from typos and easy to read	Poorly formatted document that has errors and is difficult to follow

Support Resources

For Analysis:

Review our Ethics Terms vocabulary
Reference ethical frameworks from Corporate Ethics discussion
Use the Ethics Defined glossary for additional concepts

For Role-Play:

Consider presentation skills from Week 2
Practice professional tone and body language
Prepare for potential questions or pushback

For Writing:

Use clear, professional business writing
Support arguments with specific evidence
Maintain objective, analytical tone while acknowledging personal perspectives

Peer Learning

During class:

Provide constructive feedback on classmates’ analyses
Ask thoughtful questions during role-plays
Share insights from your own scenario that might apply to others

Feedback focus areas:

Ethical frameworks: Are there additional perspectives to consider?
Communication strategy: What approaches might be more/less effective?
Practical concerns: What real-world obstacles might arise?
Cultural considerations: How might cultural context affect the situation?

📥 Download this Content

Find this file on our repo and download it.

🤖 GAI Study Prompts

Copy the downloaded content and try it with these prompts:

“Based on my analysis of this ethical scenario, what are additional strategies for building ethical decision-making skills in professional contexts?”
“How can I prepare for ethical dilemmas I might encounter early in my translation/localization career?”
“What ongoing practices help professionals maintain ethical standards under workplace pressure?”

Unit 1 Complete! Your ethical analysis skills will serve you throughout your professional career. Reflect on what you’ve achieved in the Unit 1 - Conclusion.