MinisterScience11235
Week 7.5: Reflection For the final piece of your Portfolio…
Week 7.5: Reflection
For the final piece of your Portfolio Project, you will reflect upon the course and how it directly relates to your program of study. This reflection will be delivered orally in the format of a PowerPoint with voiceover. The total recording should be 2-3 minutes in length.
In words, reflect on how this project meets the Program and Institutional Outcomes as stated on the first page.
Introduction
Ethical behavior in sales is necessary because it builds trust with customers and colleagues and can lead to long-term success. When sales professionals act ethically, they are more likely to be seen as credible and trustworthy, which can lead to more sales. Additionally, ethical sales professionals are more likely to be respected by their colleagues and employers, which can lead to opportunities for advancement. In the first scenario, the sales professional faces an ethical dilemma. The customer has offered to help the sales professional win a weekend trip if the sales professional provides them with confidential information about their competitors. The sales professional knows that it is unethical to share this information, but they also want to win the trip. The best course of action for the sales professional is to decline the customer’s offer. Sharing confidential information is unethical and could have severe consequences for the sales professional, the company, and the customer. Additionally, even if the sales professional doesn’t get caught, they may experience guilt and stress from dishonesty. In the second scenario, the sales professional faces an ethical dilemma. The other sales rep has suggested that the sales professional falsely claim mileage for phone calls to earn extra money. The sales professional knows this is against company policy, but they also face financial difficulties. The best action for the sales professional is to adhere to company policy and only claim mileage for actual car usage. Falsifying company records is unethical and could have severe consequences for the sales professional, including losing their job. Additionally, if the sales professional gets caught, they may be subject to legal penalties. In the third scenario, the sales professional faces an ethical dilemma. The pharmaceutical company has asked sales professionals to incentivize doctors to get them to prescribe their drugs. The sales professional knows this is unethical, but they want to meet their sales goals. The best action for the sales professional is to refuse to provide incentives to doctors. Prescribing drugs should be based on the patient’s medical needs, not financial incentives. Additionally, providing incentives to doctors could lead to patients receiving inappropriate medications.
Scenario One
If I were an outside salesman working for a payroll company that provided payroll and tax services to local businesses, one of my customers told me that she could help me with the weekend trip by getting her husband to sign up for your service. I would not investigate what my customers’ competition paid their employees by supplying her with some information on a few of her competitors. Most laws and policies state that it is wrong and unethical to share other people’s information, creating an ethical dilemma. Although the customer only wants to make sure she pays her employees what her competitor is and does not disclose the information to anyone else, there is always a chance that, by helping her get that information, I could lose my job, go to jail, or be fined, among other consequences. Some employees take their jobs more seriously than others, and if she worried about what she paid her employees, she could raise them if they did their jobs adequately. All stakeholders of the companies concerned, as well as other employees and customers, could be affected. If I agreed to this unethical situation and it became public, it could reflect badly not only on me, but also on my company. If I made this terrible decision, it would no longer be a trusted payroll/tax service – it would be a breach of everyone’s information – and they would face an even worse backlash. Because you have no idea if that is the purpose she asked for, you could also potentially hurt the other employees. Their true intentions would be indiscernible to anyone until it was too late to do anything about it. I will explain my answer to my client by saying that when your husband signs up for our service. I will have to respectfully decline, as it is not ethical to release confidential information from competitors, as I am sure she would not like it if the roles were reversed. This would be a great boost to help me win the trip. It is not ethical to release anyone’s information in exchange for anything, as it can have serious consequences, especially not a sign-up and a two-day trip. It is important to do things both ethically and legally; it is unethical and illegal to do otherwise.)
Scenario Two
The ethical dilemma in this scenario is whether to follow the advice of the other sales rep and falsely claim mileage for phone calls to earn extra money, or to adhere to the company’s policy and only claim mileage for actual car usage. This situation presents a conflict between personal financial gain and professional integrity. If you claim the mileage falsely, there are several potential consequences if the company discovers fraudulent activity; you could lose your job. Falsifying company records can lead to legal matters, including fines and possible jail time. If word gets out about your actions, it could harm your professional reputation, making it difficult to find future employment. Even if you don’t get caught, you may experience guilt and stress from dishonesty. The most ethical choice in this situation would be to adhere to the company’s policy and only claim mileage for actual car usage. This maintains professional integrity and respects the company’s resources. I would choose to follow the company’s policy. While the financial strain is understandable, it’s vital to maintain professional integrity. Falsifying records is not only unethical but also illegal. It’s better to discuss the financial difficulties with the employer or seek additional income through legal means. This approach ensures you’re ethically acting and maintaining your professional reputation.
Scenario Three
The ethical dilemma in this situation revolves around the practice of providing incentives, such as gift certificates or tickets to Broadway shows to a doctor for prescribing specific drugs. While this may help the patient in the short term, it could create a long-term problem if the patient becomes dependent on the drug. This practice could potentially influence the doctor’s decision-making process, leading to prescriptions based on personal gain, rather than the best interest of the patients. The stakeholders affected by this situation include the doctor, who may be influenced to prescribe certain drugs due to the incentives. The patients, who may not receive the most appropriate medication for their condition. The pharmaceutical company, which could face legal and reputational risks if this practice is discovered. and the sales rep, who is being asked to participate in this potentially unethical practice. The most ethical choice in this situation would be to refrain from providing any form of incentives to the doctor. The decision to prescribe a specific drug should be based solely on the patient’s medical needs, and not influenced by personal benefits. This approach aligns with the principles of medical ethics and professional integrity. From my perspective, I would choose not to provide the doctor with any incentives. My rationale is based on the following reasons, which are patient welfare, professional integrity, and legal implications. In conclusion, while it’s important to maintain good relationships with clients, it should not be done at the expense of ethical standards and patient welfare.
Conclusion
In conclusion, ethical behavior is essential in sales. Sales professionals should always act in an honest, ethical, and transparent way. This will help to build trust with customers and colleagues, and it can lead to long-term success. I would act ethically if I were in the situation described in any of these scenarios. It is essential to do the right thing, even if it is not the easiest. I would also be willing to speak up if someone else behaved unethically. Creating a culture of ethics in the workplace is essential, and I would be willing to do my part to make that happen. I would tell the higher-ups at my company what has been occurring in all three scenarios. I believe it is essential to be transparent and hold people accountable for their actions. I want to ensure that my company is taking steps to prevent these types of situations from happening.
