Case study 1:

Ethical Dilemma in Addressing Child Labor and Poverty

Dharmapuri, a remote district primarily inhabited by tribal populations, faces severe backwardness and extreme poverty. The local population relies mainly on subsistence agriculture due to small land holdings. There is little to no industrial or mining activity, and government welfare programs have been insufficient in addressing the needs of the tribal community. As a result, the youth of the district have begun migrating to other states to earn additional income for their families.

A significant concern is the plight of minor girls, whose parents are often persuaded by labor contractors to send them to work on Bt Cotton farms in a neighboring state. These girls are preferred for the delicate task of cotton plucking due to their “soft fingers.” However, the working and living conditions in these farms are poor, leading to serious health issues among the girls. The NGOs in both Dharmapuri and the cotton farm regions appear to be compromised and ineffective in addressing child labor and regional development issues.

As the newly appointed District Collector of Dharmapuri:

• What are the ethical issues involved in this scenario?
• What specific steps will you take to address the plight of the minor girls and improve the overall economic conditions of the district?

Case Study 2:

National Security and Honey Trapping

You are a senior officer at an intelligence agency responsible for internal security. A junior officer has fallen victim to honey trapping via social media, resulting in his phone being hacked and the leakage of confidential files. The department is demanding strict action against the junior officer for his behavior.

This junior officer is highly skilled and considered a valuable asset to the organization. Moreover, you have mentored him, and he holds deep respect for you. Any action taken against him could potentially attract media attention, damaging the reputation of the organization.

• What are the ethical issues and options available in this scenario?
• What course of action would you follow?

Case Study 3:

#MeToo

You are the director of a department currently embroiled in a #MeToo scandal, where two deputy directors under your supervision have been publicly accused of sexual harassment by two women in the department. According to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, you are required to form an inquiry committee and submit a report within 90 days.

Before initiating the committee, you face two conflicting situations: First, this is not the first time the women have made such allegations. Second, you have known the deputy directors and their families for a long time and have not observed any behavior that would suggest they are guilty of the alleged offenses.

The women are urging you to start the investigation immediately, while the deputy directors deny the charges and plan to file defamation lawsuits against their accusers. Additionally, there is significant public pressure and media coverage surrounding the case.

• What will be your course of action for initiating an official investigation? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the course of action you choose.
• Do you believe that the sexual nature of a crime makes it ethically distinct and more challenging to manage compared to other types of crimes? Provide reasons to support your perspective.

Case Study 4:

You are serving as a principal of a famous college in Delhi. A photocopy shop is there on the campus of your college. The shop is quite famous among the students as it provides a readymade set of photocopied books for them. The books otherwise are very expensive and also not easily available as their copyrights are with foreign publishing houses.

A situation has come up where one foreign-based publishing house has approached you and is requesting orders to shut down the photocopy shop, as it is violating their intellectual property rights.

The publication house has also threatened to file a court case if no action is taken on its request. This may bring a lot of bad publicity for a reputed college. However, the college has a considerable proportion of students who cannot afford to buy the original books, which are important for their studies and good marks. The protest has already started by the students against the closure of the photocopy shop.

In this context:

• What are the ethical issues involved in this case?
• Explain what can be done in this regard.

Case Study 5:

Ethical Dilemma in Workplace Conflict

You have been appointed as the Additional Director General of the Central Public Works Department. In your division, the Chief Architect, who is nearing retirement in six months, is passionately working on a high-profile project that could cement his reputation. During the course of the project, Seema, a new Senior Architect trained in the US, made valuable suggestions that could reduce the project’s completion time and enhance its overall quality.

However, the Chief Architect, feeling insecure about losing credit, has adopted passive-aggressive behavior towards Seema. He humiliates her in front of colleagues, corrects her often, and raises his voice while speaking to her, which has severely affected her confidence, self-esteem, and emotional well-being. Despite Seema’s impressive credentials, she is feeling increasingly anxious and stressed, and her peers have informed you that she may resign due to the harassment.

• What are the ethical issues involved in the above case?
• What are the options available to you to ensure the project is completed successfully while also retaining Seema in the organization?
• What would be your response to Seema’s situation, and what measures would you put in place to prevent such incidents from recurring in the organization?

Case Study 6:

Ethical Dilemma in Quality Control and Corporate Pressure

You completed your MBA from a prestigious institution three years ago but faced difficulties securing campus placement due to the COVID-19 recession. After much effort, including competitive exams and interviews, you finally landed a job at a leading shoe company. You have aging parents who depend on you, and you recently got married after securing this stable job.

You were assigned to the Inspection Section, responsible for clearing the final product. In your first year, you performed well and received recognition from the management. The company, which has been doing well in the domestic market for the last five years, recently decided to expand by exporting to Europe and Gulf countries. However, a large consignment meant for Europe was rejected by their Inspecting Team due to poor quality, and the shipment was returned.

The top management decided to clear this rejected consignment for the domestic market. As part of the Inspection Team, you noticed significant quality defects and brought this issue to the attention of the Team Commander. Despite this, the management advised the team to overlook the defects, arguing that the company could not afford the financial loss. Your fellow team members, except you, signed off on the clearance for the domestic market.

You reiterated to the Team Commander that releasing such poor-quality products even in the domestic market would harm the company’s reputation and be counter-productive in the long term. However, the top management threatened that if you did not clear the consignment, they would terminate your services, citing minor reasons.

In this situation:

1. What options are available to you as a member of the Inspection Team?
2. How do you evaluate each option, considering the pressure from the management and your personal circumstances?
3. What are the ethical dilemmas you face in balancing your professional responsibilities, personal situation, and moral values?