Speaking up risks short-term pain: a strained relationship with your manager, being labeled “difficult,” even losing the internship before it starts. The case makes that explicit: raising concerns with Mr. Moon, Emma, or HR could backfire, and rescinding the offer would be easy while you’re still remote. Accepting the task carries different, longer-term risks: reputational damage if you’re caught misrepresenting yourself; harm to your school if you claim to be “just an MBA student” when you’re actually working for the firm; and a values hangover that follows you into your next role. The “common practice” defense doesn’t erase the ethical line here: you’ve been asked to use a university identity to gather competitor information.
Applying “How to Speak Up When It Matters”:
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Acknowledge the psychology. It’s hard—and worth it. Name the tension: “I want to do great work and protect Zantech’s reputation; I’m uneasy about outreach that could be seen as misrepresentation.”
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Lower the social threat. Frame this as risk management for the company, not a moral lecture. Communicate to both Mr. Moon and Emma (transparent, no triangulation), keep the tone collaborative (“we” language), and respect cultural context. Emphasize potential brand and relationship damage if the approach leaks.
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Make a plan with alternatives. Don’t just refuse; propose routes that hit the brief ethically: (a) interview loyal customers who compared vendors; (b) speak with implementation partners and analyst firms; (c) mine internal expertise from hires who came from competitors (within confidentiality). Offer to pilot the manager’s method on Zantech itself to test its efficacy and risks. If leadership rejects reasonable alternatives, that’s data about fit—walk away before the compromise becomes your reputation.
Early career is where you set your “line.” Protecting your integrity—and your employer’s brand—isn’t insubordination; it’s professional judgment.
