The case talks about Susan, a new-entry intern that is requested to show up as an MBA student (she graduated already) to gather information from competitors. Misrepresenting herself to Zantech’s competitors is definitely legal, but dubiously ethical. She is concerned about the consequences and unsure whether she should do it.
Susan has not even started her internship yet. If the first thing Susan does is speak up to either Mr. Moon or Emma (her managers), she will definitely be seen as a difficult person to work with, to the point that she may lose her internship and the possibility of a full-time offer.
On the other hand, acting as a Trojan Horse, while effective, would conflict with her values and potentially have harmful career consequences if discovered and been seen as dishonest – mostly for a potential employee for other firms in the industry.
Paltering – as opposed to lying – is ethically less conflictive while still gets things done, by just hiding the truth. And I see it everywhere. In this regard, Susan needs to set her boundaries and act accordingly. So, if Susan checks that Zantech usually promotes similar practices, she better find a job elsewhere.
Or she could speak up. Speaking up against the norm is always difficult. And she could use the three-step plan in “How to Speak Up When It Matters” by:
- Realizing both how difficult and how worthwhile speaking up can be. She should leverage not only the risks for her, but also for her boss and the company overall.
- Minimize the social threat that speaking up creates,stating her goals accurately without leaving room for assumptions of intent. he can do this by framing her words in a very kind, careful manner—rather than coming off as hostile and critical. She can also discuss the company as a whole rather than just her own personal concerns.
- Make a an alternative plan to complete the assignment in a more ethical manner.
