Martha McCaskey Capstone Case Analysis3

MARTHA MCCASKEY CAPSTONE CASE ANALYSIS3

Davies: Can you be a little clearer on your question.McCaskey: Sure, the path I am currently on could get us into trouble legally. I have not beenhonest with my source, Devon, on what I am really after. Not to mention our client,who is asking for us to perform industrial espionage to a degree. Is there some grayarea for me to maneuver in?Hackert: Are you suggesting that you are doing something illegal?Davies: Do you have an issue with how we do business?McCaskey: To be honest, we have a plaque on our wall and our website about our Mission,Vision, and Values. It is the values I have some concerns. We seem to be treadingon some thin ice when it comes to how we get our information for our clients and I just need clarification on how to proceed.Hackert: McCaskey I think you might want to seek legal counsel on how to precede further as Iam not a lawyer. Proceed with caution as this could turn ugly for you.McCaskey: Thank you both for shedding some light on how to move forward.

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Meeting with Ty RichardsonMcCaskey: Hi Mr. Richardson.Richardson: Hi McCaskey, How are you?McCaskey: I am not doing so well to be honest and would like to talk to you about somethingyou may not be aware is happening. As you know I have been assigned to theSilicon 6 project and I feel that our company maybe breaking some laws. With thatsaid I have spoken to our source Devon and came clean with what we are reallyafter.

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Richardson: What did Devon reveal to you?McCaskey: He has no hard data on the new chip as he has been gone from the company for over 12 years. He is however free of non-compete clause. They were working on thechip when he was still employed but the information may not be 100 percentaccurate.Richardson: I can see you are wrestling with an ethical dilemma. McCaskey when you are aleader you will need to make tough choices and you made one by coming andtelling me this today. I could fire you right now but what do you propose we dogoing forward?McCaskey: Let me handle this project my way. Let me talk to the client and tell them what our source can deliver. If they disagree and want to travel a less ethical road then sendKaufmann in to do the dirty work and I walk away.If they agree to my terms andconditions then when this is over you create an ethics and values task force and you put me in charge of it.Richardson: If I don¶t?McCaskey: I walk away anyway.Richardson: Okay McCaskey I will grant you this request. It took a lot of courage to come inhere and lay it on the table. I admire you for that. Now let¶s see what you can do.

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E-mail to Managing Director of SelerisDear Managing Director,My name is Martha McCaskey and I work in the IAD office in San Francisco. I have a problemand seek your guidance. I have been assigned to head up the Silicon 6 project. I feel as if I am

MARTHA MCCASKEY CAPSTONE CASE ANALYSIS5

 being pressured to do unethical things here at IAD. I have lied to a person by claiming to besomeone I am not in order to gain valuable information for our client. Some of our senior executives do not care how we get the information whether legally or illegally. To them it is allabout the bottom line. There are individuals in our office besides myself who questions areleaders¶ motives and actions. I would be happy to discuss this further as I request your help inthis matter.Sincerely,Martha McCaskey