The Analyst Dilemma Case Study 2

QUESTION

Analyst Case Study

Please submit your responses to the Analyst Case Study here.  I strongly suggest that you understand the grading guidelines for this assignment.  Do not fall into the trap of offering only your opinion as a response to the questions.  Maximum of 3 double-spaced pages.  Please use 12 point, Times New Roman font and 1 inch margins on each page.  You may submit either a Word document or a pdf file.

Answer the following questions in response to the case:

1. What going on in the case?
2. Have you ever been in a situation like the one faced by the protagonist in the case? Is this really a difficult moral problem?
3. In what ways does she have an ethical dilemma?
4. If Steven has looked out for Amy’s best interest, is she obligated to look out for his?
5. What are her options? What should she do?

ANSWER

Analyst Case Study 2

The analyst dilemma case study sheds light on the ethical dilemmas that employees sometimes find themselves in while fulfilling their obligations to their employers and firms. Amy, an investment banker working at B&B, is the protagonist in the case study. Amy finds herself in an ethical dilemma as she is torn between being loyal to her long-time friend and roommate, Lori, who is a financial analyst working at Universal Bank (Badaracco Jr and Useem 1993). Amy’s character and core values are put to the test when she finds herself in a decision dilemma.

THE ETHICAL DILEMMA

The protagonist and her roommate have information regarding a very important and high-profile transaction, information that may have a huge impact on the success or failure of the transaction. Amy is a committed and loyal employee of B&B, and she enjoys her job as an investment banker. Steven has been of immense help to Amy, guiding her and providing her with the advice that she needed to build her career. Lori is her good friend and roommate, and they share their work experiences and pressures every evening. The two friends hold the information that they share with confidentiality and respect one another.

Amy has information about the upcoming Suntech deal, a transaction that is very important for her company and her colleague, Steven (Badaracco Jr and Useem 1993). Lori shares with Amy information that the bank that was supposed to finance the transaction (Lori’s employer) had decided to roll back various transactions and dissolve some work teams. Lori had lost her job as a result of that decision. Amy is well aware of the huge negative impact that the decision made by Universal Bank would have on her company if she does not use the information she obtained from her friend. B&B needs to work fast and find another bank that can finance the Suntech transaction. Interest rates on borrowed money would also increase as a result of decreased investor sentiment.

Amy is also aware that Universal Bank has conducted itself in an unethical manner, and revealing what she has found out from Lori would save B&B and its stakeholders. Using the information that she has acquired from Lori, Amy can help her company ensure that the Suntech deal proceeds without encountering problems. The company can have enough time to find another bank to finance the transaction. However, her friend expects her to maintain the confidentiality of their conversations and not use the information for the good of her company. Amy is obligated to keep her mouth shut and not use the information for the benefit of her company. Lori is a good friend who helps her whenever she needs help. She even helped Amy get her current job through one of her contacts.

The friendship that exists between Amy and Lori is the reason why Lori shared the sensitive information of her dismissal and the decision of her company, with Amy. Amy is in an ethical dilemma since she needs to decide whether to remain silent or use the information to help her company. She may feel obligated to use the information to help Steven, a colleague of hers who has been her adviser since she started working at B&B. I think Amy should remain silent and maintain the confidentiality of the information that Lori provided. She should value her loyalty and the trust that they share with each other. It is important to be guided by one’s core values when making decisions, and Amy should not let her loyalty to B&B cause enmity between her and Lori. Lori shared her troubles with her in good faith, as a trusted friend, and expected her not to use this information for the benefit of her company.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, employees face ethical dilemmas in their day to day lives and in the cause of fulfilling their obligations to their employers. When one finds themselves in such a situation, it is important to consider the circumstances and the repercussions of one’s decisions before making the right move. Amy should stick to her core values and value her friendship with Lori rather than put her employer first.

Works Cited

Badaracco Jr, Joseph L., and Jerry Useem. “Analyst’s Dilemma (A), The.” (1993).