4. Ethical decision making

Case study – Sharon’s choice

Option 2: Refuse Kit’s request, but choose not to report to the bank

Script of the video

Scene 1

Time: Day
Location: Sharon’s office
Character(s): Sharon, Kit
(After much internal struggle, Sharon arrives at a decision.)
Sharon: I’m sorry but I really can’t help you.
Kit: Fine. Just pretend I never asked. I’ll find another way.
(Kit storms out of the office. Sharon feels sorry for her friend. Sharon takes a moment to calm down before picking up the phone. She is about to report the incident to her superior but after further consideration, she gives up on the idea and sets the phone down.)

Scene 2

Time: Day
Location: Janet’s office
Character(s): Janet (another branch manager), Kit
(Kit approaches Janet, the manager of another branch, to handle his loan application. He offers her a bribe. Janet ponders for a moment and eventually signs on Kit’s loan application form.)
Sharon: (VO) My colleague Janet couldn’t resist the temptation. She accepted Kit’s bribe and signed off on his loan application. The bank eventually discovered what happened and reported the case to the ICAC.

Scene 3

Time: Day
Location: The office of Sharon’s boss and the corridor outside
Character(s): Sharon, her boss
(Sharon is on her way to her boss’s office.)
Sharon: (VO) If I had reported Kit from the start, Janet wouldn’t have been implicated. I think I made a wrong decision.
(Sharon meets with her boss and is reprimanded.)
Her boss: Come in! Sharon, I’ve always had faith in you but I’m quite disappointed in you this time. What you did was a serious violation of our code of conduct. The management has decided to launch a full investigation on you. You’re suspended until the investigation is completed.
(Sharon is filled with remorse.)

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