3 Minutes
Dilemma
A manager asks HR to terminate an employee without clear justification, potentially violating their rights and damaging morale.
Consequences
Unfair dismissal lawsuits, decreased employee trust, negative publicity.
Solution
Investigate the situation thoroughly, ensure due process is followed, and advocate for the employee's rights if necessary.
Dilemma
A company downsizes, forcing HR to choose which employees to lay off. Balancing seniority with performance can be challenging.
Consequences
Low morale, accusations of bias, legal challenges from disgruntled employees.
Solution
Establish transparent and objective selection criteria, communicate effectively with impacted employees, and provide fair severance packages and support.
Dilemma
An employee discloses experiencing harassment or discrimination, creating a difficult conversation for HR to navigate.
Consequences
Failure to act could lead to legal action and reputational damage. Ignoring the employee's concerns can result in emotional distress and decreased productivity.
Solution
Conduct a thorough investigation, ensure confidentiality, offer support to the employee, and take appropriate disciplinary action against the offender.
Dilemma
A whistleblower reports unethical practices, putting HR in a difficult position between loyalty to the company and upholding ethical standards.
Consequences
Ignoring the concerns could lead to legal liabilities and harm to the company. Retaliating against the whistleblower is illegal and unethical.
Solution
Ensure a safe and anonymous reporting system, investigate concerns objectively, protect the whistleblower from retaliation, and take corrective action if necessary.
Dilemma
Set a high price to recoup research costs and maximize profit, potentially making the drug inaccessible to many who need it.
Consequences
Reduced access to treatment, public backlash, potential government intervention.
Solution
Implement tiered pricing for different regions, explore alternative funding models, and prioritize affordability alongside profitability.
Dilemma
A candidate offers personal favors in exchange for a job offer, tempting HR to bypass standard procedures.
Consequences
Bribery charges, reputational damage, unfair hiring practices.
Solution
Maintain strict anti-bribery policies, report the offer immediately, and clearly communicate ethical expectations to candidates.
Dilemma
Promote a drug for uses not officially approved, potentially misleading doctors and patients.
Consequences
Legal repercussions, loss of trust, patient harm.
Solution
Conduct ethical marketing, adhering to regulatory guidelines and focusing only on approved uses.
Dilemma
Exclude certain demographics from trials to expedite results, potentially generating biased data.
Consequences
Ineffective or even harmful drugs for excluded populations, lack of generalizability of results.
Solution
Design inclusive trials that represent diverse populations, ensuring ethical recruitment and participation.
Dilemma
Withhold research data from competitors, potentially hindering innovation but protecting intellectual property.
Consequences
Slower development of new drugs, potential for duplicate research efforts.
Solution
Share data responsibly through collaborations and open-access platforms, respecting intellectual property rights while facilitating progress.
Dilemma
Pay doctors to write articles promoting a drug, potentially misleading readers and misrepresenting scientific evidence.
Consequences
Loss of trust in medical research, potential harm to patients who rely on misleading information.
Solution
Encourage transparent authorship practices, avoid ghostwriting, and prioritize accurate and unbiased scientific communication.
Dilemma
Use animals for drug testing, potentially causing them pain and suffering.
Consequences
Ethical concerns about animal welfare, public backlash, potential for inaccurate results due to species differences.
Solution
Invest in alternative testing methods, minimize animal use, and prioritize humane treatment when necessary.
Dilemma
Promote drugs directly to consumers, potentially oversimplifying risks and encouraging unnecessary use.
Consequences
Misdiagnosis, inappropriate self-medication, potential harm to patients.
Solution
Implement responsible advertising practices, prioritize accurate information about risks and benefits, and emphasize the role of healthcare professionals.
Dilemma
Offer doctors gifts or payments to encourage them to prescribe a drug, potentially influencing their medical judgment.
Consequences
Biased prescribing practices, increased healthcare costs, potential harm to patients.
Solution
Implement strict policies against offering gifts or payments to healthcare professionals, prioritize evidence-based prescribing, and promote transparency in industry relationships.
Dilemma
Enforce strict patent rights on essential drugs, potentially limiting access in developing countries.
Consequences
High prices for essential drugs, lack of access to treatment for vulnerable populations.
Solution
Explore flexible licensing models, collaborate with international organizations, and prioritize access to essential medicines over profit maximization.
Dilemma
Deny potentially beneficial treatment to the placebo group in a trial, raising ethical concerns.
Consequences
Emotional distress for participants in the placebo group, potential delays in drug development.
Solution
Explore alternative trial designs that minimize harm to the placebo group, such as open-label extensions or adaptive trials.
Dilemma:
A marketing team wants to promote a product with health benefits they can't definitively prove.
Consequences:
Solution:
Conduct proper research, clearly state disclaimers, focus on truthful and verifiable claims.
Dilemma:
A supplier offers significantly lower prices but has a history of labor violations.
Consequences:
Damage to brand reputation, consumer boycotts, legal issues.
Solution:
Investigate supplier practices, prioritize ethical sourcing, consider certifications like Fair Trade.
Dilemma:
A company discovers a potential safety issue with a product but worries about a recall's impact on sales.
Consequences:
Consumer harm, lawsuits, loss of public trust, potential product bans.
Solution:
Issue a timely recall, prioritize customer safety over short-term profits, be transparent about the issue.
Dilemma:
Cutting corners on safety procedures to save money could lead to employee injuries
Consequences:
Accidents, lawsuits, worker compensation claims, negative impact on employee morale.
Solution:
Prioritize workplace safety, conduct regular inspections, provide proper training and protective gear.
Dilemma:
A salesperson offers a potential client a gift or payment to secure a deal.
Consequences: Legal trouble, damaged reputation, loss of business licenses.
Solution:
Implement a zero-tolerance policy for bribery, encourage ethical behavior through rewards and recognition.