Which of the following, if true, strengthens Beatty’s ethical position

QUESTION

Which of the following, if true, strengthens Beatty’s ethical position?

A) The gift card has no expiration date, so he can wait to use it later, when he has moved to another position in his company where no conflict of interest exists.
B) The greeting and the gift card were received at his home residence, not at his place of work.
C) The salesman has just spent $500 of his own money on video game equipment for his children at Best Buy, so he has no immediate reason to use the gift card.
D) The president of the supplier is Beatty’s father-in-law, so the gift is a personal one for his grandchildren.
E) On checking, Beatty learns that the supplier sent gift cards of lower value to other salespersons in his company.

ANSWER

Answer: D
Explanation: D) Choice D introduces a personal relationship between Beatty and the president, thus making the $500 more truly a gift rather than a bribe. Ideally the president of the supplier should have sent the gift card to his daughter, Beatty’s wife. Sending it to Beatty, a person with a professional relationship to the supply company, still introduces a conflict of interest that should be avoided by both parties. The other choices all more clearly compromise Beatty’s ethical position. Choices A and C defer use of the card, but the unethical act is accepting it, just as taking a bribe in cash is immoral, regardless of whether the money is spent now or later. Choices B and E likewise do not affect the ethics of the situation as the conflict of interest still exists.