Final Paper

Most of us run into ethical issues of varying degrees of seriousness every day. This final paper is an opportunity to write a personal “think piece” about a topic in ethics, corporate social responsibility, or governance related to the organization, profession, or area you currently are working in or hope to work in. Consider the following questions for both picking a topic and writing the paper: What are some ethical “gray areas” that you’re likely to run into in your work or that you want to learn more about? How will those affect you? How will you professionally address those issues? How might you go about making changes in your place of business or among the people you work with most closely? How will you define success—or deal with failure?

You might consider organizing your paper around the following: (1) an explanation of the issues; (2) what others have written or done about those issues (hint: you can reference concepts, readings, and discussions from our course as well as your original research); (3) your reaction to what others have thought or done; and (4) how you will handle or prepare yourself to handle the issue(s). However, this should not be a general paper about, for example, accounting fraud but a paper where you insert yourself in work-related ethical, social responsibility, or governance issues you personally have faced or might face. For example, students have discussed a problematic situation at work; others have conducted an ethics, social responsibility, or governance “audit” of their company. Know that the more directly affected you are by the topic you choose, the more relevant and useful you’ll find this assignment.

Final Paper Requirements:

Length and Style: 1,250 to 1,500 words, excluding the reference page, any charts, graphs, etc. You’ll want to write at least part of the paper in the first person (“I”). Be sure to write in short, crisp sentences and put your bottom line or main message at the beginning of the paper. Good organization, including short paragraphs and subheadings, helps. Consider a style similar to a well-written newspaper “op-ed” (with added in-text citations). Note that I’m looking for your viewpoint (backed by evidence), not a typical academic paper on your chosen topic.

References: At least 6 authoritative references, all referred to within your paper and in a final reference page. No more than two of those sources should be those we’ve used in class.
Format: Single or double spacing is fine. Please use APA format for in-text citations and the reference page. If in doubt about whether to cite the source for any content in your paper, be sure to cite the source.

Grading: An “A” paper will follow the guidelines above, reference a number of authoritative concepts and readings, be handed in on time, and be a well-written, well-researched, and original presentation of ideas about your topic.

PLACE OF WORK: Government Consulting for an Aerospace Defense Company. PLEASE FOLLOW THE RULES AND GUIDELINES EXACTLY LIKE STATED. THIS PAPER IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS PLEASE ASK.