Tutorial 5: Honesty

The case study you will discuss here is related to the lecture on honesty. In the lecture, we
discussed that you should carefully evaluate the degree of honesty in your workplace relations.
Use this case to illustrate honesty.

Case Study: The Deadline

Ruskin Manufacturing has guaranteed Parker Products that it will deliver a complete order of
small machines by the tenth of the month, a Friday. Parker had already extended its deadline
once. This time, Parker insists, the date must be met. Tim Vinson, the head of quality control at
Ruskin, had been confident that the deadline would be met, but on the eighth he learns that a new
component used in the machines is in short supply. He thinks of several options:

 Approve breaking up and regrinding the remaining supply of the old component that was
being replaced. This could probably be accomplished in time, but the speed at which it
would have to be done raises concerns about impurities in the process.
 Approve using the old component in place of the new one. The product would still
function well, and it would be unlikely that Parker would ever detect the difference.
Although Parker would not be getting exactly what it ordered, the product would meet
minimum safety standards.
 Discuss the problem with the design engineer and see what they suggest.

1. Which of these options is the ‘best’? Can you think of other options that might be
preferable?
The third one is the best. Both first can’t meet the standard as promised.
Negotiate with the customer, to see if able to give him a partly refund but extend the
______________________________________________________________________________
deadline. If extending is not possible, as the customer insists. To see if the refund can
______________________________________________________________________________
make customer be satisfied about the old component
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Page 1 of 3 
 
  

Suppose Vinson decides to consult Chuck Davidson, the chief design engineer for this product.
And Davidson says, “I don’t have a good answer for you. There’s no time to come up with a
completely satisfactory alternative. You could regrind but given the time frame, you could get a
lot of impurities. Or you could just use the old components. But I am not going to advise either
of those. I don’t want this hanging over my head. Maybe you should call Arnold.”

Arnold Peterson is the vice-president of product engineering at Ruskin. Years ago, like Tim
Vinson, Peterson served as the head of quality control. Vinson is somewhat uneasy about calling
Peterson for two reasons. First, Vinson feels responsible for not seeing the problem earlier and is
reluctant to admit failure the vice-president of product engineering. Second, he wonders if
Peterson would really want to be bothered by something like this. He might tell Vinson that the
problem is his to solve – somehow. Still Vinson is not comfortable with resolving the problem
by himself.

2. What would you advise Vinson do next?

I suggest him to talk with Peterson directly about the problem. 1. Reason is that this is not
fully______________________________________________________________________________
his responsibility. The new component was in shortage and this in fact is a problem
out of his control at that time. 2. As Peterson was once as the same position as his, he
should______________________________________________________________________________
be experienced and able to give him practical solutions or suggestions. 3. Also, if
later on the potential problem is spotted, he might suffer from even heavier regret.
______________________________________________________________________________
Because at that time, when this not a technical problem but a problem about honesty.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Vinson decides to take a decision without asking Peterson. And because he approved substitution
of the old component, the order is completed on time. However, several months later, Parker
returns several of the machines to Ruskin from the order Vinson completed. Parker complains
that the machines in this part of the order are not functioning as efficiently as the others. When a
Parker technician disassembled several of the less efficient machines and compared them with
one that was working well, she discovered that each of the less efficient ones has a key
component that differs from the components in the properly functioning machine. Parker asks for
an explanation. Word now comes to Vinson that he is expected to appear at a meeting with the

Page 2 of 3 
 
  

Arnold Peterson, the vice-president of Ruskin, and a Parker representative. What should he be
prepared to say at the meeting?

3. What should Vinson be prepared to say at the meeting?

1. He should admit his mistake. Being able to confess is the start to show that
______________________________________________________________________________
he is regretful of doing so. And his superior will then know that he might not
repeat this mistake in the future.
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Think about some solutions and discuss with vice-president
______________________________________________________________________________
about ways to soothe the customer, or giving the customer a full refund or
______________________________________________________________________________
make up plan.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4. Based on what he did, do you think Vinson was honest?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Page 3 of 3