ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES / EKONOMIESE EN

BESTUURSWETENSKAPPE
SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTANCY / SKOOL VIR REKENINGKUNDE
Module Code: 59277-214
BUSINESS ETHICS 214 / SAKE-ETIEK 214
ASSESSMENT A1S1 / ASSESSERING A1S1

PAPER 1 OF 1 / VRAESTEL 1 VAN 1

DUE DATE/ SPERDATUM: 8 April 2024

TOTAL OF MARKS/ TOTALE PUNTE: 35
EXAMINER/EKSAMINATOR: Ms/ Me. K Jacobs
Ms/ Me. T Stellenboom

(Die Afrikaanse instruksies en projek volg op bladsy 5)

Disclaimer

INDEMNITY CLAUSE All names of persons, places and business entities mentioned in this test paper are purely
fictitious in nature and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, places and business entities is purely
coincidental.
Scenario

SpeedySlice Proprietary Limited is a pizza delivery restaurant founded 12 years ago by Mrs.
Romano Panaroti, its owner and manager. The main branch is situated in Stellenbosch Central
Business District (CBD) and currently employs 10 kitchen staff and 50 delivery drivers. A
second, smaller branch is situated in the Paarl CBD and has six kitchen staff and 33 delivery
drivers.
Mrs. Romano is a savvy businesswoman and is constantly looking for ways to stay relevant
and use technology to improve her business.

For the past 3 years, the main branch in Stellenbosch has been making significant losses due
to increased competition in the area. Mrs. Romano has been researching innovative ways to
stay relevant and differentiate SpeedySlice from its competitors. As a result, she has
purchased 20 Starship robots that can deliver food to customers within a short radius of their
point of origin. Using state-of-the art sensors, these Starship robots can drive autonomously
on sidewalks at up to 6km per hour and negotiate curbs and intersections. While very little
human intervention is required, these Starship robots should be monitored by a person who
is able to take over control at any time, should it be necessary. Mrs. Romano feels that these
food delivery Starship robots will not only differentiate SpeedySlice from its competitors but
will also result in long-term efficiencies with the possibility of opening more branches.

The design of these Starship robots makes deliveries more efficient, convenient, and
sustainable. Each Starship robot has built-in cameras recording its surroundings and sensors
and radar, which makes it situationally aware, thereby avoiding obstacles such as pedestrians,
cars, and animals. To avoid theft and tampering, the Starship robots have built-in theft
prevention measures that emit a high-pitched screeching noise if they are tampered with. The
customer will receive a notification when the Starship robot is on its way with the food delivery
order and another notification once it arrives at the selected destination. A unique code is sent
to the customer, and on entering this code, the food hatch will open, and the customer can
remove the delivery.

Mrs. Romano is very excited about this new addition to her business. She ran a Google search
and could not find any applicable legislation about Starship robots navigating sidewalks.
She feels confident that she can use these Starship robots without breaking the law and that
no additional considerations are needed.

She has also decided that, because of the long-term efficiencies of using these Starship
robots, she will no longer need 80% of her delivery staff in the Stellenbosch and Paarl areas
and will therefore retrench them. Most of the delivery staff stay in low-income areas and are
the sole breadwinners for their families. Given the current economic climate, it may be difficult
for the retrenched staff to find alternative employment. The employment contract that currently
exists between SpeedySlice and the delivery drivers does not entitle them to any retrenchment
benefits. Mrs. Romano feels that these changes are imperative because, based on her
analysis, if she does not make these changes, she will have to close her business in the next
3 to5 years.

Mrs. Romano implemented a trial run in January 2024 and noted the following:

Disclaimer

INDEMNITY CLAUSE All names of persons, places and business entities mentioned in this test paper are purely
fictitious in nature and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, places and business entities is purely
coincidental.
 1. A kitchen staff member was used to monitor the Starship robots in transit and did not
find it necessary to take over control of the Starship robots at any time.
2. Sales increased by 22%, mainly because customers were excited to interact with the
Starship robots.
3. There were two incidents where a Starship robot bumped into a pedestrian, but this
was an anomaly, and no serious injuries were sustained.
4. Some of the staff at SpeedySlice have been reviewing the comments and reactions of
people from the recordings obtained from the Starship robot and have been trying to
identify future business opportunities based on this.

You and Mrs. Romano are in the same running club, and because she knows you are a 2nd
year student at Stellenbosch University, she often tells you about her innovative business
ideas.
She is aware that one of your classes discusses ethics, and she would like to know your view
on the matters above, specifically in relation to the use of the Starship robot and the
retrenching of the delivery staff employees.

REQUIRED

Prepare a memorandum to Mrs. Romano, addressing all the following:

1. What is ethics?
2. Why is it important for organisations in general and especially SpeedySlice to uphold
high ethical standards in business decision-making?
3. Identify the stakeholders of SpeedySlice and provide a reason for each stakeholder
identified.
4. Evaluate the decision to use the Starship robot and retrench 80% of the delivery staff
based on conventional ethics, ethical principles, and ethical tests.
5. Propose a solution to SpeedySlice in which you consider their duties (economic, legal,
and ethical).

Instructions

• Team members must submit one memo on behalf of the entire team.
• The content of your letter, excluding a cover page and references, is limited to TWO
(2) A4 pages.
• You must use Arial 12 font, 1.5 line spacing and provide a cover page with your name,
student number, the name of the module and “A1” indicated on the cover page.
• The submission of your assignment will be checked by Turnitin – a score below 20%
is deemed appropriate. If our software detects writing of artificial intelligence such as
ChatGPT in your assignment, it will be regarded as plagiarism.
• A readable PDF report must be successfully submitted using the correct assignment
submission on SUNLearn.
• If we are unable to open the document, it will be deemed invalid.
• The A1 assessment will be treated as a non-submission if the submission fails to meet
the above minimum requirements and the requirements set in the module framework.

Disclaimer

INDEMNITY CLAUSE All names of persons, places and business entities mentioned in this test paper are purely
fictitious in nature and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, places and business entities is purely
coincidental.
 • Individuals who fail to submit their projects by the deadline but before the final late
submission deadline will be subject to late submission penalties (refer to section 5 of
the module framework). A submission can also be deemed invalid in cases of
dishonesty and plagiarism (refer to section 6 of the module framework).
• Each team is required to complete and include the following AI use declaration as part
of your A1S1 submission:

AI use declaration:

AI system used What was it used for? Describe how you used it and Will you
in which section of the assignment. be able to
produce
(If applicable provide the URL link to the Chat-GPT
evidence
prompt)
supporting
your
usage

Why do you consider the work as your own?

Disclaimer

INDEMNITY CLAUSE All names of persons, places and business entities mentioned in this test paper are purely
fictitious in nature and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, places and business entities is purely
coincidental.
Scenario

SpeedySlice Proprietary (Limited) is 'n pizza-afleweringsrestaurant wat 12 jaar gelede deur

mev. Romano Panaroti, die eienaar en bestuurder gestig is. Die hooftak is in Stellenbosch se
sentrale sakekern geleë en het tans 10 kombuispersoneel en
50 afleweringsbestuurders in diens.
'n Tweede, kleiner tak is in die Paarl middestad geleë en het 6 kombuispersoneel en 33
afleweringsbestuurders. Romano is 'n vernuftige sakevrou en is voortdurend op soek na
maniere om relevant te bly en tegnologie te gebruik om haar besigheid te verbeter.

Vir die afgelope drie jaar het die hooftak in Stellenbosch aansienlike verliese gely weens
toenemende mededinging in die area. Mev. Romano het innoverende maniere ondersoek om
relevant te bly en SpeedySlice van sy mededingers te onderskei. As gevolg hiervan het sy 20
Starship-robotte gekoop wat voedsel aan kliënte kan aflewer binne 'n kort radius van hulle
oorsprongpunt. Met behulp van moderne sensors kan hierdie robotte outonoom teen tot 6 km
per uur op sypaadjies ry en randstene en kruisings onderhandel. Alhoewel baie min menslike
ingryping nodig is, moet hierdie robotte gemonitor word deur 'n persoon wat enige tyd beheer
kan oorneem, sou dit nodig wees. Mev. Romano voel dat hierdie kosafleweringsrobotte
SpeedySlice nie net van sy mededingers sal onderskei nie, maar ook
langtermyndoeltreffendheid tot gevolg sal hê met die moontlikheid om meer takke oop te
maak.

Die ontwerp van hierdie robotte maak aflewerings doeltreffender, geriefliker en meer
volhoubaar. Elke robot het ingeboude kameras wat sy omgewing en sensors en radar
opneem, wat dit situasiebewus maak en sodoende hindernisse soos voetgangers, motors en
diere vermy. Om diefstal en peuter te voorkom, het die robotte ingeboude
diefstalvoorkomingsmaatreëls wat 'n hoë skril geluid uitlaat as daar met hulle gepeuter word.
Die kliënt sal 'n kennisgewing ontvang wanneer die robot op pad is met die
kosafleweringsbestelling en nog 'n kennisgewing sodra dit by die gekose bestemming
aankom. 'n Unieke kode word aan die kliënt gestuur, en by die invoer van hierdie kode sal die
koslluik (food hatch) oopmaak en die kliënt die aflewering kan verwyder.

Mev. Romano is baie opgewonde oor hierdie nuwe toevoeging tot haar besigheid. Sy het 'n
Google-soektog uitgevoer en kon geen toepaslike wetgewing vind oor robotte wat sypaadjies
navigeer nie. Sy voel vol vertroue dat sy hierdie robotte kan gebruik sonder om die wet te
oortree en dat geen bykomende oorwegings nodig is nie.

Sy het ook besluit dat sy weens die langtermyndoeltreffendheid van die gebruik van hierdie
robotte nie meer 80% van haar afleweringspersoneel in die Stellenbosch- en Paarl-omgewing
sal benodig nie en hulle dus sal aflê. Die meeste afleweringspersoneel bly in lae-inkomste-
gebiede en is die enigste broodwinners vir hulle gesinne. Gegewe die huidige ekonomiese
klimaat, kan dit vir die afgelegde personeel moeilik wees om alternatiewe werk te kry.
Die dienskontrak wat tans tussen SpeedySlice en die afleweringsbestuurders bestaan, gee
hulle nie die reg op enige afleggingsvoordele nie. Mev. Romano voel dat hierdie veranderinge
noodsaaklik is, want op grond van haar ontleding, as sy nie hierdie veranderinge aanbring nie,
sal sy haar besigheid binne die volgende 3-5 jaar moet sluit.

Romano het in Januarie 2024 'n proeflopie geïmplementeer en die volgende opgemerk:
5

Disclaimer

INDEMNITY CLAUSE All names of persons, places and business entities mentioned in this test paper are purely
fictitious in nature and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, places and business entities is purely
coincidental.
 5. 'n Kombuispersoneellid is gebruik om die robotte tydens vervoer te monitor en het dit
nie nodig gevind om te eniger tyd beheer oor die robotte oor te neem nie.
6. Verkope het met 22% gestyg, hoofsaaklik omdat kliënte opgewonde was om met die
robotte te kommunikeer.
7. Daar was twee voorvalle waar 'n robot 'n voetganger gestamp het, maar dit was 'n
uitsondering en geen ernstige beserings is opgedoen nie.
8. Sommige van die personeel by SpeedySlice het die kommentaar en reaksies van
mense uit die opnames wat van die robot verkry is, nagegaan en probeer om
toekomstige sakegeleenthede op grond hiervan te identifiseer.

U en mev. Romano is lede in dieselfde hardloopklub, en omdat sy weet u is 'n 2de jaar student
op Stellenbosch Universiteit, vertel sy u gereeld van haar innoverende sake-idees. Sy is
bewus daarvan dat een van u klasse etiek bespreek, en sy wil graag u siening oor die
bogenoemde aangeleenthede hoor, spesifiek met betrekking tot die gebruik van die robot en
die aflegging van die aflewerings personeel.

Verlang

Stel 'n memorandum voor aan mev. Romano en spreek al die volgende aan:

1. Wat is etiek?
2. Waarom is dit belangrik vir organisasies in die algemeen en veral SpeedySlice om
hoë etiese standaarde in besigheidsbesluitneming te handhaaf?
3. Identifiseer die belanghebbendes van SpeedySlice en verskaf 'n rede vir elke
belanghebbende wat geïdentifiseer word.
4. Evalueer die besluit om die robot te gebruik en 80% van die afleweringspersoneel af
te lê op grond van konvensionele etiek, etiese beginsels en etiese toetse.
5. Stel 'n oplossing vir SpeedySlice voor waarin u hulle pligte (ekonomies, wettig en
eties) oorweeg.

Instruksies

• Spanlede moet een memorandum namens die hele span indien.

• Die inhoud van u brief, uitgesonderd 'n voorblad en verwysings, is beperk tot TWEE
(2) A4-bladsye.
• U moet Arial 12-lettertipe, 1.5-lynafstand gebruik en 'n voorblad met u naam,
studentenommer, die naam van die module en "A1" op die voorblad verskaf.
• Die indiening van u opdrag sal deur Turnitin nagegaan word - 'n telling onder 20% word
as toepaslik geag. As ons sagteware die skryf van kunsmatige intelligensie soos
ChatGPT in u opdrag opspoor, sal dit as plagiaat beskou word.
• 'n Leesbare PDF-verslag moet suksesvol ingedien word met behulp van die korrekte
opdrag indiening op SUNLearn;
• As ons nie die dokument kan oopmaak nie, sal dit ongeldig geag word;
• Die A1-assessering sal as 'n nie-ingedien beskou word indien die indiening nie aan
bogenoemde minimum vereistes voldoen nie, en die vereistes wat in die
moduleraamwerk gestel word.

Disclaimer

INDEMNITY CLAUSE All names of persons, places and business entities mentioned in this test paper are purely
fictitious in nature and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, places and business entities is purely
coincidental.
 • Individue wat versuim om hulle projekte teen die sperdatum in te dien, maar voor die
finale sperdatum vir laat indiening, sal onderhewig wees aan laat indieningsboetes
(verwys na Afdeling 5 van die moduleraamwerk). 'n Indiening kan ook ongeldig geag
word in gevalle van oneerlikheid en plagiaat (verwys na Afdeling 6 van die
moduleraamwerk).
• Daar word van elke span verwag om die volgende KI-gebruiksverklaring as deel van
u A1-indiening te voltooi en in te sluit:

KI gebruik verklaring:

KI-stelsel wat Waarvoor is dit gebruik? Beskryf hoe u dit gebruik Sal u
gebruik word het en in watter afdeling van die opdrag. bewyse
kan lewer
(Indien van toepassing, verskaf die URL-skakel na
wat u
die Chat-GPT-opdrag)
gebruik
ondersteun

Hoekom beskou u die werk as jou eie?

Disclaimer

INDEMNITY CLAUSE All names of persons, places and business entities mentioned in this test paper are purely
fictitious in nature and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, places and business entities is purely
coincidental.