Day 56 – SECTION B

SECTION B

9.You are the regional compliance officer for a major multinational tech company that operates in over 50 countries. Recently, a whistleblower from one of your overseas branches reports that the company’s local partner is using manipulative algorithms to promote addictive content among teenagers, leading to rising concerns of mental health issues in that country. 

An internal review confirms that the algorithm was designed primarily to maximize user engagement — a key performance metric tied to executive bonuses — but was never intended to harm. However, senior management argues that the practice is legally permissible in that jurisdiction and halting the algorithm could lead to a significant drop in revenue and market share.

You are asked to prepare a report that balances business objectives and reputational risks. Meanwhile, civil society groups and media have started criticizing the company’s practices as “exploitative and irresponsible.”

Questions

1. What are the ethical issues involved in this case?
2. What options are available to you as a compliance officer?
3. How would you approach this situation while upholding professional integrity and public interest?
4. Should companies be held responsible for the unintended consequences of their technological products? Substantiate your answer.  (250 words, 20 marks)

10. You serve as a senior diplomat for your country at a major international forum. A humanitarian crisis has unfolded over the past 18 months in a densely populated, blockaded territory under military siege. Reports from UN bodies, humanitarian NGOs, and investigative journalists point to widespread civilian casualties, destruction of critical infrastructure (including hospitals and schools), and deliberate restrictions on food, water, and medical aid. Tens of thousands have died, including a disproportionate number of children. 

A draft resolution has been introduced at the forum, calling for an immediate ceasefire, unfettered humanitarian access, and an international investigation into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity. The resolution stops short of directly accusing any nation of genocide but references findings from the International Court of Justice that label the acts “plausibly genocidal.” A growing coalition of Global South countries is co-sponsoring the resolution.

The state alleged to be responsible for these actions is a long-standing strategic partner of your country. You rely heavily on them for advanced defense technologies, intelligence sharing, and economic cooperation. However, this partner has dismissed the international outcry, branded criticism as biased or anti-cultural, and is being increasingly isolated by global civil society movements.

Domestically, public opinion is shifting. University students, human rights groups, religious leaders, and a segment of parliamentarians are urging your government to support the resolution and “stand on the right side of history.” Protests have erupted in major cities, and international media is highlighting your country as a potential swing vote with moral influence.

You have been asked to formulate your country’s position and brief the foreign affairs minister before the plenary session.

Questions 

1. Identify the ethical issues involved in this case. What are the competing values and interests at stake?
2. What principles of international law and humanitarian ethics should guide your country’s decision in such situations?
3. Should public opinion and civil society activism shape diplomatic decisions?
4. Suggest a course of action which will guide the foreign affairs ministry. (250 words, 20 marks)

11. You have recently taken over as the Chief Marketing Officer of a multinational luxury fashion company. Shortly after your appointment, the company launches a new sandal collection at a major international event. The design strongly resembles a traditional handcrafted footwear style made by artisans in a remote Indian region. The company’s official product description only mentions that the sandals are “inspired by ethnic craftsmanship,” without any direct reference to the community or origin.

Soon after the launch, a wave of criticism emerges. Cultural organisations, social media influencers, and sections of the press accuse the company of misrepresenting and commercialising indigenous craft without consent or recognition. The artisan community expresses disappointment, stating that their cultural identity and livelihood are being exploited. The company begins to face online backlash and calls for a boycott. Sales in key markets start declining, and the brand’s reputation takes a hit.

In response, the senior leadership convenes a crisis meeting. You are told to design a strategy to shift the narrative. The directive is clear: counter the backlash, introduce alternate historical interpretations of the design, flood social media with content challenging the criticism, and portray the issue as overblown. You are warned—either protect the brand’s image and divert attention or prepare to be replaced.

You now face a difficult situation. The artisan community is expecting acknowledgment and dialogue. Your leadership expects swift damage control, even if it means using selective or unverifiable narratives. Your team is waiting for your decision. You must now decide your course of action under intense scrutiny and pressure.

Questions:

1. Identify and briefly describe the main ethical dilemma faced by you in this case.
2. List the stakeholders involved and explain how each one is affected by your decision.
3. What are the possible courses of action available to you in this situation?
4. Evaluate each course of action in terms of its likely consequences.
5. If you were in this situation, what decision would you take and why? Support your answer with suitable reasoning.
6. How should large corporations approach traditional knowledge and cultural expressions in product development and marketing? (250 words, 20 marks)

12. You are a senior civil servant posted to a remote, backward rural region that has had minimal exposure to modernisation or development initiatives. The area has deeply rooted patriarchal norms, and during your field visits, you observe a disturbing trend: women are routinely subjected to domestic violence, denied education, barred from religious and public spaces, and discouraged from any form of economic participation.

What troubles you even more is that the women themselves do not question these practices. Many have internalised their subordinate role, citing tradition, religion, or social norms. When you attempt to initiate conversations with local men and community leaders about these practices, you are met with resistance. They claim that your “modern” ideas will destroy their culture and accuse you of interfering in local customs. Your team is hesitant to escalate matters, fearing a backlash or unrest.

You are known for your progressive work in development, education, and social inclusion, and this assignment was seen as a chance to replicate that success. However, you now find yourself facing resistance not just to reform, but to the very idea that reform is needed.

You must now decide on the most effective and responsible course of action in an environment where legal rights and cultural beliefs are in conflict. 

Questions:

1. Why do regressive gender norms and inequality persist in many rural and underdeveloped areas despite legal safeguards and constitutional guarantees?
2. As a civil servant, what steps can you take to begin addressing deeply rooted gender discrimination without triggering large-scale resistance?
3. In a society where the victims themselves accept injustice as normal, what tools of change are most effective ?
4. How can government officers balance respect for local culture with the duty to uphold constitutional values?
5. Suggest a short-term and a long-term plan to address this issue in a sustainable and culturally sensitive manner. (250 words, 20 marks)

13. You are appointed as the internal inquiry officer to investigate a formal complaint lodged by a group of employees in a large private IT company. The complaint alleges caste-based discrimination and harassment at the workplace. According to the written complaint, several employees from marginalized backgrounds have been routinely humiliated, denied promotions, and excluded from key projects by their reporting managers — all of whom are in senior leadership roles.

The matter gains attention after one of the complainants submits evidence in the form of emails and internal chat logs. An internal committee is formed, and you are tasked with conducting confidential interviews, verifying testimonies, and preparing a final report. However, as the inquiry progresses, you begin to observe hesitation among witnesses. Some who initially showed willingness to speak later withdraw, citing fear of “career damage” and departmental retaliation.

A few days later, you are called into an informal meeting with two of the senior executives who are under investigation. They subtly threaten that if the matter goes against them, they will “identify and remove” the complainants after the dust settles. Further, they offer to double your current salary and provide a leadership position if you “manage the votes” in their favor during the testimony round or influence the committee’s final recommendations. They hint that if you do not cooperate, your future in the organization could become “very uncertain.”

You now face a serious dilemma. On one side is the responsibility to uphold fairness and ensure protection for the complainants and the integrity of the process. On the other side is a direct offer of personal gain and the risk of professional isolation if you go against powerful interests.

Questions:

1. What are the main ethical issues involved in this case?
2. What are your responsibilities as an internal inquiry officer in this context?
3. What are the possible courses of action available to you, and what are the consequences of each?
4. In cases where discrimination is socially entrenched, what additional steps can be taken to ensure long-term change beyond disciplinary action?
5. Reflect on the challenges of maintaining professional integrity in private sector environments where power structures may discourage dissent. (250 words, 20 marks)

14. You live in a well-established residential area in Delhi. Over the past few months, you notice a young boy, around 10 or 11 years old, who works tirelessly throughout the day in one of the houses in your neighbourhood. He does domestic chores from early morning till late evening. He never seems to go to school or play outside. One day, during a brief interaction, the boy confides in you that he was brought from a village in Odisha and has been working here under compulsion. He mentions that he is not allowed to step out of the house alone and hasn’t seen his family in months.

You are disturbed by this revelation and try to speak with the family employing him. However, they react sharply and warn you not to interfere. You later learn that they are politically well-connected and financially influential. When you raise the issue casually with some other neighbours, you’re advised to “stay out of trouble.” Your own family, including your spouse and parents, strongly advise you not to get involved, saying that it’s not your responsibility and could bring “unnecessary problems.”

You are now at a crossroads. Taking action may lead to confrontation and consequences. Remaining silent may compromise your own sense of right and wrong. You must now consider what can be done — and what should be done.

Questions:

1. What are the key ethical dilemmas involved in this case?
2. What are your possible courses of action in this situation? Evaluate 
3. How would you respond to your family’s concern that this is “not your responsibility”?
4. Do you believe personal risk can ever justify inaction in cases of clear injustice? Explain with reasoning.
5. What would be your final decision in this case, and why? (250 words, 20 marks)