Blowing a whistle used to be confined to traffic police or school patrol
guards at strategic, busy intersections. It comes as no surprise that the
world of business adapted the term to denote someone who alerts others to
the truth of waste, fraud, and abuse. Imagine if you will:
After working for a company for many
years, you are almost vested for retirement benefits, AND a job
promotion. But you have stumbled upon a terrible situation and are now in
a quandary. Well, you 'think' that you know the right thing to do.
. after more thought, you are in doubt because
this is a 'mixed bag' -- a real double-bind situation!! You've discovered
that management has 'overlooked' the sale of harmful food
products--nothing deadly, but it COULD induce harm. Actually, if
the consumers knew what these products contained, they would take it to
court. You don't know where to turn and subsequently, become more
anxious.
No doubt you've heard about the
notorious cases from the past--it's an extraordinary decision to make.
You must work fast and be diligent if you want to succeed--either way,
you must set your course or risk losing everything. You have a reputation
to uphold, and a lot at stake for an otherwise
bright future!
What's the truth? It's a complex topic and deserves serious scrutiny, so
the pieces must be taken apart and sense made out them to 'see' the
bigger picture in a realistic perspective. There's usually a lot more to
a topic that we don't learn about after only a quick exploration.
And shouldn't we pursue this on our
own accord? The world is full of personal opinions and we can hear and
share them. Sometimes there are those who don't want to talk about
it. However, we can still derive our own conclusions.
In the following WebQuest, you will use the
power of teamwork and the resources on the Internet to learn all about whistleblowing.
The "BIG" Question:Should I "blow the
whistle?"
The Task Each group will come to a
decision about the "BIG Question." Debate!
The Process
1. Divide up into
groups. Each person on your team will learn one piece of the puzzle
and then you will come together to get a better understanding of the
topic to make your decisions, as individuals, then as a group. Or, if you
prefer, assign each group with a position: management, employee,
legal system, and society. You can launch a debate challenge to share
with other communities of learners!
2. Define the problem. Seize your
initial conceptualizations, define its
components and relationships. You might find that using concept mapping
software such as MS Visio, Inspiration software, and/or Venn diagrams
really help to "see" the issues and their correlations.
Venn diagram
3. Search and explore the resource materials for support
info.
Continue to use your tools and update your
perspectives.
4. Compile your findings.
5. Formulate choices and determine potential
outcomes.
Perhaps a "decision tree" tool would be beneficial.
Your performance will be
evaluated by a rubric designed to
capture the critical elements required to accomplish the authentic task
and will feature graduated levels of excellence. Since this is a
coordinated learning project, there will be team grades determined by
your instructor, as well as by your team members.
Rubric
Beginning 1
Developing2
Accomplished3
Exemplary
4
Score
Team Work
Attitude
Collaboration
Commitment
Accountability
Contribution
Lacks confidence.
Distracted.
Defers to others.
Unreliable.
Relies on others to do the work: "free rides".
Some confidence;
Positive but has difficulty developing rapport.
Passive: defers/settles for others' inputs. ? duty
Confident.
Facilitates and encourages healthy level of interactivity
Continual, concerted giving/sharing of workload.
Models high level of confidence,
Inspires to higher level performance ("extra
mile") and sense of mission;
Emergent leader.
Research
Abilities
Intentionality
Compilation
Easily distracted and off on on tangents ("rabbit trails").
Collects little pertinent info.
Frequently distracted and requires redirection.
Collects very little info--some relative.
Focused. Requires rare need for redirection.
Collects relative information.
Focused & purposeful.
Directs others to more productive paths.
Collects good info base.
Use of technology
graphic organizers web tools
No use of graphic organizers.
Little or no use of graphic organizers--
does not seek others' help.
Some use. Seeks help from others.
Maximizes the use of all tools/media to enhance
learning. Assists others.
Level of Learning
Remains at application level; needs direction to
move to synthesis level.
Moves from synthesis to analysis; requires
direction to move to evaluation level.
Moves easily through analysis to evaluation level.
Proceeds with mastery; models most/all dimensions
(judgment, defense, etc)
Problem Solving
Identifies
problems Process
Solution analysis
Detached,
uninvolved.
Disinterest in procession.
Unable to identify problem or isolate related
components.
Synergy evident= spontaneous “arrival” at
expedient consensus—
process quality evident.
Achieved the Task
Failure.
Remains in quandary: unsure how to develop/
integrate a plan
Develops/
integrates written strategic plan.
Completes plan with
additional embellishment.
"Wrap-Up"
(Reflection)
Non-players.
Resistant to feedback.
Lack of
cohesiveness for completion. No identified needs.
Little substance to
reflections.
Defers/passive.
Depends on others' discourse.
Easily/quickly concedes to summation.
Recognizes/ solicits new insights.
Establishes
perspective for situated context.
Identifies areas for further work.
Identifies new concepts for
success-- confident about judgment.
Emulates satisfaction with overall quality of performance.
Conclusions
Hopefully
you've learned what it takes to tackle the process of solving a somewhat
well-structured and mildly complex problem with this ethical
dilemma--and, that your groups' "wrap-up" helped you reflect on
how your individual and/or group process succeeded or failed in its
achievement of the Task (goal). This provides some "value
added" for building skills and confidence!
This new structural knowledge can be also be transferred to other domains in your
life: home, work, and community. It's imperative to be able to
accomplish this--the real-world arena will expect it!
Can you think of some specific issues right now which are similar in
context (exposing unethical behavior)?
What are the most profound new things you have learned?
Curricular
Objectives Meet ISTE Technology Standards for Students: 1.Technology
research tools
Students use technology
to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of
sources.
Students use technology
tools to process data and report results.
Students evaluate and
select new information resources and technological innovations
based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.
2.
Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools
Students use technology
resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.
Students employ
technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in
the real world.
Last updated on 3 Mar 2005.
Copyright 2004. Cynthia A. Holubik.
Your deceased great-uncle’s attorney has
notified you that you’ve inherited $750,000. Because you were his favorite
relative, he has left you the bulk of his assets. Although you are bereaved by
the loss of your favorite uncle, you realize that you are facing the
opportunity of a lifetime. You must make a decision on how you will invest this
inheritance.
You are at a crossroad in you life. Next
year you will be graduating from high school and you have not made any definite
plans for your future. This inheritance opens many doors for you including your
suppressed desire to own your own business. You have always had the desire to
run a business and be your own boss. Now is your chance to follow your dream!
Task
You are about to begin an adventure that will
determine your destiny. You are to plan your new business from scratch. You
must begin by describing your business in a BUSINESS PLAN. You will
determine what type of business you will run. To begin you must describe your
business operations. What will you provide for the customer? Who is my target
customer? How will I communicate with my customer? What product and/or service
will I provide? Where will by business by located?
What hours will I operate? Who is my competition?
You will develop your company’s BUSINESS
PLAN and determine whether this endeavor will be one you wish to pursue.
Your BUSINESS PLAN will provide an assessment of financial calculations
and show whether it will be a profitable business.
Resources
The following resources are Internet sites, print,
and other resources that will assist you in writing your BUSINESS PLAN. These
items will provide information that will enable you to develop a document that
describes the business you want to start and how it will become profitable.
Entrepreneurship (Advanced Business Applications Textbook)
Legal Guide for Starting & Running a
Small Business (Vol. 1 & 2)
Process
You are
about to become an entrepreneur! You have chosen your line of business and it
is time to develop your BUSINESS PLAN. There are nine components to the
plan. Outline the information needed for your business, utilizing the resources
available to you.
Summary -- Concept
Vision – Statement & Milestones
Market Analysis – Target Market & Customers
Competitive Analysis – Primary Competitors
Strategy – Strengths & Weaknesses
Products/Services -- Positioning
Marketing & Sales – Promotions & Publicity
Operations -- Management
Financial Statement – Balance Sheet & Cash Flow
There is no limit to the amount information
you can provide for your BUSINESS PLAN. Drafting the document will help
you determine whether your business concept is feasible.
Evaluation
Evaluating
your BUSINESS PLAN is the last and most important step in determining
whether to proceed with your business venture. Here are some questions you
should consider before investing in your business.
Is there a demand for my
product/service?
Do my financial statements
predict a profit after three years?
Am I a risk-taker?
Am I willing to take a
profit loss for 1-3 years?
Do I need financial
assistance (venture capital)?
Am I comfortable in a
leadership role?
Can I handle personnel
problems?
Is there opportunity for
growth or diversification?
How do I manage stress?
PREDICTION: Will I be a
successful entrepreneur?
Conclusion
Developing a comprehensive BUSINESS PLAN
utilizes every business application you have studied in school. You must
have a complete understanding of your product, customer, and finances to have a
successful business. Writing your BUSINESS PLAN allows you, and others
(perhaps investors), to determine your ability for success.
A BUSINESS PLAN in not set in stone.
It is a working document that you can utilize throughout the life of your
business. CAUTION: Do not manipulate financial data to fit your
expectations. All data must be as accurate as possible and estimations
should be noted.
Best of luck in your endeavors! Your
great-uncle would be proud of you!
Evaluation 
You are about to begin an adventure that will
determine your destiny. You are to plan your new business from scratch. You
must begin by describing your business in a BUSINESS PLAN. You will
determine what type of business you will run. To begin you must describe your
business operations. What will you provide for the customer? Who is my target
customer? How will I communicate with my customer? What product and/or service
will I provide? Where will by business by located?
What hours will I operate? Who is my competition?
The following resources are Internet sites, print,
and other resources that will assist you in writing your BUSINESS PLAN. These
items will provide information that will enable you to develop a document that
describes the business you want to start and how it will become profitable.
You are
about to become an entrepreneur! You have chosen your line of business and it
is time to develop your BUSINESS PLAN. There are nine components to the
plan. Outline the information needed for your business, utilizing the resources
available to you.
Evaluating
your BUSINESS PLAN is the last and most important step in determining
whether to proceed with your business venture. Here are some questions you
should consider before investing in your business.
Conclusion