Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 5

Business Ethics - Essay Example This case study aims to explain the ethically questionable behavior of sales representatives in the pharmaceutical industry. Medical Representatives of the Taiwanese pharmaceutical industry that deals in all kinds of biomedical medicines, and prescribed drugs have formed the sample of the study. Sales Representatives working at hospitals, and not pharmacies or clinics, were considered. 24 sales representatives are informed of the questionnaire, and then of the 16 scenarios, only one version was exposed to each respondent. In total, 328 respondents were analyzed (Hsu, Fang and Lee, 159). In this case study, the differences in the ethically questionable behavior are examined using four variables: â€Å"Frame Pattern†, â€Å"Commission Structure†, â€Å"Behavior Control Type†, and â€Å"Marketing Norm Perceptions.† The Medical Representatives are given a scenario, the background information, and the treatments. They now have to get into the character’s shoes, and arrive at a decision that if they were in that situation what they would have done. The background information given to them is as follows: In the pharmaceutical industry, sales personnel should invite clients to banquets in order to make the sales. The price should not exceed 3500 dollars in Taiwanese currency, but your client has chosen a restaurant that exceeds the bill of 3500 dollars in Taiwanese currency. The treatments are: (Hsu, Fang and Lee, 159). 1. â€Å"The sales representative’s profits (have already reached/are only at) 50%, and the probability of (receiving/failing to receive) the client’s deal, which will achieve the quota, (will increase considerably/is minimal)† (Hsu, Fang and Lee. p. 159). 2. â€Å"The base salary of the sales representative is (600/400) thousand dollars. If he achieves the annual quota, a bonus of (200/400) thousand dollars will be awarded to him. The ratio of this award to his base salary is (only 33%/ 100%)† (Hsu,