WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT DUE DATE: THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2024 AT 11:59 P.M.
Suggested word limit: 1,000 – 1,300 (4-5 pages), i.e., be thorough while making your points concisely. Please also include a title page and reference page, in addition to the suggested word limit.
Excessive grammar and punctuation errors will negatively impact the assignment grade. Direct quotations are not permitted. I am looking for your analysis of the conduct, as described below. Cutting and pasting from outside sources is not permitted.
Papers must be submitted in Microsoft Word – Times New Roman Font – 12 pt. – double spaced. All papers should be submitted through Canvas using the link under the Assignments tab. The University Honor Code, as with all examinations and assignments, is applicable and the Turnitin plagiarism detection tool will be used. Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
Assignment:
Theranos: The alleged unethical conduct of Elizabeth Holmes, Sunny Balwani, individual whistleblowers, Theranos Inc. (the entity) and the Theranos Board of Directors (individual directors or the Board collectively) has been widely reported in the investigations of fraud by Theranos and its representatives.
For this assignment, discuss and analyze the reported conduct by applying the Kantian, Utilitarian, Stockholder and Stakeholder ethical theories and/or the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative principles. For each action or omission that you address, separately analyze, and explain why you believe the conduct in question was or was not ethical (i.e., “this conduct was unethical because…”).
When you are writing about unethical conduct, suggest how you would have managed the situation differently, including any concepts or statements that you would incorporate into code of conduct/corporate governance policies, and support your suggestion by applying the Kantian, Utilitarian, Stockholder and Stakeholder ethical theories and/or the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative principles. Merely stating a conclusion such as “this suggested action may have enhanced the long-term viability of Theranos” will receive little credit. You need to explain why you have reached that conclusion (i.e., “this action may have enhanced the long-term viability of Theranos because…”).
The investigation of Theranos and its leaders, including Elizabeth Holmes and Sunny Balwani, as well as other actors, by the Securities & Exchange Commission and widely publicized investigations by such media outlets as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, Forbes, and others continues to the present day. A non-fiction book by the Wall Street Journal investigative reporter John Carreyrou “Bad Blood” is available in print, and the documentary “The Inventor – Out for Blood in Silicon Valley” is available on most streaming sites. I have also posted some articles in Canvas Modules for Business Ethics – Corporate Culture. You will need to conduct outside research through these sources and through other sources on the Internet or elsewhere to obtain a foundational understanding of the Theranos fraud allegedly perpetrated by these actors on investors and patients.
You have free access to The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and other media sources through the Auraria Library’s databases. You are strongly urged to make use of these resources for your research. If off-campus, you can access these databases by entering in your ucdenver.edu username and password when prompted. https://library.auraria.edu/databases.