At first, Susan Kim wasn’t sure whether she’d heard her new manager correctly. The phone line was relatively clear for a call between San Francisco and Seoul, but she still asked Sukbin Moon to repeat himself.
Case Study: Follow Dubious Orders or Speak Up?
An intern contemplates whether she should compromise her values for a job.
April 20, 2017
Summary.
In this fictional case study, a summer intern isn’t sure how to respond to a request that she misrepresent herself. One of her primary duties is to assist with market research by calling direct competitors and asking for information on products, services offered, customers, sales, and other data. Her manager wants her to only identify herself to these contacts as a MBA student. While it’s not a direct lie, she is uncomfortable with the omission. She needs the internship and the money but she also doesn’t want to start her career in this industry by deceiving people. Should she push back on her manager? Or perhaps ask for another project?