Name of Book: Business Ethics A Managerial Approach by Andrew C. Wicks, R. Edward Freeman, Patricia H. Werhane, Kirsten E. Martin; 9780131427921

ECBA 401 Business Ethics

Module 7 – 7.5.2 Assignment (75 points)

A. Read Walden Paddlers, pp 348 – 363

B. Write an essay that provides a brief synopsis of the case study and answer the following questions. Your paper should be in APA format, include a title page and reference page, and be a minimum of 500 words. Two peer-reviewed sources are required, one of which must be from the textbook.

1. How serious are the global environmental problems we face? What kinds of changes are going to have to happen to create a sustainable future, and a sustainable economy, for our grandchildren (and their grandchildren)?
2. How does this make you think about environmentally conscientious business? In what ways was Walden Paddlers environmentally conscious? In what ways could it be doing a better job?
3. What decisions do you think were most important to Walden Paddlers’ success?
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the informal relationships developed in this company (e.g. the partnership with Vetter, the agreement with Hardigg Industries)? How significant were they in enabling this kind of environmental innovation?
5. Walden Paddlers provides an example of a company that reduced the cost of making a product by utilizing more environmentally friendly methods. In light of this strategy, why don’t more companies do a better job of improving their environmental performance, especially when it pays? What are the major barriers to firms doing a better job here?
6. What are Walden Paddlers’ options for future growth? Do you believe that its current structure will assist or hinder future growth?
7. In what ways is Walden Paddlers’ model useful for thinking about what business can do and what business needs to do? What insights can other businesses, especially larger and more traditional businesses, learn from Walden Paddlers?