4BU015 The Responsible Business Assignment Brief 2026 | UOW

4BU015 Assignment Brief

Assignment Requirements

In today’s global business environment, companies are under constant scrutiny for how they respond to crises – whether ethical, environmental, social, or financial. Responsible leadership means responding with integrity, accountability, and transparency, even in times of uncertainty.

This assignment simulates a real-world business crisis and gives you the opportunity to demonstrate how you would respond as a responsible leader.

Your Role: Ethics Consultant

You will take on the role of an Ethics Consultant advising a company facing a crisis. You will be assigned (or choose) a unique crisis scenario – ranging from environmental disasters to data breaches, discrimination cases, or ethical supply chain failures.

Your Task: LinkedIn article (3000 words)

You will write a professional LinkedIn article that outlines a clear, ethical, and strategic response to the crisis. This article should be written for a public, professional audience and demonstrate your understanding of:

• Responsible business practices
• Ethical leadership
• Your own personal values and decision-making

Your article will be submitted to Canvas. Additionally, you are encouraged to publish your article on LinkedIn to build your professional profile.

Your LinkedIn article should:

Introduction

1. Describe the crisis and evaluate its ethical implications:
2. Propose a clear, values-driven response strategy.
3. Present and engage with current debates about the role of business in society.
4. Reflect on your personal values, leadership style, and decision-making.

References: Harvard referencing style. List all sources cited in the article.

Assignment Breakdown (The responsible Business)

Ethics Consultant LinkedIn Article (3000 Words)

This guide unpacks the assignment explanation and provides a clear, step-by-step structure for you to follow when writing your LinkedIn-style article as an Ethics Consultant advising a company in crisis. Use this as a framework to organise your work, meet the assessment criteria, and manage your word count effectively.

Overview of the Assignment

Your Role: Ethics Consultant
Task: Advise a company facing a simulated crisis scenario.
Format: LinkedIn-style professional article
Total Word Count: 3000 words (+/- 10%)

You can pick a crisis of your own or use the crisis scenario provided to you.

Do not choose a real-life company.

No more than two students in one class can have the same crisis.

Your article must address four key elements:

1. Describe the crisis and its ethical implications
2. Propose a clear, value-driven response strategy
3. Engage with debates about the role of business in society
4. Reflect on your own values, leadership style, and decision-making

Suggested Structure and Word Guide

These word counts are guidelines, not strict rules. You can adjust slightly as long as the total remains within the allowed range.

Introduction (Approx. 400–600 words)

Set the scene for your reader and explain why ethical leadership matters in business crises.

What to Include

• Explain why ethical leadership and responsible business practices are important during crises.
• Introduce the idea of shareholder vs stakeholder models.
• Briefly mention concepts such as:
  ○ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
  ○ Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
• Public Expectations: Discuss growing demand for transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct.
• Article Roadmap: Outline what each section of your article will cover.

Section 1 – Crisis Description and Ethical Implications (Approx. 700–900 words)

• Clearly describe your crisis scenario and introduce your company name and industry.
• Explain:
  • What happened
  • When it happened
  • Who was involved

Stakeholder Analysis

• Identify all affected stakeholders, such as:
  • Employees
  • Customers
  • Local communities
  • Environment
  • Shareholders

Ethical and Legal Implications

• Discuss:
• Breaches of trust – Harm to individuals or vulnerable groups
• Legal responsibilities vs moral responsibilities
• Compliance and ethical duties

Analyse the consequences of the crisis:

• Short-term impacts: financial loss, media attention, operational disruption
• Long-term impacts: reputation, stakeholder trust, sustainability

Section 2 – Values-Driven Response Strategy (Approx. 1100–1300 words)

Crisis Model Framework

• Choose and apply a recognised crisis management model (e.g. Fink’s Four-Stage Model or another covered in class).
• Explain the model briefly and justify why it fits your crisis.

Plan for all stages: Pre-crisis, During crisis and After crisis

Stage 1 – Prodromal (Warning & Prevention)

(What the company should have done before the crisis)

Stage 2 – Acute (Immediate Response)

(What the company should do during the crisis)

Stage 3 – Chronic (Recovery & Remediation)

(How the company rebuilds trust)

Stage 4 – Resolution (Learning & Cultural Change)

Discuss: – Root cause analysis – Ethics training – Corporate culture reform – Long-term governance improvements

Section 3 – Personal Reflection (Approx. 400–600 words)

This is the only section written in the first person.

What to Reflect On

• Your core values as an ethics consultant:
  • Integrity
  • Empathy
  • Accountability
• Your preferred leadership style:
  • Transformational
  • Transactional
  • Ethical leadership

Professional Identity

• Explain how publishing this article aligns with your:
  • Career goals
  • Leadership aspirations
  • Professional values

Conclusion (Approx. 200–300 words)

What to Include

• Summary of the crisis and ethical response
• Reinforce the importance of responsible business practices
• Highlight the link between ethics and long-term success
• End with a call to action encouraging ethical leadership and proactive crisis planning

 Referencing and Academic Standards

Referencing Style

• Use Harvard Referencing (Min 8)
• Include:
  • In-text citations
  • Full reference list

Academic Integrity

• Do not copy content without citation
• Paraphrase correctly
• Use credible academic and industry sources

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