Rob Browning's ethical dilemma: addressing stakeholder concerns about board chair Dusty

Ethics and Legal Environment

What action, if any, should Rob take, and why?

Since the shareholders and the community have raised their dissatisfaction with Dusty based on his past criminal history, Rob Browning should issue a comprehensive statement on what led to his appointment to the company. He should also convene an emergency meeting with the stakeholders and the community so that he can apologize to them and then table the facts and the record of Dusty's community initiatives and successes. This is because the reputation of the Firearms Company is at stake and thus an instant invention is necessary. After explaining to the stakeholders and the community about Dusty's record in community service, Rob should give chance Dusty to defend himself against the allegations; after all, everybody has some unfavorable past in their life (Lawton, & Paez, 2014). This will pave the way for Dusty's exoneration from his youthful past and save the company from embarrassment and ridicule. Also, the board, the stakeholders, and the community will weigh on the merits and the demerits of continuing to accept Dusty as the board chair or be compelled to resign.

Rob can also ask Dusty to resign as the board chair and request the board members to elect a new board chair within the stipulated duration. This move will be a precaution to save the reputation and integrity of the company. The board chair of any organization is mandated with promoting, openness and integrity in the running of the company's affairs. Therefore, it would be ironical when the chairperson of the board himself has questionable past and thus the honorable action that Rob has at his disposal is to ask immediate resignation of Dusty as the Board Chairman (Badaracco, 2002).

How should he assess them?

In the first option, he should evaluate Dusty's community volunteer works, the experience that he adds to the Board and the company at large. Rob should look back to the old schools days of Dusty and performance on class and curriculum activities (Badaracco, 2002). He should also assess the performance of Well-Thought-Of crisis intervention center, a community organization founded by Dusty. The move will give him enough justifiable reasons to stick with Dusty in the company as the Board Chairperson. Consequently, Rob should base his assessment on the profitability and the milestones made by the company since Dusty was appointed the board. This will be a justification enough to stick with Dusty as the Chairman of the Board for the company (Badaracco, 2002).

Rob should assess the second option by conducting a survey to determine the satisfaction level of the community and the stakeholders on Dusty as the Board chair. Furthermore, he should assess the contribution made by Dusty to the Community against the long-term reputation of the company. This will give him a pure reason to relief him his duties as the board chairperson for the sake of the integrity of the enterprise. The option for his dismissal should not exactly be based on his youthful criminal activities but the reputation of the company against his past (Lawton, & Paez, 2014).

Recommendations

Rob Browning should schedule a meeting with all company shareholders and the community to discuss the criminal allegations leveled against Dusty, The Board Chairman so that an amicable solution that fits the company is reached. He should then brief them on the contributions that Dusty had injected into the company while serving as a member and as chairperson of the board. He should then outline the impact that Dusty's community project has had to the community.

I would also recommend that the Rob should not use the criminal activities that Dusty undertook while in college because everyone is capable getting swayed by peer influence while at the college. After all, the community service that Dusty has initiated shows that he no longer associate with his youthful past. Ron should also give a chance for Dusty to defend himself and should not make a hastened conclusion on the matter (Badaracco, 2002).

Irrespective of the external pressure, Rob Browning should stick with Dusty as the Board Chairman of the Firearms Company because his contribution to the company outweighs the expose made by T-Rex. His experience in handling community issues is evident while his competence and work discipline led to his appointment to the Board. The board of the company has never raised any suspicion or concern regarding his discharge of duties (Lawton, & Paez, 2014).