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WGU C717 Task 1: TechFite Ethics Case — Done For You
WGU C717 Task 1: TechFite Ethics Case
By Dan Palmer, MBA | Updated July 2026
If you’re re-reading the TechFite scenario trying to figure out how “part-time reclassification” and “executive bonuses” turn into a graded ethics paper with four corporate policy citations, you’re in the right place.
This is one of the more layered Task 1s in the WGU business ethics lineup; not because it’s hard to understand, but because the rubric wants you juggling theory, stakeholder impact, and policy analysis at the same time.
We’ve already written this one.
We know this case cold
- Company: TechFite — UK-based tech firm, new U.S. factory in Dellberg
- The core tension: full-time roles promised, then reclassified to part-time for budget reasons; while executive bonuses stayed untouched
- The broken promises: community sponsorships, youth leadership funding, and environmentally conscious infrastructure investment, all committed to the Dellberg City Council and none of it funded
- Four corporate policies to choose from: Employee Work Hours & Benefits, Executive Compensation, Community Engagement, Environmental Sustainability; each written with a built-in “escape clause” (budget discretion, board priority, aspirational commitments, ROI-only partnerships)
That last point matters: every TechFite policy sounds ethical in its first sentence and reverses itself by the end. That reversal is exactly what part B wants you to catch.
Assignment
Introduction
In a complex, multicultural business environment, business professionals must adhere to ethical standards throughout their daily activities. The goal of this course is to introduce you to concepts and guidelines for ethical courses of action in business. In order to assess your understanding, you will analyze the ethical and socially responsible courses of action for the given business scenario. You will take on the role of human resources (HR) director of the firm to discuss the situation, analyze corporate policies and ethical guidelines for the organization, and suggest possible courses of action to address the company’s ethical responsibilities.
Scenario
TechFite, a high-tech British company renowned for its commitment to workplace collaboration, leadership development, and community engagement, recently opened its first U.S. factory in Dellberg to produce a new line of recreational equipment. The company’s culture strongly emphasizes employee empowerment, environmental responsibility, and active community participation.
To staff the new facility, TechFite has hired several local Dellberg residents, originally promising full-time roles with a 40-hour work week. However, due to budget constraints, funding for full-time benefits is limited and has led to the reclassification of many new employees to part-time. This decision has created employee dissatisfaction, as the reduced hours prevent many workers from qualifying for full-time benefits. Recognizing the differences in labor laws and cultural expectations between the United States and the United Kingdom, TechFite’s HR department is now tasked with reviewing its policies to address the ethical implications for employee well-being.
As the HR director, you have noted a troubling trend. While employee hours and benefits are restricted, significant bonuses continue to be awarded to top executives, highlighting a disconnect between executive compensation and the company’s stated values.
During their initial presentations to the Dellberg City Council, TechFite committed to sponsoring local events, supporting youth leadership initiatives, and investing in Dellberg’s infrastructure using environmentally conscious practices. To date, none of these commitments have been funded or acted on, which is beginning to damage TechFite’s reputation in the community. Initial enthusiasm from Dellberg residents has waned, with complaints surfacing about limited hours, inadequate benefits, and the company’s failure to engage in promised community and environmental initiatives.
To regain the trust and support of Dellberg’s residents, TechFite’s leadership team recognizes the need for a clear, actionable plan that realigns the company’s practices with its ethical values. This includes addressing community commitments, employee benefits, and environmentally sustainable practices to strengthen local relationships and fully integrate into Dellberg’s community.
- A. Using the scenario, help TechFite determine a path forward by doing the following:1. Provide a description of one ethical theory from the following list:
- virtue ethics
- utilitarianism
- principle-based ethics
2. Identify one example of an ethical issue from the scenario.
a. Discuss why the example identified in part A2 is an ethical issue.
b. Describe how two stakeholders are impacted by the ethical issue from part A2.
c. Explain how the theory from part A1 can be applied to the ethical issue from part A2 to help TechFite regain ethical alignment.
3. Identify a second example (different from part A2) of an ethical issue from the scenario.
a. Discuss why the example identified in part A3 is an ethical issue.
b. Describe how two stakeholders are impacted by the ethical issue from part A3.
c. Explain how the theory from part A1 can be applied to the ethical issue from part A3 to help TechFite regain ethical alignment.
B. Identify the two corporate policies you have chosen to analyze from the attached “TechFite Corporate Policies” document.
1. Analyze both corporate policies chosen in part B1 by doing the following:
a. Discuss one way the first corporate policy aligns with the ethical principles of TechFite and one way it conflicts with the ethical principles of TechFite.
b. Discuss one way the second corporate policy aligns and one way it conflicts with the stated ethical principles of TechFite.
C. Explain corporate social responsibility.
1. Propose one actionable strategy that TechFite can implement to align its practices with its commitment to corporate social responsibility focused on employees.a. Discuss how the strategy focused on employees would promote TechFite’s reputation as a socially responsible organization.
2. Propose one actionable strategy that TechFite can implement to align its practices with its commitment to corporate social responsibility focused on community engagement.
a. Discuss how the strategy focused on community engagement would promote TechFite’s reputation as a socially responsible organization.
3. Propose one actionable strategy that TechFite can implement to align its practices with its commitment to corporate social responsibility focused on environmental sustainability.
a. Discuss how the strategy focused on environmental sustainability would promote TechFite’s reputation as a socially responsible organization.
D. Acknowledge sources, using in-text citations and references, for content that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.
E. Demonstrate professional communication in the content and presentation of your submission.
C717 Task 1 TechFite Corporate Policies
Employee Work Hours and Benefits Policy Statement
Employees will be classified as full-time or part-time based on the company’s operational needs. Full-time employees will receive access to healthcare, retirement plans, and other standard benefits, subject to budget availability and company discretion. Part-time employees will receive prorated benefits if they work more than 30 hours per week for at least six months. However, the company reserves the right to reclassify employees at any time based on financial or operational constraints with minimal notice. While some employees may experience flexibility in scheduling, there is no guaranteed minimum work week for either classification.
Executive Compensation Policy Statement
Executive compensation, including bonuses, will be determined based on the company’s financial performance and achievement of specific corporate goals, such as meeting production targets and expanding market share. A portion of bonuses will also be tied to community engagement metrics, but this will constitute less than 10% of total executive incentives. The board of directors may prioritize executive rewards over other financial obligations, including employee benefits and community initiatives, if deemed necessary to attract and retain top talent.
Community Engagement Policy Statement
The company will allocate a discretionary budget for community engagement activities, including local event sponsorships and youth leadership programs, provided operational profitability goals are met. Employees may volunteer in company-sponsored initiatives, but participation will be limited to off-hours and will not be compensated or counted as work time. Commitments made during public presentations are aspirational and may be revisited or canceled without prior notice based on financial or strategic needs.
Environmental Sustainability Policy Statement
The company will adhere to environmental standards required by law and will voluntarily report emissions and waste reduction efforts every three years. Sustainable practices, such as energy-efficient production methods and waste recycling, will be implemented only when they align with financial goals or enhance public relations.
Resources for additional sustainability projects will be allocated only if operational profits exceed targets. The company will not partner with environmental organizations unless such partnerships demonstrate a clear return on investment.
What the rubric is really grading
Task 1 isn’t “summarize TechFite’s problems.” Four things carry the most weight:
- Theory selection that you can actually apply twice (A1, A2c, A3c) — virtue ethics, utilitarianism, and principle-based ethics each fit this scenario differently; picking the one you can consistently apply to two separate issues is where students lose time
- Two distinct ethical issues, not two symptoms of the same issue (A2/A3) — benefit reclassification and the executive-bonus disconnect are related but graded as separate issues; broken community commitments is a third, cleanly separate option
- Policy language that “aligns AND conflicts” in the same paragraph (B1a/b) — every TechFite policy has both in one statement (e.g., Environmental Sustainability commits to legal compliance, then undercuts it with “only when they align with financial goals”), and graders want you to name both sides explicitly
- CSR strategies that are actionable, not aspirational (C1-C3) — one strategy each for employees, community, and environment, each tied back to reputation — generic “TechFite should do better” language costs points here
Most students get stuck matching two policies to two ethical issues without contradicting themselves across parts A and B; that’s the part that eats an evening.
Sample Approach
A quick look at our analytical depth. Because Task 1 is a currently-assigned assessment, this excerpt uses a fictitious parallel scenario (Verdant Robotics) rather than TechFite itself ; but it’s the same structure and rigor we bring to your actual case.
Ethical Theory Applied: Principle-Based Ethics Principle-based ethics evaluates decisions against a defined set of moral obligations — fairness, transparency, non-maleficence — rather than outcomes or character alone.
Ethical Issue Example; Verdant Robotics (fictitious): Verdant Robotics promised its new Ohio plant workers full-time status with benefits, then reclassified 60% of hires to part-time within four months citing “budget realignment,” while simultaneously approving a 12% executive bonus pool tied to production targets.
- Why this is an ethical issue: Breaches the fairness principle; employees made housing and childcare decisions based on a full-time offer withdrawn without renegotiation, while the same budget constraint didn’t apply to executive pay.
- Stakeholders impacted: Reclassified employees (lost benefit eligibility and predictable income) and remaining full-time staff (absorbed added workload and morale strain from visible inequity).
- Applying the theory: Fairness would require any budget-driven adjustment to worker hours to trigger a proportional review of executive incentives; not just labor costs.
That’s the level of specificity — theory, issue, stakeholders, application — every A and B item gets in your finished response, built around your actual TechFite policies.
What you get
- Full written response mapped directly to A–D, WGU-format ready
- Ethical theory applied consistently across both issues (not just defined once)
- Two corporate policies analyzed with alignment and conflict clearly separated
- Three CSR strategies (employee, community, environmental) with reputation impact explained
- APA 7 in-text citations and reference page, part D handled
Community Tips
- Don’t reuse the same stakeholder for both “impacted stakeholders” in A2b and A3b — graders check that your two ethical issues actually affect different people (e.g., factory employees vs. Dellberg residents), not the same group twice.
- Part C wants a strategy, not a value statement. “TechFite should be more environmentally responsible” won’t score — “TechFite should partner with a local recycling vendor and report progress quarterly” will.
Third-Party Resources
- WGU Business Ethics Program Info — official course context
- APA 7 Style Guide (Purdue OWL) — for your reference page formatting
Dan Palmer, MBA, is an academic writing consultant who has supported hundreds of WGU MBA and BSSCOM students through capstone deliverables including C717, D472, C207, and C215. Connect on LinkedIn.