Bobbie Jones worked as a manager for Jones Excavating Company where he had a tense relationship with his father, Michael Jones, who was also the company’s president. After more than ten years, Bobbie left Jones Excavating, and took 15,000 pages of the company’s documents – including trade secrets – on CD’s and DVD’s. Bobbie did not have permission to take this material when he left Jones Excavating. Bobbie soon took a job with Big Dig, Inc. (Jones Excavating’s competitor). Big Dig then developed and marketed excavating equipment that incorporated elements of some of the machinery that had been originally developed by Jones Excavating. Did Bobbie Jones violate any business ethics? If so, which and how? Did Big Dig violate any business ethics? If so, which and how? Does Jones Excavating have a claim against either Bobbie or Big Dig? Why or why not? What would be the appropriate remedy or remedies in this case, and why? Decide this case, and explain your answer in depth. Solution Bobbie Jones violated a business ethic rule as he was not authorized to take the information from Jones Excavating Company; he also had an unfair behavior to his father. He could be accused of stealing confidential information from the company. Bid Dig violated an ethic rule by incorporating elements of some of their machinery that had been originally developed by Jones Excavating; the effort was made by someone else and not by the company. The appropriate solution is to advice from a lawyer in order to makes Bobbie Jones pay for his actions as he is the responsible of the situation. The lawyer could also advice if a legal action could be taken against Big Dig..

1. Bobbie Jones worked as a manager for Jones Excavating Company where he had a tense
relationship with his father, Michael Jones, who was also the company’s president. After more
than ten years, Bobbie left Jones Excavating, and took 15,000 pages of the company’s
documents – including trade secrets – on CD’s and DVD’s. Bobbie did not have permission to
take this material when he left Jones Excavating. Bobbie soon took a job with Big Dig, Inc.
(Jones Excavating’s competitor). Big Dig then developed and marketed excavating equipment
that incorporated elements of some of the machinery that had been originally developed by Jones
Excavating. Did Bobbie Jones violate any business ethics? If so, which and how? Did Big Dig
violate any business ethics? If so, which and how? Does Jones Excavating have a claim against
either Bobbie or Big Dig? Why or why not? What would be the appropriate remedy or remedies
in this case, and why? Decide this case, and explain your answer in depth.
Solution
Bobbie Jones violated a business ethic rule as he was not authorized to take the information from
Jones Excavating Company; he also had an unfair behavior to his father. He could be accused of
stealing confidential information from the company.
Bid Dig violated an ethic rule by incorporating elements of some of their machinery that had
been originally developed by Jones Excavating; the effort was made by someone else and not by
the company.
The appropriate solution is to advice from a lawyer in order to makes Bobbie Jones pay for his
actions as he is the responsible of the situation. The lawyer could also advice if a legal action
could be taken against Big Dig.