Mark and Joe are planning a large social event for their immediate family and friends. They need to rent a venue that will safely hold a lot of people, and provide food and beverages, including alcohol. Mark has found an affordable place, but there is a fire safety capacity limit of 50 people for this venue. However, the more people who attend, the bigger the discount (kickback) on the rental price of the venue for Mark. Joe does not know about these safety and financial details.
Mark: “If we each invite 15 of our friends, and each of them invites a date to attend with them, how many would be attending?”
Joe: “A lot! And I am Mr. Party! Got to keep up my reputation!”
Mark: “No. I mean, exactly how many would attend?”
Joe: (multiplying in his head and counting on his fingers) “That would be 60… plus you and me and our
dates… that would be 64.”
Mark: “Okay. Do you think we can limit ourselves to 64? We’ve got a lot of friends and if we don’t invite
everyone, some of our friends may be upset.”
Joe: “Why limit the number? Mr. Party is here, and we’re serving cold beer!”
Mark: “Well, the place may not be big enough to hold all our friends, so we need to keep a lid on it.”
Joe: “Let’s squeeze as many in as we can. When I throw a party, it needs to rock!”
Mark: “OK. Let’s do this thing!” (They high-five.)
Choose a case study
Case Study 1 – Mark and Joe: Party Planning
Choose a theory
Self-Serving Bias: The self-serving bias leads people to claim credit for success but deny blame for failure.
You can find more information on this theory in your text in Chapter 3, page 95.
Choose a concept
Incrementalism: Incrementalism is the slippery slope that often causes people to slide unintentionally into
unethical behavior. It can happen when people cut small corners that become bigger over time. For more
information about this concept, review the What You Need to Know activity in Unit 3.
Choose a concept
Egocentric Thinking: Pursuing selfish interests at the expense of the rights, needs, and desires of others is
called egocentric thinking. For more information about this concept, review the What You Need to Know
activity in Unit 3.