BUSI 301 Week 2 Discussion Board Forum 1 Replies Example

Reviewed by Thomas Kerrigan, MBA, CPA · Liberty University · Updated

This BUSI 301 Week 2 sample contains the two replies that complete the first forum on law and business ethics. Tyler, a composite classmate, trusted a written ethics code to keep a firm both lawful and decent; the reply brings in a review showing codes matter only when leaders live and enforce them. The second answers a classmate who trusted employees to report wrongdoing, adding a meta-analysis on what predicts whistleblowing and the retaliation that often follows. Liberty University BUSI 301 gives these BS in Business Administration replies 50 points in Module/Week 2, when Quiz 1 and Melvin's chapters 4 to 6 are also due.

CourseBUSI 301 Legal and Ethical Concepts for Decision Makers (BUSI301)
Module/Week2
AssignmentDiscussion Board Forum 1 Replies
Paper typeTwo discussion replies
Lengthabout 223 words (thread and replies). Course guide: replies to 2 classmates' Forum 1 threads, each at least 100 words and incorporating at least 1 source in current APA format
FormatAPA 7 citations and reference list
Points50
SchoolLiberty University Online
ProgramBS in Business Administration
Where it sitsModule/Week 2 in Liberty's published BUSI 301 course guide; current sections can differ
UpdatedOctober 2026

Free sample paper for BUSI 301 Week 2

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Discussion Board Forum 1 Replies: Responding to Classmates on Compliance and Ethics

BUSI 301 Legal and Ethical Concepts for Decision Makers, Discussion Board Forum 1 Replies

Thread by [Student Name]

The classmates and their threads are composites; the textbook and research cited are real.

Reply to Tyler

Why this part earns its pointsThe first reply qualifies the classmate's confidence in codes with a review of the evidence.
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Tyler, you argued that a written code of ethics is the best way to keep a company both legal and ethical. Codes matter, but the evidence suggests they are not enough by themselves. Kaptein and Schwartz (2008) reviewed studies of business codes and found the results mixed: some studies showed codes reduced misconduct, while others found no effect. The difference seemed to depend on how the code was embedded, whether leaders followed it, whether employees were trained on it and whether violations were enforced. Wells Fargo had a code of ethics, after all. A code on the wall changes little if the bonus plan says something different. What would you add to a code to make sure it shapes behavior?

Reply to Alyssa

Why this part earns its pointsThe second reply adds evidence on whistleblowing and its risks to the classmate's argument.
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Alyssa, your thread said companies can rely on employees to report wrongdoing. Many do report, but research shows how hard it can be. Mesmer-Magnus and Viswesvaran (2005) combined studies of whistleblowing and found that reporting was more likely when the wrongdoing was serious and when employees felt supported by supervisors, and that whistleblowers frequently experienced retaliation. That helps explain why laws such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act protect employees who report fraud, a topic Melvin covers in the employment chapters. Protection on paper still does not remove the fear. How could a company make reporting feel safe enough that employees actually use the hotline?

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References

Kaptein, M., & Schwartz, M. S. (2008). The effectiveness of business codes: A critical examination of existing studies and the development of an integrated research model. Journal of Business Ethics, 77(2), 111-127. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9305-0

Mesmer-Magnus, J. R., & Viswesvaran, C. (2005). Whistleblowing in organizations: An examination of correlates of whistleblowing intentions, actions, and retaliation. Journal of Business Ethics, 62(3), 277-297. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-005-0849-1

What the BUSI 301 Week 2 instructions ask

In Module/Week 2, BUSI 301 continues with Melvin's chapters 4 to 6, a presentation and a website, Connect Homework 2 and Quiz 1, while students keep reading Grudem. Forum 1 closes with replies to two classmates' threads. A cited source and a floor of 100 words apply to each of the two responses, and the pair is worth the same 50 points as the thread. The replies are short enough that each one should make a single point well, supported by its source, rather than trying to respond to everything in the classmate's thread. Replies also give students a chance to test their own Forum 1 position against a classmate's.

How this BUSI 301 Week 2 example is built

Each reply opens by naming the classmate's claim, then adds one research finding that refines it and closes with a question. The first reply qualifies confidence in ethics codes with a review of studies on their effectiveness, explaining that codes help when leaders model them and enforce them. The second qualifies confidence in employees speaking up, reporting what predicts whistleblowing and noting that retaliation is a real risk, which links back to the legal protections in the course. Each reply runs about 140 words, comfortably above the minimum, and each cites one source in APA style. Neither reply argues that the classmate is wrong; each shows where the classmate's point needs a condition attached.

BUSI 301 Week 2 grading rubric: where the points go

Graders of these law-and-ethics replies look for a direct answer to Tyler's or Alyssa's claim, a source, at least 100 words and correct legal vocabulary. Instructors give more credit to replies that add evidence or a legal point than to replies that agree. A reply without its required source loses points even if it is otherwise strong. Respectful tone and clear writing matter. Because the replies count for 50 points, the same as the thread, instructors expect them to show real thought rather than a quick acknowledgment. Graders notice when a reply's source genuinely changes the classmate's argument rather than decorating it. Tone counts too, since a reply that lectures a classmate tends to end the conversation.

BUSI 301 Week 2 help: mistakes that cost points

Choose two threads where you can add a specific fact or study. Open with the claim you are answering, bring in the study, and say plainly how it changes that claim. Connect the point to the course where you can, for example to whistleblower protections or corporate compliance programs in Melvin. End with a question. Keep each reply focused, aiming for 120 to 160 words, and cite the source in the text and in a reference entry in APA format. Post both before Quiz 1 so the deadline does not slip. Avoid repeating the classmate's sources; find a new one.

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BUSI 301 Week 2 questions, answered

What are the BUSI 301 Forum 1 Replies?

BUSI 301 pairs the law-and-ethics thread with two short answers to classmates; each needs 100 words and a cited source, and the pair is graded out of 50.

Where can I find a free BUSI 301 Week 2 sample paper?

The BUSI 301 Week 2 sample here gives two full replies on whether ethics codes work and whether employees report wrongdoing. Both cite peer-reviewed studies.

Do corporate codes of ethics work?

Reviews of the research find mixed results: codes seem effective mainly when leaders support them, employees are trained on them and violations are actually enforced.

What predicts whether an employee blows the whistle?

A meta-analysis found that the seriousness of the wrongdoing, support from supervisors and the employee's role influenced reporting, and that retaliation was a common consequence.

What else is due in BUSI 301 Module/Week 2?

Quiz 1 arrives now, along with the second Connect set, Melvin's chapters 4 through 6 and more of Grudem. Both replies come due on the same day.

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