In this assignment, you are being asked to reflect on the issue of ethics and ethical behavior. Referring to the Ted Brown case study (below), develop your thoughts by considering the following issues:
· As a manager, when you observed Ted’s interaction with your administrative assistant, what ethical concerns did you have?
· How should you balance these concerns with the needs of the business?
· How might the external environment affect your organization’s overall ethical perspective? What are some factors that could influence your personal ethical perspective?
· How might your decision about Ted (to hire or not) impact your internal environment (i.e., organizational culture)?
· If Ted’s behavior is accepted in your organization, what does that say about your organizational culture (either positively or negatively)?
Note: The above questions are only to guide your thoughts. You do not have to answer them one by one or in any kind of sequence. You can be creative in expressing your thoughts about the ethical questions that you feel this case study raises.
The Case of Ted Brown: To Hire or Not to Hire
You are a senior manager in your organization, and for the past month you have been interviewing candidates for the position of director of a new section of your operation. Your staff has narrowed down the list of candidates to three, and of those three, you re most impressed with Ted Brown. Ted is 36 years old with and MBA from the prestigious Horton School of Business. He has worked in various parts of your industry for the past eight years, he is very personable with a quick mind and a good sense of humor. Aside from all of that, he has excellent business contacts and should be able to bring a substantial amount of that business to your company at a time when a real strategic focus of your company has been account expansion. Ted is the last candidate tat you will interview for this position and although all of the three finalists were good, you believe that Ted is clearly the best and is definitely the person for the job.
The interview with Ted went longer than scheduled so Ted has to hurry to catch his plane back to New York. Before he leaves your office, he turns to you and says, “I’d better ask your girl to call a car for me or I’ll miss my plane.”
After you walk Ted out of your office, he stops by your administrative assistant’s desk and you overhear him say, ” Honey, be a good girl and call me a car-and move it or I’ll be late.” Your administrative assistant turns beet red but says nothing and dials the number.
You walk back in your office and think about the scene you just witnessed. You just spent two hours with someone that seemed like a nice guy and a really good fit for your organization, but in the past two minutes, you now have your doubts.
Re: Ciulla, J.B. (2003). The Ethics of Leadership. Belmont, Ca:
Wadsworth/Thompson Learning
