chapter 12: ethics Flashcards
Ethics
the systematic thinking about the moral consequences of decisions
Moral consequences
the potential for harm to any stakeholders in the decision
Stakeholders
people inside or outside of an organization who have the potential to be affected by organizational decisions
who tends to see the organization for who they work for as being more ethical, top managers, or those below?
the top managers
who is more ethical
undergraduate students or MBA students
undergraduate students
what are the common themes of ethical issues facing managers?
Honest communication
Fair treatment
Special consideration
Fair competition
Responsibility to organization
Corporate social responsibility
Respect for law
what are the causes of unethical behavior in organizations?
gain
role conflict
Strong organizational identification
competition
personality
Organizational and industry culture
Whistle-blowing
how can gain lead to unethical behavior?
The role of temptation
The anticipation of sound reinforcement for following an unethical action, especially if no
punishment is expected
Compensation systems designed around very high bonuses
how can role conflict lead to unethical behavior?
the fact that some role conflicts that get resolved in an unethical way (very common ethical dilemma)
what is a common form of role conflict regarding our “bureaucratic” role as an organizational employee
when our “bureaucratic” role as an organizational employee is
at odds with one’s role as the member of a profession
how can strong organizational identification lead to unethical behavior?
it can lead employees to engage in unethical activities to “help” the organization
how can competition lead to unethical behavior?
Rigid competition for scarce resources can stimulate unethical behaviour
how can organizational and industry culture lead to unethical behavior?
The conduct of peers and superiors can strongly influence ethical behaviour
Corporate cultures can sometimes reward unethical behaviour
Rewarding unethical behaviour can result in the development of an unethical culture
Upper-level managers tend to be naïve about the extent of ethical lapses in those below them
true or false
Corporate codes of conduct can have an impact on ethical decision making
true bruv
how can whistle-blowing to unethical behavior?
occurs when a current/former organizational member discloses illegitimate practices to some person or organization that may be able to take action to correct these practices
does whistle blowing happen inside, outside, or both inside and outside an organization?
can be both
who tends to be whistle blowers
people with or without power?
people without power
Sexual harassment
form of unethical behaviour
comes from abuse of power & the perpetuation of a gender power imbalance
who commits the most severe form of sexual harassment
committed by supervisors
who are the most frequent perpetrators of sexual harassment?
most frequent perpetrators are co-workers
where is sexual harassment most prevalent
in hostile work environments
it is most likely in male-dominated industries & organizations in which men attempt to maintain their dominance
true or false
can clients and customers can also engage in harassment
yeee boooy
what are the most prevalent masculine personality traits that lead to sexual harassment?
independence
assertiveness
dominance
what do most organizations do about sexual harassment?
slow to react to complaints of sexual harassment
many do nothing about it until the complainant has reported it
deaf ear syndrome
deaf ear syndrome
the inaction or complacency of organizations in the face of charges of sexual harassment
why do organizations fail to respond to sexual harassment claims?
Inadequate organizational policies and procedures for managing harassment complaints
Defensive managerial reactions
how to reduce risk of sexual harassment?
Examine the characteristics of deaf ear organizations.
Encourage management support and education
Stay vigilant
Take immediate action
Create a state-of-the-art policy
Establish clear reporting procedures
what are the characteristics oh organizations that are responsive to complaints of sexual harassment?
Top management commitment
Provide comprehensive education programs
Continuously monitor the work environment
Respond to complaints in a thorough and timely manner
Have clear policies and reporting procedures.
