Week 3 - Ethics

Question 1

What are ethics and ethical theory?

Answer 1

Ethics - both moral beliefs and ethical theory.

Ethical theory justifications of right actions
using clear, substantial and precise arguments.

Question 2

Why are ethics in business important?

Answer 2

• Changing moral role of business in society.
• Shifts in the organisation of work globally, nationally & across organisations
• HRM strategic role influences organisations and people.

Question 3

Factors impacting on the debate in HRM ethics:

Answer 3

Internationalisation of economies - econ rationalism, globalisation,

Changing employment relations- dereg, legislation

Rise of HRM in the strategic process - the dual nature, for the e’ee vs e’er

Becoming the ethical center of the organisation - away from gov’s & unions

Question 4

List the basic ethical theories

Answer 4

Deontological theory - actions inherently right or wrong based on duty

Consequential / Teleological theory - right or wrong determined by Eg utilitarianism.

Virtue ethics - concerned with the character or character traits of the actor

Justice ethics - distribute risks and benefits equitably.

Ethical relativism - ethics are contingency based

Ethical pluralism - moral reasoning based on a pluralistic approach.

Question 5

Rights and duties of employees

Answer 5

employees rights and duties
encompass basic human rights
also the particular demands of the work setting.

Question 6

Organisational justice reflects individual or group perceptions of fairness within an organisation.

In industrialised countries many issues of justice tend to be set out in legislation.

List some frameworks to promote justice

Answer 6

• Distributive justic - rewards are distributed in relation to contribution.
• Procedural justice focuses on the methods used to determine the outcomes received.
• Interactional justice focuses on the quality of interpersonal treatment in processes.

Question 7

List limitations on the ethics of HRM at the HR manager / HR function level.

Answer 7

Personal factors:
• Cognitive moral development
• Personality variables (for example, locus of control, self-monitoring and ego strength)
• Situational influences (for example, reward systems) must be considered.

Duality of role - tension between authoring the org’s goals and fairly and effectively utilising people.

Question 8

List limitations on the ethics of HRM at the level of the enterprise.

Answer 8

Ethical leadership culture:
Strategic goals compromise
Presence of high commitment HRM practices - engagement & commitment

Question 9

List limitations on the ethics of HRM at the level of the societal level.

Answer 9

The commodification of labour - e’ees reduced to human capital
The suppression of pluralism and collectivism - unitarist / managerialist, collectivist view.

Question 10

List the specific challenges of HRM ethics vs ethics theory.

DME

Answer 10

Specific challenges of HRM.

• Double agency
• Monitoring & compliance v ethics
• Ethical responsibility

Question 11

Recommend measures to address ethical issues in HRM

Answer 11

Develop:
Standards
Code of conduct
Training (to operationalise ethics)
Reinforce through culture

Question 12

discuss ethical conduct and legal compliance within a diverse workforce.

Answer 12

Laws:
reflect social norms, 
subject to jurisdiction, 
specifies the ethical minimum
easier to rely on than debate each issue

2 systems of right and wrong:
• Relativists – ethics is relative to the individual or group it applies to
• Utilitarianism – the greatest good for the greatest number.