Addressing an Ethical Issue
For this final part of the project, imagine that the CEO has asked HR to review the company’s policies.
You have been personally asked to identify an issue you feel needs addressing, to evaluate different
parameters for ethically deciding on how to address the issue, and then to evaluate various polices in
order to propose a policy that the company can implement to addresses the issue you have chosen.
In completing this assignment:
� Describe an ethical dilemma and its importance and relevance.
� Identify the various stakeholders and their positions.
� Evaluate an ethical decision-making model, apply it to the chosen issue, and analyze options for
resolving this ethical dilemma.
� Recommend a corporate policy for resolving the issue and support the recommendation with well-
reasoned analyses and specific examples, including the impact on the various stakeholders.
� Recommend a policy that resolves the ethical dilemma and support the recommendation with well-
reasoned analyses and specific examples.
� Analyze and recommend a strategy for communicating the policy to the organization in a manner that
meets the needs of the audience.
� Specify potential limitations of the policy and strategies for monitoring and compliance.
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An Example of an Ethical Dilemma and its Importance and Relevance
Within the business or organizational context, ethics involves making decisions, which
align with the sense of wrong and right alongside various policies. Effective handling of ethical
dilemmas in organizations is significant in ensuring that businesses meet their objectives (Vieito,
2012). One of the ethical issues that should be addressed in the company is discrimination. Since
the organization is dominated by male employees, female employees experience problems such
as inappropriate remarks from their male colleagues. Addressing this aspect is significant in
ensuring that the organization achieves a coherent task force, which is vital in driving the
company towards its success.
Identification of Various Stakeholders and their Positions
Stakeholders who are linked to this ethical dilemma are management, directors,
employees and HR. The management is in charge of ensuring that all employees work towards
the realization of an environment, which is free from discrimination. This goal can be
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accomplished by appointing supervisors to monitor the behavior of workers in relation to the
aspect of gender discrimination. Moreover, the management’s position in relation to this issue is
to implement a policy, which is aimed at get rid of the issue of gender discrimination witnessed
in the firm (Dalton et al, 2014). Employees’ position is to ensure that they act in line with the
organization’s policy on gender discrimination. Director’s role will involve conducting reviews
the policies such as the gender discrimination policy, which have been proposed by the
management, and making necessary adjustments to such policies. The HR’s role will be to offer
adequate training to employees in relation to the issue of gender discrimination in workplace and
its negative effects.
An Ethical Decision-Making Model, its Application to Gender Discrimination and Options
for Resolving this Dilemma
Ethical decision-making takes into consideration the making of choices based on what is
appropriate/good for all individuals. One of the frameworks that can be employed in handling the
gender discrimination problem in the firm is the golden rule. Golden rule is based on the precept
that an individual should treat other people in relation to how he or she would want to be treated
(Vieito, 2012). As such, the application of this approach in addressing the aspect of gender
discrimination in the company will be successful as all employees, management and stakeholders
will treat each other with equality regardless of their genders. Implementation of this model in
decision making will involve the formulation of decisions that takes into consideration the
interests of all genders in the company.
The aspect of gender discrimination can also be solved by placing members of different
genders in separate departments or workstations. However, this approach is ineffective as it does
not take into consideration the various skills that are possessed by workers. For instance two
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individuals of different genders may possess skills in handling a similar task. As such, separating
them might result into an employee being assigned a duty in an area in which he or she is not
skilled (Dalton, et al, 2014). Moreover, this approach can lead to the intensification of gender
discrimination in the firm due to rivalry between genders.
A Corporate Policy for Resolving the Issue
One of the most appropriate corporate laws that can be employed in resolving
discrimination in the company is the policy, which advocates for the treatment of all employees
with equality regardless of the gender to which they belong (Dalton et al, 2014). Implementation
of this policy in the firm will help in ensuring that employees do not engage in issues of gender
discrimination due to the fear of legal consequences associated with such actions. As such, the
company’s management will manage to get rid of this problem.
Policy that Resolves the Ethical Dilemma
As one of the ethical issues affecting the company’s progress, discrimination can be
avoided by implementing a policy, which requires all employees to undergo a reward-based
sensitivity training on ethical issues such as discrimination, and those employees who
demonstrate a high sense of concern for gender equality to be rewarded (Vieito, 2012). This
policy will ensure that employees are made aware of the negative effects of discrimination on
employees and company’s productivity. Moreover, the incorporation of the aspect of reward in
this policy will ensure that workers are motivated to fight gender discrimination in the
organization.
Strategy for Communicating the Policy to the Organization
Communication of this policy will take into consideration all stakeholders and
management. The first process of communicating the policy will involve a consultation with the
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company’s management for necessary adjustments. The policy will then be taken to the firm’s
board of directors for review. The management will then inform employees about this policy and
its significance to the organization and workers via a meeting and notices. The last process will
involve the implementation of the policy. Prior to the implementation of this policy, the
company’s management will have to seek the views of employees on this regulation with the aim
of identifying areas that need adjustments (Vieito, 2012). In this manner, all stakeholders and
employees will feel as part of the process of implementing the policy.
Specific Potential Limitations of the Policy and Strategy for Monitoring and Compliance
One of the limitations of this policy is that it does not take into consideration the aspect
of punishment, which is significant in discouraging ill acts such as gender discrimination. As
such, employees may be tempted to involve in such actions as there are no punishments
associated with them. The effectiveness of this policy will be determined by conducting internal
surveys on the firm’s employees. These surveys will be done after every three months, and they
will focus on issues concerning gender discrimination in the work place (Vieito, 2012). In
relation to this, the policy will be considered effective when cases of gender discrimination
register a declining trend. On the other hand, when the organization seems to continue witnessing
cases of gender discrimination, the policy will have to be reviewed.
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References
Dalton et al. (2014). Antecedent and Consequences of Perceived Gender Discrimination in the
Audit Profession. A Journal of Practice & Theory, 33(3), 1-32.
Vieito, T. (2012). Gender, Top Management Compensation Gap and Company Performance
versus Behavioral Theory. An International Review, 20(1), 46-63.
