The Surest Sign …

That Intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is..

That it has never tried to contact us! (Cartoonist Bill Watterson – “Calvin & Hobbes”)

What is / are: Management Ethics Critical Thinking (Decision-Making)

Is there such a thing as the “right” view?

YOU’RE BETTER OUGH

A ploughman with a face like dough and hands rough as

sandpaper, thoughtfully listened to the song "Scarborough Fair."

Soon, though, he slipped into a slough of reverie, in which he

coughed, hiccoughed, and then fell gently asleep.

Susan Atkins worked on the assembly line at an automotive parts factory. Although she occasionally found the job tedious, she liked it nonetheless, especially the benefits and good wages guaranteed by her union contract. One day her boss of 12 years, Anthony Trotto, called her in and said he was planning to reclassify her job to one that was not covered by the contract. In the next few weeks, Susan met several times with Mr. Trotto and each time asked about job security. She was repeatedly assured that her job was secure and as long as she continued to work well, she wouldn't have a problem. Unfortunately, Susan's performance evaluations began moving toward the 'unacceptable" range and she was ultimately fired.

If you had been Susan, would you have sued? If so, on what grounds?

If you were the automotive company, what would your defense have been? Can an oral assurance be considered

a contract? If so, what assurances have you

made lately? How would they hold up in court?

How do you think the court would rule in such cases?

Actual Judgement in Similar Situation

Mullins v. Pfizer Inc. Supreme Court held for the plaintiff

(employee) Having announced an early retirement

package, and denying the benefits to retiring employees, the company treated employees unfairly.

The company was found to have misrepresented its intentions

The Surest Signa Of My Ethical Leadership

The surest signs of that my own leadership is ethical include:1. __________________________

and2. __________________________

and3. __________________________

Demonstrating Ethical Leadership

Make no advance announcements. Wait until your policy has been clearly defined.

If possible, have an attorney review the policy to ensure there is no ethical or legal breach.

Avoid using phrases such as 'seriously considering' that may hold false promise for employees.

Meet face-to-face with employees to lay out the final policy and to answer questions they have.

Form a rumor-quashing committee to dispel possible misunderstandings.

Issue policy reminders and policy restatements several different times in several different ways.

If your organization does not have specific policies in effect for various HR issues, assume a leadership position and begin to codify the consequences of changes so that fair and ethical treatment will ensue.

Cell X

Cell 1

Cell2Cell 3

Awareness

Analysis

Evaluation

Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking Awareness (Discernment)

Information Gathering Using all senses

Verbal and written reflection, observation, experience and Reasoning

Critical Thinking Evaluation

intellectual criteria (beyond subject-matter divisions)

clarity, credibility, accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, logic, Significance, and fairness.

Critical Thinking Based on skepticism

Seeks justification While based on intellectual

processes, goes beyond informal logic and includes the assessment (likelihood of);

maintained beliefs prejudice, bias, propaganda, self-deception, distortion, misinformation, etc.

Critical Thinking Evaluation (judgement)

Systematic Determination

Significance Merit Value Worth

Goal is to provide feedback (guidance)

What do we expect of: Leaders (Management) Subordinates Colleagues Acquaintances Friends

Close friends Very close friends

Business persons Customers Suppliers

What does it mean? In what context? Why it is so important?

Standards of Conduct DoD’s Standards of Conduct

http://www.dod.mil/dodgc/defense_ethics/ AITP’s Standards of Conduct

http://www.aitp.org/organization/about/conduct/conduct.jsp

ASCE’s Standards of Conduct https://www.asce.org/pdf/ethics_manual.pdf

Engineers Ireland http://www.iei.ie/ethics/conduct.pasp

Engineers teaching ethics (interesting article)

http://www.onlineethics.org/CMS/edu/instructessays/davis.aspx

Washington’s code of civility http://www.foundationsmag.com/civility.html

Social Responsibility Maintains that businesses should not

function amorally, but should contribute to the welfare of their communities.

Recognizes multiple objectives: economic, social, and environmental

dimensions from each and all activities Related to:

sustainability, Citizenship

If not “amoral,” then has ethical dimensions