The document discusses a case study on naturalism and the ethical issues surrounding a lawsuit against a company called Galvatren. It analyzes factors that contributed to the situation such as a lack of training and reporting processes. Finally, it proposes a resolution with phases to address concerns, implement new policies, and prevent future issues through training and an open door policy.
2. A one sentence summary of Naturalism
• Naturalism pertaining to this case.
• Values and morals change as society changes.
• Values and morals as opinion and changing as society changes.
• Naturalism which bases truth on “…limited objective reality…”
(Hasapopoulos, 2012, Philosophy 101, slide 7)
3. What Ethical Issues are in this case?
What ethical issues are in this case?
• How to avoid being sued.
• Retaliation does not promote a healthy work environment.
• How to save the reputation of the company.
4. Describe the ethical situation.
Describe the ethical situation:
The ethical dilemma is that the board would like to avoid the law suit
and not have their reputation harmed.
What distinguishes it as an ethical issue vs. a business issue?
The issue is of business rather than ethics. The motivation is about
business.
The business needs to get a handle on these issues and minimize the
chance of a repeat in the future.
5. Factor 1
What factors
• Disconnection
presented in the
case inform this
situation?
Factor 4 Factor 2
• Pending lawsuit • Lack of process
for reporting
mis-conduct
Factor 3
• Lack of training
• Lack of
implementation
6. Area 1
• Calling attention to
peoples actions and
What factors from not their motives.
outside the material
in the case might
.
inform this
situation?
Area 2
Area 4 • Holding a meeting
with Harry and
Mike.
Area 3
• Holding a meeting
or hearing the story
of Greg and Terry.
7. Proposed Resolution
Agenda or Summary Layout
Identify key areas of concern
Identify key areas of concerns:
Why are employees not following the procedures?
Phase 1 Why are the employees not reporting mis-conduct?
How can the board become engaged.
1. Reorganize the responsibilities of the board and their roles.
Phase 2 2. Generate avenues for the board to gain knowledge in the organization.
3. Reinvent the ethics office.
4. Create a code of ethics for Galvatren in line with the mission and vision.
Phase 3 Initiate a survey to better understand the needs of employees.
Implement training and revise policy:
1. Open door policy.
Phase 4 2. 24 hour hotline.
3. Revise the ban on retaliation.
4. Hire an Ombudsman.
8. Stengths of the Resolution
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9. Vulnerabilities inherent to the Resolution
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Give a one sentence summary of worldview by which the case is being processed. Based on the Naturalism Worldview values and morals will change as society changes.The Naturalism Worldview describes values and morals as opinion and changing as society changes. The values and morals the actions in the case would be measured against are the values and morals as described in the mission and vision of the organization. The worldview is Naturalism which bases truth on “…limited objective reality…” (Hasapopoulos, 2012, Philosophy 101, slide 7).
The only ethical issue the Board of Directors is concerned with is how to avoid being sued for wrongful termination. There is concern about why employees did not follow the procedures for complying with reporting workplace concerns or problems. As a Naturalist, the ethical concerns are transactional and do not involve right and wrong. The case presents an assortment of ethical issues: do quantitative expectations result in qualitative problems? Does demoting and transfering those that have the courage to point out wrongful acts create a healthy work environment? Does leadership view the idea that "the means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek" as an accurate statement that leads to a healthy business? Why was training regarding the open-door and non-retaliation policy brushed aside? The major concern is how to not let the case effect the relationship the organization has with customers, employees and share holders and how to prevent it in the future. The ethics as defined by the organization are different than a Theists ethics. “…Many ethical systems are naturalist in that they seek to derive their authority from some fact of human nature…” (http://www.ehow.com/info_7757452_naturalistic-ethics.html). Human nature is what it is and the organization has to protect its reputation and have employees follow protocol put in place for good business.
I am not sure the Board sees this an ethical issue. What do you two think? I thought it seemed very transactional and like a business issue and wouldn't that be how a Naturalism Worldview would react to it?Sheila mentions that Harry is great technically but does not know how to take care of people. I believe she is concerned with how the organization is treating it's employees. She is motivated by the fact that the frequent turnover resulting from misplaces workplace ethics is going, and already has, resulted in bad business. Her motivation may be business but her concern is ethics. This is probably a business issue and not an ethical issue. There are “…giant reputational risks…” (Hasson, 2007, pg. 4) to the business due to the allegations.The organization would like to make sure there is not a repeat of this in the future.The organization needs to get a handle on these kinds of problems.
There are many points made that indicate the Board was not intune with the employees in the company. The COO was not present for two of the main meetings. The final resolution was to have a Board Retreat to deal with the lack of compliane to the procedures. No real attention was paid to the fact that employees did not feel comfortable brining concerns to management and there was no other procedure in place. No one really cared about the issue of fraud but if we are answering with a Naturalism Worldview we wouldn't even bring that up, right?Sheila's mention that Harry does not take care of people, the lack of training on the new policies regarding the open-door policy and non-retailiation, demoting and transferingpersonel that are honest, keeping the old business philosophy in the human resources department.The fact that there is a lawsuit informs the organization that potential channels or systems at work were not functioning effectively.The fact that the board meets 6 weeks after the fact and meets at a resort shows disconnection with the employees and the organizational culture.Chip agreed to not hire an ombudsman. He also agreed to allow Dale to push off employee training of the open door policy.Mike’s attorney did not deny that Mikes performance had slide. Therefore, the organization will file a response to the lawsuit and deny the charges of wrongful termination.Harry did not report what he heard to the ethics committee. He did not follow organizational protocol.
One of our books, I believe Just Business, mentioned the idea of not minding people's motives but rather their actions. While the board's and Chip's motives may be the reputation of the business the area they are going focus on is business ethics.A conversation with Mike and a conversation with Harry to gather facts would add additional information to the situation. Right now the board does not have input from either Mike or Harry. Both of these individuals played a large role in what lead up to the lawsuit.A conversation with Terry and Greg would help shed some additional light as well. Terry only sent a note and there was no response at all from Greg.