A634.9.5.RB - Shuck, Allison

A Reflection

Three new facts that I learned throughout this course!   
1.      Affirmative Action

“Affirmative Action is the practice of giving special consideration to minorities and women in hiring and school placement” (LaFollette, 2010, Pg. 87). Before taking this class, I was not fully aware of this concept; I only had a very vague view of what affirmative action was.  It wasn’t until after learning the concept and witnessing a case in which someone was a victim of discrimination, that I fully understood the realities of affirmative action. By learning and understand concepts such as this, I can gain a better understanding of ethics and the many ethical dilemmas that take place in the world around me.  

2.      Consequentialism & Deontology

I found both the theory of consequentialism and deontology to be very interesting. Before taking this class, I never really rationalize the theory behind why we do the things we do. The theory of consequentialism claims that we are morally obligated to act in ways the produce the best consequence” (LaFollette, 2010, Pg. 23). And, the theory of Deontology claims that one must act in ways that circumscribe to moral rules and rights. Meaning that we should not base our decisions on what consequence is best; we should base our decisions on what is morally right. Of the two theories, the theory of consequentialism is more relative to how I analyze my thoughts; however, the theory of deontology provides a different view of how I can frame my actions in the future.  

3.      Slippery Slope Arguments

Of all the different concepts I learned throughout this course, I really liked learning about slippery slope arguments. Why, because it was interesting to learn how we frame our arguments; and, how plausible and implausible they might be. Slippery Slope Arguments claim that, if A then B, if B then C, if C then D, not-D; therefore, not-A. For example, my plausible slippery slope argument that I used in discussion 5.2 stated that “I am an enabler because I constantly give my sister money, even when she neglects her responsibilities. For example, my sister will ask me if she can mow the lawn for $20. And, because I am a nice person, I say yes, but when it actually comes time to mow the lawn, she is nowhere to be found. As a result of my sister’s actions, I have been diligently trying to refrain from giving her money. Therefore, it can be concluded that if I continue to give her money, she will continue to abuse me and think that she does not have to get a real job”. 

Personal Perspective and Ways to Improve

One way in which I can improve my learning experience is to fully commit to the course. I often find myself distracted, like I would rather be doing anything else in the world, which is not helping me what so ever. I guess my distraction is in part due to my struggle with online classes. I find it really hard to discipline myself and my time. In addition, I also find it is hard to collect my thoughts; and, having multiple writing assignments about the same thing each week is also a deterrent. Thus, I end up turning some if not all of my assignments in late.

That being said, my goals are: 

·         To better manage my time

·         Participate fully

·         Do the research and gather my thoughts

·         Stop procrastinating

Additional Support

One way in which an online instructor could provide additional support would be through the use video. For example, if everyone in the class is having trouble with an assignment, the instructor could make a short video explaining how the assignment is to be conducted and post it to announcements. Some people including myself are visual learners; thus, it can be difficult for us to grasp an idea fully without first visualizing it.

Relevant and Irrelevant Topics

I felt that all of the topics discussed within the class were relevant; however, I felt that some of them were repetitive. It is very difficult to write about ethics in society, in organizations and in law when they are all relatively similar topics. 

A634.8.3.RB - Shuck, Allison

Gun Control: What is the Answer?

Many people claim that the best way to preserve peace is to prepare for war, and I think they are right. Without the right to bear arms, the United States would become defenseless much like Great Britain and its surrounding countries. Despite its efforts, Great Britain is often fanatically attacked because of its law which prevents its people from acquiring and/or using guns.

Statistics show that the “countries with the most guns don’t necessarily have the most gun-related homicides (Khazan, 2012). The United States currently has the highest gun ownership rate in the world, averaging 9 out of 10 guns per person (Rogers, 2012); And, despite that fact, gun crime within the US has dropped 39 percent over the course of 18 years, from 18,253 during 1993, to 11,101 in 2011 (Planty & Truman, 2013).

Unlike the United States, gun crime in Great Britain has increased significantly over the years. “The latest Government figures show that the total number of firearm offences in England and Wales has increased from 5,209 in 1998/99 to 9,865 last year (2011) -  a rise of 89 per cent” (Pavlich, 2012). I guess this just goes to show that humans are more inclined to do the opposite of what they are told.

Personally, I think that the less protection you have the more likely you are to be attacked. Speaking from a women’s perspective, without the right to bear arms, I am defenseless against the world. Why, because I am small and weak, which in turn makes me vulnerable and helpless. I am sure that many women, if asked, would feel the same way. Take the recent nanny cam incident where a brute man beat up a helpless New Jersey mother in front of her 3-year-old-daughter.  If only that women had a gun for protection. Luckily the whole incident was caught on tape; otherwise, the man would still be wondering the streets potentially assaulting /attacking other women.

Due to the fact that crime is sometimes unpredictable, I believe that everyone should have the gun for protection, unless he/she has prior convictions. 

References

Badia, E. & Siemaszko, C. (2013). Suspect arraigned in home invasion, beating of mom caught on nanny cam. Retrieved from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/suspect-arraigned-home-invasion-beating-article-1.1388065#commentpostform

Khazan, O. (2012). Here’s how the U.S. gun violence compares with the rest of the world. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2012/12/14/schoo-shooting-how-do-u-s-gun-homicides-compare-with-the-rest-of-the-world/

Pavlich, K, (2012). Gun crime soars in England where guns are banned. Retrieved from http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2012/12/11/gun-crime-soars-in-england-where-guns-are-banned-n1464528

Planty, M. & Truman, J. (2013). Firearm violence, 1993-2011. U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/press/fv9311pr.cfm

Rogers, S. (2012). Gun homicides and gun ownership listed by country. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/jul/22/gun-homicides-ownership-world-list

A634.7.4.RB - Shuck, Allison

Throughout my career as a Financial Aid Counselor, I have witnessed far too many unethical decisions made by students and/or colleagues. However, the one instance that stands out the most actually happened when I was working for Everest University.

Now it is important to note that Everest University is a for profit university; and as a result of that, there is high completion between the admissions counselors for increased student enrollment. From what I can recall the counselors actually received bonuses for high enrollment numbers. Needless to say, this began to create a problem. Why, because counselors would fight over who took what student and whose student were seen by financial aid.

And on top of that, headquarters began to implement the IGNITE program. The program required the admissions office to run through a serious of steps with the student before transferring him/her to the financial aid office; where financial aid would could continue the IGNITE requirements. Between admissions and financial aid, students would spend roughly an hour, hour and a half going through the IGNITE process. More often than not, students would become overwhelmed / restless and would decide to leave before seeing financial aid.  Well… this became a problem for admissions because the student would not count toward enrollment unless he/she went through the entire IGNITE Process.

Here is where the unethical decisions were made. Many admissions counselors started bribing students into finishing the IGNITE process (seeing financial aid). One counselor even offered to drive a student home, which is against company policy. And, when upper management was informed of this, he looked the other way because he too was counting on the enrollment numbers; if his staff did not get high enrollment numbers, he would look bad. I can even recall a time when an admissions counselor tried to bribe me; he offered to buy me lunch in exchange for squeezing his student in-between appointments. Although I really wanted a free lunch, I reported the incident to my supervisor and told the admissions counselor that I did not have enough time to see his student. As you can see the whole situation was chaotic and as a result of the chaos, I decided to leave Everest to work for Embry Riddle.  

A634.6.3.RB - Shuck, Allison

What are Virtues?

After reading Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues and taking the virtue quiz, I realized that there are a few aspects within my life that need improving. For starters, I need to be more frugal with my time and money. Because I am one of those people who peruses perfect, I constantly find myself wasting time. For example, when writing a paper, such as the one I am writing now, I usually get lost in thought and cannot find my words and before I know it, I am rereading and rewriting my paper over again.  This is a constant battle for me!

In addition to wasting time, I also have a habit of waiting money. For example, each week I go to the grocery store, buy lunch mean and various snacks item and promise myself that I am going to pack my lunch. And although my intentions are good, I usually neglect my plan and find myself driving to Chipotles, Chick Fli A, or Panera Bread.  This is a habit that I really need to break; not only and I wasting money on food I am  not eating, but I am wasting my time and gas driving to the grocery store and then out to lunch.  As Benjamin Franklin puts it, “make no expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e., Waste nothing”.

The second aspect within my life that really needs improving is a combination of two virtues: Silence and Sincerity. I really think these two virtues go hand-in-hand. Why, because one cannot avoid trifling conversation without thinking innocently and justly. Unfortunately, since I grew up I a strong independent household, I grew up thinking it was ok to speak my mind; however, I am finding out that that is not the case; I struggle to stay under the radar. Therefore, I have made it a goal of mine to listen and refrain from participating in the gossip. I guess my real problem is separating church and state. I need to understand that I cannot act the same way at home as I do at work; it is just not acceptable. And, I cannot assume that the people at work are my friends. I am there to do a job, not to make friends. Thus, I refuse to allow myself to be negatively affected by others. 

A634.5.4.RB - Shuck, Allison

Is Marketing Evil?

After reading the article by El Sayed and El Ghazaly (n.d.), discuss your views on the following:

1.      Do you feel ethical guidelines make a different to marketers?

Yes and No, it really depends on the company’s current existence/success within the market. Take Victoria Secret for example, the company is well known and highly successful, many of its customers are currently devoted to its product line. Therefore, implementing new ethical guideline may not impact the company’s promotional techniques and/or profits.

2.      How can companies balance the need to win with being ethical?

To answer this question, one must determine what it ethical/unethical; however, doing so it not easy. Why, because ethics is dependent of culture in which you live. Thus, it can be said that “it's the underlying culture that enables a company to grow, simply because marketing is the glue that sticks the consumer to the company or the product it sells” ( El Sayed and El Ghazaly, n.d.). So, as long as the company focuses on the customer needs and develops an ethical strategy to satisfy those needs, the company will win.

3.      Is it ethical to track your buying habits or web visits to target you for marketing purposes?

Personally, I don’t think it is unethical to do so. I love going to the grocery store and receiving a coupon when I cash out. It is marketing genius! And for the most part, I purchase the same products each week, so receiving a coupon is just an added benefit.

4.      As a leader, how will you manage the ethical aspects of your marketing efforts?

As a photographer, my main goal is to satisfy the customer. I want to make the customer happy regardless of cost. Therefore, I believe in offing professional photography at a relatively inexpensive price. That being said, any marketing promotions I offer must live up to that standard. 

A634.4.4.RB - Shuck, Allison

Is Affirmative Action Ethical

The question has been asked, is affirmative action ethical? The answer to that question, we must define what affirmative action is. Affirmative action is the process of securing racial diversity within educational institutions, organizations and government associations. Affirmative Action was created to help prevent discriminations against minorities, females, and/or persons with disabilities. Many people believe that affirmative action as a good thing, but is it really?

According to Burns & Schapper (2008) Affirmative Action confirms that the racial and gender biases of the past are still present today. However, I feel that the table has turned. What once use to be common is no longer common anymore. Let me explain! In the past, blacks, both males and females as well as, white females did not have very many rights, so by default most privileges were given to white males. However, that is not the case today. If a white male and a black female apply for the same job, both that of which are qualified, the job will most likely be given to the black female. Why you might ask, because black females are the minority.

So my question to you is, is affirmative action morally ethical? In the world today, many people believe that affirmative action really stand for ‘reverse discrimination’. Do you?  I personally think it does. I think that is wrong for any educational institution, organization or government association to discriminated or grant favoritism to one person over another based on his or her race or gender. We all claim to believe in equality and justice for all, but we neglect to live by that standard for.

Reference

Burns, P., & Schapper, J. (2008). The ethical case for affirmative action. Journal of Business Ethics, 83(3), 369-379. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9625-8

A634.3.5.RB - Shuck, Allison

After reading the article The Harder They Fall by Kramer (2003) I realized that the only way to completely understand the mistakes made by business leaders today is to outline the facts. More often than not, leaders demonstrate the “genius –to- folly syndrome – a swift and steady rise by a brilliant, hard-driving, politically adept individual followed by a surprising stint of miscalculation or recklessness” (Pg.60). So what does that mean exactly?  Personally, I think it means that those individuals who are driven by the pursuit of power change in a negative way once that power is obtained; then by no one’s fault but their own, they loses that power from making unethical decisions.

The winner-takes-all mentality is not all that it’s cracked up to be. It is a mindset for destruction! Many individuals believe that winning involves doing thing differently, breaking the rules. However, that is not the case! The winner-takes- all mindset can be very dangerous, especially when leaders develop contempt for those individuals who believe in following the rules. According to Kramer (2003), “the disdain for the rules puts risk-taking leaders on a very slippery slope”. Some leaders often get so distracted by winning that they continue to make the same rational decisions over and over again until they fall flat on their face.

Very few individuals who make it to the top know what it takes to get there and stay there. So how can you have it all? Well, for starters you should display a high degree of self awareness and develop a combination of psychological and behavioral habits to stay grounded. It is important to keep things simple; once you get to the top, continue doing what you have always done and don’t deviate. Own up to your mistakes and remember that you are human; you have flaws just like everyone else. Always dig deep to uncover the truth and prepare for the unexpected; you never know what life is going to through at you. Focus on the small stuff, look head and make predictions of what might go wrong. And, most of all, Become more mindful and reflective; understand what when wrong in the past will help you to build a more promising future. 

A634.2.4.RB - Shuck, Allison

A Tale of Two Theories

Consequentialism is a theory of reasoning that indicates how people make decisions. It employs that people are morally obligated to make a decision based on consequences. It assumes that people naturally choose an outcome that will produce the best consequence. However, when facing a moral decision, one must consider all those affected by the decision before making it. According to Lafollette (2007), consequentialism involves “considering the available actions, tracing the likely consequences of each for all affected, and then selecting the one with the best overall consequence”.  

Deontology is the theory of reasoning that helps us acquire and develop our moral beliefs. It involves evaluating the morality of a decision based its adaptation to the rules. It assumes that our moral obligations, whatever those may be, are defined by rules but are partly independent from consequences. Meaning that are decisions are based on guidelines but the consequences of our decision vary depending on the situation. Lets evaluate, as a child you learned the importance on not telling a lie; if you were caught telling a lie, there would be serious consequences. Well the theory of deontology implies that in certain situations one must do what is morally right even when the consequences are not in our favor. For example, when your wife asks you “does this dress make me look fat”, as her husband, you are morally obligated to tell her the truth, even if you know the consequences will be negative. According to Lafollette (2007), deontologist think rules or principles are important independently of consequences, they disagree about which actions are right (or wrong) and just how right (or wrong) they are. 

A634.1.6.RB - Shuck, Allison

The Buck Stops and Starts With You

So many people in the world believe that management education has contributed to the systematic failure of leadership, and I believe they are right! Why, you might ask, because business schools today fail to teach their students about values and ethics. According to Podolny (2009), “people have come to believe that business schools are harmful to society, fostering selfinterested, unethical, and even illegal behavior by their graduates”.

So how can we fix this problem? The first step in reducing the misconception of management education is for business schools to show society that they have the same values.  To do this, businesses schools must start by re-evaluate the courses required for management education. Although the concept management education involves looking at the big picture, business schools need to start teaching their students the ideology of ethics; defining how minor details fit within the big picture.

 In addition, business schools need to start hiring teachers with management experience. Teachers need to be able to give their students a holistic understanding of business problems and solutions. This will help business schools expand their current curriculum and encouraging qualitative research on leadership values and ethics.

Furthermore, business schools need to stop competing on rankings and communicate the real reason behind obtaining a degree in management.  Although a person with a degree in management may make a lot of money that should not be the reason for obtaining the degree. Business schools need to teach their students the value behind the degree and how it can be used to make a positive impact in the world.

Lastly business schools should implement a code of conduct, much like that of doctors and lawyers. The code of conduct would be used as a way to regulate unethical decisions made by graduate students. Thus, any graduate who breaks the code could potentially have his or her degree revoked.