Summary of the case
The case study concerns a corporate executive named Lael Matthew who is faced with the task of promoting one of three managers of which each has advantages and disadvantages. Lael has been informed by her superiors that her decision would have a critical impact on her career in the future and also would affect both the internal and external perception towards the company.
Problem statement
Lael is faced with the challenge of finding the most appropriate and experienced individual from the job and also a person who will create the most pleasing perception both internally and externally.
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Possible Options
In this case, there are three possible options that exist. The problem with the situation is that the reader does not understand the requirements or qualifications needed for the job. The first option is that Lael can choose to promote Liz. Liz is a 34 year old, African American and a single mother to one child. Liz Graduated in her lower half –college. Her performance rating is mediocre meaning she is not very good at her work and also she faces some challenges with managing the staff. Liz has been in the company for 4 years and the industry for 8 years (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008). Liz's energy levels are very high but she has a family problem as her child is ill and she needs finances to support her child’s medical bill.
The second option is to promote Roy. According to Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008 Roy was a 57 years old white man, married with three children. Roy had graduated in the top half of his class at a private University. Roy had worked in the firm for 20 years and had had 30 years’ experience in the industry. Roy’s performance in the film was average but always consistent. His energy level was average to low.
The third option was to select Quang. Quang was 27 years old Asian American and was single. Quang had graduated in the top 3 of her class at the University. Quang is known for her meticulous management style, her commitment to her work as she worked for 60 hours a week. Quang has been in the company for three years (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008). `
Pros and cons of each option
Choosing Liz would be advantageous because of her high energy level, she would be the first African American to have reached that level in the organization, and she had been in the industry for 8 years and 4 years in the firm. The disadvantage of having her would seem cronyism in play because Liz was a close colleague and they had become fond of each other. Liz was having difficulties with some staffs and her child was facing medical problems meaning she had little time for the job ( Painter-Morland, 2019)
The pros of opting for Roy is that he had sufficient experience having worked in the industry for 30 years and in the firm for 20 years. Roy was loyal to the company. Roy was always a steady performer. The disadvantages of deciding to go with Roy was his energy levels which were low (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008), he was almost retiring which would mean that the company would have to choose another manager in a few years.
The advantage of choosing Quang is that she was young and single meaning her energy level and dedication to the work were high. Quang put sixty hours for weeks at work. She had been in the firm for three years during which she managed to show an increase in records. She was fearless as she had sued her previous employer for discrimination and had won (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008). Nothing would stop Quang from reaching her goals. The disadvantages of this option include her meticulous management style that was being criticized by her sales staff.
My Decision
The best choice is hiring Roy. Roy has been employed in the company for twenty years and he has thirty years’ experience in the market which makes him a better candidate for the promotion. Having worked in this company for so long, Roy has cultivated his work ethics and identity and has a clear picture of what needs to be done in the company in terms of improvements ( Painter-Morland, 2019) . Having worked in the company for twenty years and in the industry for thirty years, he has picked up some valuable qualifications along the way making them specialists in various areas as well as equipping them with skills to solve problems while minimizing risks.
Roy also has been an eligible candidate before though his refusal to relocate had been the reason for being passed hence a good reason to believe that he is fit for this position if at all other leaders had considered him. It is also indicated in the case that, Roy has produced most of the top performers in the past for the company which means he is capable of increasing productivity through motivating the employees (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008). Roy is also described to be a steady performer which indicates he can be relied on.
The other candidates have more disadvantages than advantages if promoted. Liz, for example, has difficulties managing her staff which indicates she cannot work well with her employees to improve the company which is very risky for the company. She also has a mediocre rating in performance and a sick child which makes her absent all the time which could slow down the operations of the company. Quang Yeh, on the other hand, has a style of management that is meticulous which makes her be criticized by other her staff indicating incapability of teamwork and cooperation (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008).
The decision-making format is the Moral compass.
Lens 1: Purpose. Here the end results were examined ( Johnson, 2012) . Promoting Roy is the best option considering his experience, steady performance, and ability to produce high performers for the company which will benefit the company in the end as compared to the other employees (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008).
Lens 2: Principle. Determination of what action would be consistent with the principles of the organization was done. Ethical considerations include discrimination, favorite, nationality, qualification, and relationship ( Johnson, 2012) . By promoting Roy, Lael would not be showing discrimination which would be indicated in promoting the ladies and neither would she be favoring the upper managers and people who approached her with suggestions of who to promote. Legally she would be doing what is right by the company through putting the company’s development and rules first through promoting Roy who is qualified to lead to the company’s development.
Lens 3: People. The effect of the decision on other employees was determined with careful reasoning done ( Johnson, 2012) . Promoting Roy would have some consequences such as Liz’s child not being helped through the increased compensation which would come with her promotion, poor relationship between Lael and upper manager for not promoting Quang among others (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008). This option, however, is the least harmful in relation to ethics and what is best for the company in the future given the dedication of Roy, performance, and qualification since people like Liz can be helped in another way financially.
Lens 4: Power. Determining whether there is the power to take the action was done ( Johnson, 2012) . There is power and needed the influence to promote Roy since he is a selected candidate.
Application of Ethical Perspective(s)
Ethical theories : Multiple theories attributed to the decision I made pertaining to this case. The decision that I was going to make was going to affect different people in the organization. Thus the decision was utility to me and the organization. The theory of utilitarianism attributed my decision because I wanted to make a decision that was of the greatest good to the greatest number of people ( Johnson, 2012) . I had to consider the entire organization in making the decision and not the few contending for the position or those who wanted favor for some candidates.
Under the deontology theory, Kant’s categorical imperative influenced my decision making. Categorical imperative holds that one should do what is right despite the consequences. It was my responsibility to do what was right. It was only right to choose the best person for the job with the available information without the fear of the outcome. The theory holds that the root of morality is the rational capacity of humanity and that it has moral laws that cannot be violated ( Johnson, 2012) . The decision was informed by my moral law that I was supposed to choose only the person who was the best fit for the position.
Personal Ethical Development
When a person is faced with an ethical dilemma like in this case, an individual engages the personal ethical development process in making the decision. The process involves six major steps but is largely classified into three stages including the pre-conventional, conventional and post-conventional levels. Each of these levels is characterized by elements that describe the processes taking place in decision making. According to Johnson (2012), there are five components of personal ethical development including discovering vocation, personal value identification, character development, Moral identity creation and drawing upon the spiritual resources.
Different elements influence decision making. In these cases, personal virtues influenced the decision that I was going to make ( Johnson, 2012) . In the process of deciding the first decision I made was not to let what other people say influence the decision, I was going to make. I did not want to make a decision that was influenced by others who wanted to gain from the decision. I was courageous enough to make a choice between the three candidates. My respect for all the persons who were up for the position. I always want to achieve justice through fairness and I believe this virtue informed the decision I made.
My personal values also influenced the process of making a decision ( Johnson, 2012) . I am an independent, reliable, open-minded and responsible person. In making the decision I did not need anybody else to influence my decision. I maintained an open-mind in making the decision. Choosing a person for the position was my responsibility and I would do it to the best of my ability without favors or discrimination.
My Assumptions
In the process of making the decision, different assumptions were involved in the process. I had to make assumptions about job requirements. The case study did not give us the qualifications or the requirements of an ideal holder of the position. Therefore, my assumptions were that the company needed an individual who was experienced and had a good performance record, a committed individual and one who was loyal.
There was an assumption that both Liz and Quang would have other opportunities in the future to be selected for a higher position. The assumption was informed by the fact that Roy would be retiring in a few years. Therefore, Liz and Quang would probably be up for the same position if both were still in the organization. The assumption greatly influenced my perspective.
By choosing Roy for the position, I made an assumption that experience would lead make Roy a good manager. Roy had sufficient knowledge and skill that he garnered by for the 20 years that he had worked for the company. I made an assumption that Roy was going to make a good leader compared to Liz and Quang.
Consequences
Different probable outcome or consequences that would be associated with my perspective. If Lael followed my perspective, she would be in great problems with her immediate supervisor. Prior to making the decision, Lael had been approached by her supervisor asking her to pick Liz for the position. Lael’s supervisor asked Lael to choose Liz because she was a woman and an African American. The supervisor also said that it would be advantageous to him/her and the entire company (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008). Therefore, if Liz was to follow my choice it would not go well with her supervisor and it would affect her prospect of going higher in the organization.
Any choice that Lael was going to make would at least hurt someone in the management. In all the three options, Lael was approached but different persons in the management and each asked Lael to choose a different person for personal gains. Therefore it was evident that no matter the decision Lael made she was going to hurt someone in the upper management.
By going by choice Lael would be accused of making a decision that was based on a race and gender basis. One challenge in this problem is discrimination. By choosing Roy who is white and leaving Liz and Quang out. Liz is an African American woman while Quang was an Asian American woman (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008). Lael would, therefore, be accused of blocking out persons from minority groups from achieving more in the firm. Lael would be criticized also by employees from minority groups for neglecting their opportunity of having one of them in the management.
There would be bad blood between Lael and Liz. It is in human nature that Liz would expect Lael to choose her because of the close friendship that they had developed. In the case study, it is evident that Liz and Lael had become friends besides being colleagues that Lael once had to babysit Janeen, Liz’s daughter (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008). Their friendship was going to face problems because Liz would accuse Lael of leaving her out yet she knew the Liz situation at home and her need for money.
Choosing Roy would likely affect the relationship between Quang and the son of an upper management official. Quang would blame the upper management for not putting in a word or influence for her to be selected. In her response, Quang may respond by quitting the relationship. It would later be harmful to Lael's career.
References
Ferrell, O.C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2008). Business ethics (7th ed.) Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
Johnson, C. E. (2012). Organizational Ethics: A Practical Approach.
Painter-Morland, M. (2019). Business ethics as practice: Ethics as the everyday business of business . Cambridge University Press.
