Ethical Challenges in HRM - Essay Example

Ethics issues or challenges in HRM University Student Id Course Date Introduction In the rapidly changing world, organisations are struggling to achieve competitive advantages necessary for increasing their market share. Despite the fact that there are many developed technologies and business process, human resources is the most important part in business success. However, sometimes organisations are overlooked ethical issues within managing their human resources to maximise profit and reduce cost. Most ethical issues in business world are within the legal boundaries; however, ethical consideration is critically important to organisations in managing human resources. The major ethical issues that organisations suffer can include employees’ discriminations, restructuring and layoffs and wage inequality. This essay will explain and evaluate the utilitarian and deontological approaches, justice and rights to discuss how they are relevant to the three ethics issues: employees’ discriminations, restructuring and layoffs and wage inequality. Besides, this essay will apply those three issues to the case of Japanese labour reformation policy. Ethical theories Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is the ethical theory which argues that the best action entails maximizing the aspect of utility. It has been used in addressing employees’ discriminations, restructuring and layoffs and wage inequality. However, the term utility is usually defined in different ways. For instance, Jeremy Bentham who introduced the theory of utilitarianism defining utility as the total pleasure which results from a certain action, less the suffering of the individual who is engaged in the action (Bouville, 2008). Moreover, the utilitarianism theory is part of the consequentialism version which argues that the results of a certain action are the only standard for the both right and wrong. However, the proponents of the utilitarianism theory have actually disagreed over various issues which include the act utilitarianism, rule utilitarianism, average utilitarianism and also the total utilitarianism. Relevance The organizations that embrace the utilitarianism theory are better position to manage employees’ discriminations, restructuring and layoffs and wage inequality through ensuring the necessary ethics in operations. Moreover, in accordance to Annas, (2009) acts are required to be classified as to either morally upright or even morally wrong provided that the consequences of the acts are significance. Furthermore, in the process of assessing various consequences of the actions, the utilitarianism usually depends on the intrinsic theory of value. However, one of the criticisms which can be associated with the utilitarianism theory is that, even though there are many practices of stealing and also lying, the bad consequences of these acts would definitely result in the loss of the value of trustworthiness. However, the utilitarianism theory usually allows a specific act to be judged whether the act is right or wrong in accordance with the utilitarian rule. Discussion Japanese new labour reformation policy works towards ensuring that organizations are fairly managed while considering the needs of the employees. Through the utilitarianism theory organizations helps in ensuring organizations can adhere to the Japanese new labour reformation policy as it ensures ethics in the management of the workforce. For instance, the restructuring and layoffs can be fair, as the acts of the organizations that embrace utilitarianism theory are guided by moral values hence eliminating discriminations. Wage inequalities can also be addressed better using utilitarianism theory. As a result, the employees in the organization cannot be discriminated in any way hence developing an ethical working climate that can improve the image of the company in the market (Masdoor, 2011). The aspect of the utilitarian consequences usually involves both the good acts and also the bad acts which result either during the performance of the actor even after the performance of the act. However, in case the differences between the consequences of the acts are not great, then consequently, the utilitarian proponents do not view them to be a moral issue. Restructuring and layoffs need to be conducted while following the Japanese new labour reformation policy. According to the new work laws employees need to be exposed to similar working environment where wage inequalities need to be based on the performance of the employees. Kantian deontology The Kantian deontology theory usually states that people are always expected to act in various ways which are in accordance with a particular set of rules without the consideration of the outcome of the act. Moreover, according to the religious deontology, the principles which guide people on their actions are in most cases derived from the commandments of God. For instance, in accordance with the religious laws, people are actually obligated morally not to cheat, steal or even lie. Therefore, the deontological theories having been in existence for the several years, hence in the year 1788, Kant formulated his deontological moral theory (Casebeer, 2005). The Kantian deontology can be important in addressing some of the ethics issues facing human resources management like working conditions. The organizations that embrace the Kantian deontology are likely to make sure that working conditions are good for the employees as it is a moral responsibility of the employer. Relevance The deontological moral theory of Kant was derived from the human reason hence able to address employees’ discriminations, restructuring and layoffs and wage inequality in organizations. Moreover, for better understanding about the deontology, the Kantian deontology theory should be compared with the utilitarianism theory. For instance, according to the utilitarianism theory, the best consequence of an action is usually the pleasure which is considered to be absolutely good (Houston, 2009). In addition, consequentialism states that the consequences of any action should be considered even when the action itself is morally wrong. Furthermore, Kant is actually the proponent who is most prominent for the deontological ethics, because the Kantian deontological theory is mostly based on the rationality of the human beings. According to Kant, human emotions, as well as the consequences, should have no role to play in any moral action, thus the motivation for the action should be based on one's thoughts before doing the action. Discussion The Kantian deontology theory can be crucial in meeting the work requirements as stipulated in Japanese new labour reformation policy. The organizations that embrace Kantian deontology theory are likely to make sure that the employees are fairly laid off using the procedures established in the organization. However, the Kantian deontology theory has a major criticism that includes the fact that the theory discounts outcome in the evaluation of the moral actions (Gray, 2010). However, even though it is not necessary to rely on the outcome, it is also not good to ignore the outcome completely. Another criticism is that the Kantian moral theory in some cases it contradicts the natural inclinations as well as the common sense of people. The Japanese new labour reformation policy is geared towards improving the welfare of the workers. Ensuring fairness in the process of restructuring and laying off employees is necessary in ensuring a good working environment. The restructuring and the layoffs in organizations need to ensure that they are in line with the laws provided in the Japanese new labour reformation policy. The policy advocates that there is need to make sure that employees are laid off while following the appropriate labour laws in Japan. Justice (including Rawls and Nozick) The theory of justice involves the work of various political philosophers such as John Rawls who makes attempt to settle down a problem of distributive justice using a familiar device which is known as the social contract. Moreover, Rawls obtained his two principles concerning the aspect of justice from a resultant theory that is referred to as the Justice as Fairness and these two principles include; the difference principle and the other one is the liberty principle. The theory of justice states that the basic structure of a community which is well ordered comprises of the various aspects such as liberty and also equality (De Colle and Werhane, 2008). Moreover, the principles of justice usually provide guidance to the parties on how they should conduct themselves. For instance, the parties are supposed to be moderate thus they should neither be altruistic nor egoistic. Relevance Employees’ discriminations, restructuring and layoffs and wage inequality can be addressed through ensuring justice in managing human resources. The justice theory can be important in the process of making sure that the employees in the organization are not discriminated in any way. This is because the human resources manager who is guided by the principles of justice can be willing to ensure that the way employees are managed embraces justice hence eliminating employee discriminations. Therefore, the justice theory can be crucial in the process of making sure that employees can realize justice in the process of addressing ethics issues in the human resources management like improving the way wage inequalities are addressed. This is because the justice theory encourages cooperation with the other people to achieve a common goal through mutual agreement (Granitz and Loewy, 2007). Discussion Rawls offered a model necessary for ensuring a fair situation that is based on the principles of justice that can ensure the policies stipulated in Japanese new labour reformation policy are considering in addressing the issues. The principles of justice make sure that fair decisions are made hence the justice theory can be important in the process of addressing ethics issues in the human resources management. Discriminations at the workplace are usually not allowed under the Japanese new labour reformation policy. The new labour policy warns organizations against the discrimination of workers in their places of work. Rights Rights are the social and ethical principles of entitlement or freedom that are fundamental normative rules. Positive rights are associated with the things that are allowed to individuals while considering some legal systems, ethical theory or social convention. On other hand, negative rights are the fundamentals of civilization that are essential pillars for culture and society wellbeing. Rights theory in any organization setting can be important in addressing ethics issues that face the human management issues. Limits of rights are essential guiding the codes of conduct among people as they enjoy their freedoms. Relevance Addressing the issue of workplace conditions, employees have the rights of being provided with a good working environment (Dion, 2012). Recognizing the rights of the employees the organization can help in eliminating employees’ discriminations, restructuring and layoffs and addressing wage inequalities in the management of workforce. The employer has to provide the necessary working environment that can make sure that employees are motivated hence productive (Hale, 2007). Ethically, it can be crucial for the human resources manager to develop the necessary working environment through engaging the key stakeholders. Discussion Rights in addressing the new labour reformation policy in japan help in ensuring there is an employee representative responsible for addressing the issues concerning the employees at their workplaces. Japanese new labour reformation policy ensures that wage inequalities in organizations are addressed while following the appropriate procedures. The policy makes sure that the wages in organizations are fair to the employees without any inequalities. The challenge of normative ethical relativism Normative ethical relativism is an ethical theory that argues that there are no moral principles that can be universally valid. It argues that the moral wrongness or rightness vary from one society to the other hence there are no universal moral standards that can be binding for all people. The thinking entailing ethics is different as each culture its basic principles and values that form the foundation of morality (Lucas, Wee, and Maat, 2016). Normative ethical relativism claims that there are no ethical principles that are acceptable globally because of the lack of universal principles applicable for all people. Relevance Employees’ discriminations, restructuring and layoffs and wage inequality can be addressed using the normative ethical relativism. First, according to normative ethical relativism theory, no moral criteria that can be universal as tolerance among people of a particular culture cannot be supported because tolerance is unnecessary. Therefore, normative ethical relativism cannot be useful in promoting tolerance (Monteverde, 2014). Second, normative ethical relativism argues that different cultures have different ideas concerning morality and ethics. As a result, the theory cannot be in a position to explain or even support criticisms of the views by the minorities. Discussion Japanese new labour reformation policy makes sure that employees are treated fairly in a way that is ethical hence resulting in non-discriminatory management of workforce. The normative ethical relativism can be applicable in the process of solving different ethics issues in the management of the human resources in organizations. For instance, the issue of employees’ discriminations and wage inequalities can be best addressed by normative ethical relativism while considering the new labour reformation policy in japan as it indicates that organizations morally have to accept the wage rates in the countries they operate (Wolbring, 2012). Conclusion Managing ethical issues especially in the human resources management has great impact on the success of any organization. The human resources manager is expected to develop the necessary ethical strategies aimed at improving productivity of the workforce (Murphy, 2010). Therefore, the organizations that embrace ethics in managing employees are likely to achieve competitive advantages in the market. References Annas, J., 2009. Virtue ethics. In The Oxford handbook of ethical theory. Oxford University Press. 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