Organizational Stakeholders Affected by Ethical or Unethical Behavior at Boeing - Essay Example

Number: Case Study Which organizational stakeholders were affected by ethical or unethical behavior at Boeing? Give specific examples. First, it is clear that the higher officials in the company were the primary characters involved in the issues regarding the level of ethical behavior concerns at Boeing. The unethical behaviors manifested by Condit and Stonecipher were not exemplary because they failed to adhere to the prevailing policies that the company initiated in order to provide a good venue for business, as specified in the case. As a result, this created a significant impact, primarily on the level of trust that the investors will have to guarantee for Boeing. For example, the anomalous contract between Sears and Druyun forced Condit to resign, which required the image of Boeing for further cleaning up, as primarily depicted on the ideal move of Stonecipher, Condit’s replacement. This resulted to cancellation of contracts with potential investors for around billions of dollars. On the other hand, Stonecipher violated the company’s code of conduct, which he himself mandated for the employees. He had a consensual relationship with a female employee, which is a behavior that would strongly stand against the prevailing company policy. Therefore, the image of Boeing has become so poor, affecting not only the potential investors, but also directly the employees within the organization. 2. What organizational approach to social responsibility did Boeing appear to use under the leadership of Condit and Stonecipher? How do you think the approach changed under McNerney’s leadership? Under the leadership of Condit, it seems the present approach that contradicted operating in a socially responsible way was the anomalous contracts with investors just to ensure maximum profitable growth for the company. In one way or another, this may have significant impact on the company in general, particularly for generating profitable gain for the company’s stakeholders like the employees, but it emancipated outsourcing illegal partners, which led to harming the potential image of Boeing as a responsible corporation in its community. On the other hand, valuing and treating employees well were concerns Stonecipher had to face to promote a socially responsible company. However, under his leadership, even though he attempted to clean up the mess of the previous administration, he failed to provide exemplary actions on how exactly he was forceful in implementing the company’s prevailing policies he mandated himself. Changing the culture of the company, with openness and accountability primarily to ward off illegal financial reporting is one of the ultimate concerns of McNerney’s administration. Added to this is to implement teamwork and improve morals. Now this may sound like McNerney is heading to include placing value, treating employees well and fairly, and sourcing of ethical business partners. By doing all of these, what might turn out as mess in the previous administration will remarkably generate a substantial improvement under McNerney’s administration as the bottom line of his action is to promote an organization that will operate in a socially responsible way. 3. Are the actions McNerney is proposing likely to improve ethics at Boeing? If yes, explain why. If now, tell what actions McNerney could take that would be effective. Let us recall the point of McNerney prior to his entry at Boeing. This person is not afraid to take the plunge into change, giving a higher possibility that he would guarantee total restoration of the prevailing morals in the company. In the first place, one significant manifestation that he could be capable of initiating change was his ability to look at the culture first at Boeing. He has in mind to change the prevailing culture to develop transparency. This alone could help us decide whether McNerney is proposing for the company is most likely to improve ethics at Boeing. At the positive side, yes it will definitely pave a way moving forward to a positive direction. However, on the challenging side, this may require a more dynamic approach as what McNerney is trying to initiate is change, which is something that could not be elaborated and done in a one-night stand only. It requires a relevant process. However, his relevant skills linked to promoting change are remarkable, as stated in the case. As an outsider, McNerney will have the courage to implement what is best for the company, primarily starting everything with its culture. 4. Do you pay attention to Fair Trade products in your own purchasing behaviors? Ordinary consumers or buyers of products and services seldom consider this activity today. In fact, most consumers are to look forward first to what would primarily suit their needs that at some point allow them to become oblivious about paying attention to Fair Trade products relevant to their purchasing behavior. In the first place, perhaps just like many of us, I also seldom consider paying attention to Fair Trade products during purchasing activity. This is because during the actual purchase, consumers or customers are most likely to go straight to their actual needs. In some special cases, the idea about Fair Trade products may not be that common to ordinary people around the world. This gives us the idea that in the customers’ actual purchasing behaviors, the idea of considering Fair Trade products and services could seldom be as their primary consideration. As for me, just as the common ordinary people may have limited idea about Fair Trade products and services and never bother to consider them in their actual purchase such a picture of reality may also apply in my case. 5. Do you think buying Fair Trade products really does any good? In my own point of view, it is important that we need to pay attention to Fair Trade products because they have associated standards that the ultimate purpose is to make sure people and the planet would be the ultimate priorities above personal profitable gain of an individual or two or more (Ruben 244; 125). If we try to consider its ultimate purpose, its genuine intention is to make sure that the humanity will have to consider things way beyond personal interest, but for the general interest of the majority. This is such a humanitarian act that the ultimate goal is to allow everyone to benefit from equal treatment and ward off potential exploitation as a probable upshot of selfish intention and motives. We should therefore consider Fair Trade products as something that will do good to each of us, as they are able to consider various aspects in the human life aiming to provide the advantage for each of us. 6. Can you envision any circumstances in which unethical individuals could abuse the Fair Trade concept? Fair Trade concept could also link us towards socio-political and economic concerns. This brings us forward to a certain point that would reveal us whether Fair Trade concept could provide a chance for unethical individual to abuse it. There could be a possibility for this matter. Unethical individuals may be only seeking for profit as their primary objective in initiating business. At some certain point, unethical individuals who might be engaging in illegal activities may illegally participate in Fair Trade concept. At some point, they may use illegal labelling and even fake Fair Trade certifications just to make sure their goals may be employed at some point. For this matter, some influential people may use their power only to generate the associated opportunity linked to achieving Fair Trade certifications. 7. Can you envision any circumstances in which Fair Trade can actually cause harm? Fair Trade creates a distinction, and for this matter, it is important to understand its probable implications. Fair Trade products compete with non-Fair Trade products. It is expensive to go for non-Fair Trade products because they pass through various intermediaries who were responsible for increasing the final price. For this reason, it is important to focus on the economic concept that may be involved in Fair Trade products. The counterpart products may create significant moves in order to beat the prevailing competitive advantage of Fair Trade products. Sad to say, there are unethical individuals who would want to push through non-Fair Trade products and they remarkably would find ways and means in order to ensure their competitive edge over the Fair-Trade products. This is where the harm associated with Fair Trade products would set in. Instead of providing substantial help, Fair Trade products may only create distinction and a substantial competition that would only promote unethical practices on the part of unethical individuals who would be much willing to play with the ongoing competition. References Ruben, Ruerd. The Impact of Fair Trade. Wageningen: Wegeningen Academic Pub, 2008. Zaccai, Edwin. Sustainable Consumption, Ecology and Fair Trade. New York, NY: Routledge, 2007. Read More