Management and Leadership - Essay Example

Assignment Introduction: This paper throws light over the various business ethics concepts such as importance of corporate social responsibility, personal values such as instrumental and terminal values, ten ethical principles, corporate philanthropy and others learnt during the class. These concepts are applied and incorporated in the answers to different questions of the case “The Housewife Who Got up off the Couch”. Answer 1: Enlightened self-interest refers to the fact that a business ultimately helps itself by helping to solve the societal problems. In the case “The Housewife who got up the Couch”, the concept of enlightened self-interest becomes evident when Eleanor Josaitis started supporting Martin Luther King and human rights activists. But when race riots burned through her hometown, she cofounded her non-for-profit organization Focus: Hope with Reverend William T. Cunningham because she believed that marching across roads might not result in accomplishment of her actual goals and objectives (to observe growth of Focus: Hope by attracting more volunteers / donors through solving more societal issues). This approach to cofound the organization resulted in an enormous growth of Focus: Hope that today has employed over 500 people, has more than 50,000 volunteers and donors, and has helped over 3000 disadvantaged students and now run a child-care centre to facilitate working single and working parents. (Kreitner, 2008, p. 125) Answer 2: Having judged the Rokeach Value Survey, I have concluded that the terminal values (the desired end-states) of Eleanor Josaitis are ‘a comfortable life, ‘a sense of accomplishment’, ‘a world at peace’, ‘Equality’, ‘Freedom’, ‘Happiness’ and ‘Social Recognition’. On the other hand, the instrumental values include ‘ambitious’, ‘courageous’, ‘helpful’, ‘capable’, ‘Imaginative’, ‘loving’, ‘self-controlled’ and ‘broadminded’. The above mentioned terminal values (such as equality, happiness and a peaceful world that is free of racism, conflicts, hunger and other disputes among people) can be supported by her own quote she stated to her class of MBA students that “every single person is going to help me change the world.” Unequivocally, it is an open evidence of her commitment and dedication towards the greater good of society and societal problems that have added to the miseries and adversities of people. Also, she opened a technical school to enable people to enter the economic mainstream, and that in turn would lead to a prosperous life. In addition, her courage and fortitude, open-mindedness, capability and optimism become evident when she won against the case against American Automobile Association for employment discrimination and when she disregarded an overall opinion of her opponents that she would not be able to accomplish her goals and her broad mission. She strongly convicted to outclass and thrash than to become defensive. Her sense of accomplishment can be endorsed by her own quote that “you won’t change a damn thing by sitting in-front of TV with a clicker in your hand. (Kreitner, 2008, p. 138) Answer 3: The general ethical principles and factors that drive Eleanor Josaitis’ behavior and shape her ethical beliefs include ‘self-interests’, ‘personal virtues’, ‘religious injunctions’, ‘utilitarian benefits’, ‘individual rights’, ‘distributive justice’ and ‘contributive liberty’. Josaitis seems to be a broadminded woman and believes in long-term interests; therefore, she can not take the actions that would sabotage her interests, aims and ambitions. Furthermore, she runs a non-for-profit organization that actually works for the greater good of society; therefore, she can not take the steps that are against her interests of a peaceful world, which is free of racism, hunger and interpersonal conflicts and which favors equal opportunities of people including the handicapped and those from diverse backgrounds. Also, she has been supporting the human rights activists so just can’t compromise and permit the people who seize one’s accepted rights. Finally, her behavior is also shaped by the last ethical principle ‘contributive liberty’ as she is not a woman who could intervene with the right of any other person to self-development and self-fulfillment. In fact, her instrumental values are based on the above mentioned ethical principles and factors. (Kreitner, 2008, p. 131) Answer 4: According to my understanding and knowledge, a formal code of ethics is also necessary for a non-profit organization like Focus: Hope. I can support this point because of two reasons. First, it is not a small or medium sized Non-governmental / Intergovernmental Organization or a private social welfare group but a relatively large organization with more than 500 employees and a large pool of volunteers who value altruism and philanthropy and who are involved in self-sacrifice for the sake of humanity. Secondly, the Focus: Hope has received greater consumer acceptance because it has been operational since thirty six years and today a greater number of unselfish people donate mammoth amounts that are used to smoothly conduct the planned welfare activities. Considering the above reasons, it is worthwhile to mention that inter organizational discipline, productivity and efficiency can not be maintained without a formal code of ethics even in a non-for-profit organization. Quite truly, the top management of Focus: HOPE has more responsibility over its shoulders to maintain the trust and acceptance of people by implementing classy reward and punishment systems to encourage, motivate and appreciate the employees with better performance and to straighten the workers who are involved in discrepancies, in frauds, cheating and embezzlement of funds and unethical activities such as bullying, pressurizing, ridiculing as well as performing poorly and sabotaging the relationships with partners and volunteers of Focus: HOPE compared to others. Volunteers can be taught of organizational values and its ethical standards and norms through different meetings, ceremonies, stories etc. (Kreitner, 2008, p. 125) Answer 5: “Where this is a will, there is a way.” This is in fact the most important lesson that today’s business executives can learn from the case of Eleanor Josaitis who continued her efforts and her struggle in an ethical manner to accomplish her goals and her vision when her opponents try to thwart her movements, discouraged and demotivated her. Also, she won the lawsuit against American Automobile Association that teaches the executives to remain positive and firm even at the time of crises (crises and conflict management) as there is always a solution to a problem. Third, an executive will not become successful if he or she focuses and restricts him/herself only to formal and informal discussions rather one has to react and interact with people besides employing the pragmatic legal measures to ensure goal accomplishment and growth. Finally, paying attention to societal problems results in better relationships with general public, share- and stakeholders and builds an image that lead to greater customer satisfaction, loyalty, improved perceived value and higher profits. Answer 6: Eleanor Josaitis is a successful business personality who has earned and enjoyed an outstanding reputation among the social welfare groups, for profit business organizations, private investors, donors, local publics and individual customers. Quite truly, her success and values are open lessons for any business executive who wish to become successful in the race of life. Conclusion: Ethics and moral behavior is, however, essential to reach the pinnacle of success because it always pays in the long run. Whereas, those who pay more attention to short-term gains through crimes and violation of ethical principles suffer losses like the great Martha Stewart whose indulgence in ‘insider trading scandal’ dilapidated her career and her phenomenal business achievements. Reference: Kreitner, Robert. (2008) “Principles of Management”. South Western Educational Publishing.Eleventh Edition.pp. 118-140. Read More