Discussion Questions - Essay Example

Discussion Questions When an organization downsizes, what ethical issues must a manager consider? First and foremost, the term downsizing is defined as the “intentional reduction in the size of a workforce at all staffing levels, to survive a downturn, improve efficiencies, or become a more attractive candidate for acquisition or merger” Business Dictionary, 2011, par. 1). Regardless of the organization’s reasons for downsizing, this incident causes undue emotional pain, stress, suffering and anguish for the affected employees.

Likewise, the managers who are assigned to deliver the blow are also faced with sorrow or guilt, as the case may be. The ethical issues arising from downsizing are evaluated in terms of utilitarian ethical concepts that indicate the downsizing decision or action is morally or ethical valid if it results in the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Another ethical issue of downsizing examines the concept of rights and duties made famous by Immanuel Kant. According to Gilbert (2000), “the basic position here is that individuals have rights, either as humans, as citizens of a given country or state, or as occupants of a particular position.

These right rights confer duties on others, and the morality of a given decision or act can be determined by an analysis of these rights and duties.” The ethical issue in this case arises when employees stress that they have rights to their jobs and therefore managers have a duty not to lay them off. Finally, the ethics of justice and fairness are evaluated in situations where it does not seem fair for one employee to be selected to be terminated despite performing well. As studied by John Rawls, a professor at Harvard University, the ethical issue could be: would it be fair and just if the employees laid off were those with the least seniority or those who, while performing adequately, did not perform as well as others who retain their jobs? 2) In the context of this week's material, what is power?

Robbins and Judge (2010) define power as the capacity of one person to influence the actions of another based on the wishes, intents or goals of the former (Robbins & Judge: VangoNotes, 2010, 14-1). There were several issues that were concurrently discussed, such as the being grouped into formal and informal power (where formal power encompasses coercive, reward and legitimate powers; and informal power focused on expert and referent power); the use of power tactics; and defining political skills that influence the extent and degree of influencing other people.

Likewise, the discussion also touched on negative use of power, particularly imposing oneself on others in different forms of abuse – of which sexual abuse is the most costly. Power is a relevant issue especially when people form groups. What are some forms of formal and personal power? The forms of formal and personal power are coercive, reward and legitimate powers, which are primarily based on the position assumed by the person in an organization. As distinguished by Robbins and Judge (2010), coercive power focuses on fear being inflicted upon others for noncompliance of actions being imposed.

In contrary, as an antithesis to coercive power, reward power uses incentives upon compliance to desired results. Finally, legitimate power is stipulated to have a broader and more formal scope as it is manifested from the position of authority in an organizational hierarchy or structure. As indicated, members of the organization accept this type of power concurrent with the position of authority designated for the individual. References Business Dictionary. (2011). Downsizing. Retrieved 11 March 2011.

< http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/downsizing.html> Gilbert, J.T. (2000). Sorrow and Guilt: An Ethical Analysis of Layoffs. Retrieved 11 March 2011. Robbins, S.P. and Judge, T.A. (2010). “Chapter 14: Power and Influence.” VangoNotes for Organizational Behavior, 13th edition. Pearson Education.