LM009: Applying Ethical Standards. Management Essay

LM009: Applying Ethical Standards
Short Answer Submission Form
Your Name: First and last
Your Email address: Your email here
Instructions
This Competency includes a Short-Answer Response Assessment. Write your response to each prompt below in the space provided. The Rubric, which will be used by the Competency Assessor to evaluate your responses, is beneath the prompts. Carefully review the Rubric rows associated with each prompt to provide a complete response.
When writing your response, begin typing where it reads “Enter Your Response Here.” Write as much as needed to satisfy the requirements of the prompt (as defined in the Rubric). Be sure to support your responses with connections to professional sources.
Your Assessment responses require references (in APA style) to support your thinking. You will list your references at the end of this template where “References” are noted. If you need additional information regarding how to correctly cite, and/or reference sources, please visit the Walden Writing Center at http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/apa/citations
To learn more about effective paraphrasing strategies, visit the Walden Writing Center at http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/evidence/paraphrase/effective
Review the following example item and response for a sample that meets expectations.
Sample Prompt:
Choose a definition of organizational culture, and explain whether you agree or disagree with the definition. Use examples from your own professional experience to support your response.
Response:
Whitehurst (2016) explained “organizational culture is defined by how people in an organization interact with each other” (para. 2). While I agree that this is one aspect of organizational culture, the definition does not capture the complex factors that contribute to organizational culture. When I started my first job after finishing my undergraduate degree in business, I worked for an organization whose main headquarters were in Dubai. When I traveled to Dubai for the first time, I realized that the culture of the Dubai office was largely influenced by the society’s culture in Dubai. I found that the organization lacked one cohesive culture and that, depending on regional locations, each office had its own culture. International organizations often face many challenges in maintaining a cohesive organizational culture (Watkins, 2013). I found this observation to be true in my experience. For example, the Dubai office seemed to endow their employees with more allowance for self-direction when compared with our domestic offices. Although people’s interactions with one another contributed to the organization’s culture, there were other factors like location, management style, and societal norms that impacted a business culture as well.
References
Watkins, M. D. (2013, May 15). What is organizational culture? And why should we care. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2013/05/what-is-organizational-culture
Whitehurst, J. (2016, October 13). Leaders can shape company culture through their behaviors. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/10/leaders-can-shape-company-culture-through-their-behaviors
Note: References are included at the end of a Short-Answer Assessment but are included here as an example of an accurate APA reference list.

To help guide employees toward ethical and legal conduct, many companies provide their employees with a Code of Ethics or a Code of Conduct, much like the samples provided with this Assessment. In addition to stating the company’s principles, its mission, and its values, and codes of conduct often articulate attitudes or behaviors that are expected of employees, such as trust, honesty, integrity, and transparent communication. Read the “Sample Code of Ethics and Business Conduct” document and review any codes of ethics/conduct provided by your employer. With these codes in mind, read the scenarios below and respond to each item.
Note: Sub-Competencies 1 and 2 are assessed multiple times.
Scenario 1: The Community Members
A hypothetical Spanish-language classified advertisements website, Vivos.com, attracts its users with sections like community, housing, personals, for sale, and events where anyone can upload posts at no charge. Vivos.com only generates revenue when client companies pay to post employment opportunities in the jobs section. One day, an employee assigned to proctor the community section notices that a new topic targeting Vivos.com’s biggest corporate client is generating a long thread of negative comments. The discussion thread reads a lot like a petition and states that Vivos.com’s biggest client is guilty of a disingenuous and cynical attempt to paper over hiring practices that exclude minorities, particularly Latinos. The discussion states that the client has seldom, if ever, hired a single applicant who has applied through the Vivos.com website even though the client advertises high-paying career opportunities there. The petition is calling on Vivos.com and the client for greater transparency.
Vivos.com’s mission statement says that the website strives to connect and empower an often-underserved Spanish-speaking community. The client pays to post several job advertisements every quarter and has recently been in the news for questionable hiring practices.
Imagine that you will be the one to decide Vivos.com’s response.
1 Describe your ethical and legal business solution and provide three sound reasons in support of your solution.
2 Describe three actions that you will take to implement your solution.
3 Does the situation make it essential to work with the human resources department? Provide two reasons to support your decision.
4 Does the situation make it essential to seek legal advice? State your decision and provide two reasons to support your decision.
(3–4 paragraphs)
Your Response
Our business model is engineered to provide a platform where most of our Spanish- speaking community has a good chance in attaining employment and promoting their products with our free advertising. This situation is saddening because we’ve come to realize that our biggest client does not hold the same values that we do. As a company, we believe that we can provide a platform where the minorities specifically Latinos can benefit from our services. Consecutively, we have ended all interactions and collaborations with the corporate client because we do not agree with their hiring decisions and make sure this does not happen again.This is the best decision because;We feel that customer satisfaction is paramount and we are dedicated to providing the best service possible. This meaning that our users can get the best chance of employment as possible.We also have a non-tolerance stand of discrimination of any kind in our company. This ethical consideration applies to everyone associated with Vivos.com’s in any manner thus let it be known that we do not condone such behavior.Vivos.com has decided to terminate all interactions with the client because it paints the company in bad light. As a company, we value your perception of us and it is hurtful when you are unsatisfied. However, criticism is accepted as it enables us to serve you better.Following are the three actions that can be taken to implement the solutions: Ensuring corporate complianceVivos.com will establish a legal-ethical relationship to “rethink” the legal and administrative perspectives of integrity-based ethical programs, where compliance and ethics are considered important components of overall ethical behavior. This will ensure that our corporate partners comply with our ethics and values and share the same drive to ensure that our community benefits in their interactions with the corporations.Eliminating organizational conflict of Interest (OCI)The company will require its employees to avoid interactions with companies that don’t share our ethical beliefs and havequestionable values that does not sit well with our customers.Introducing an equality hiring criteriaFor any corporation wishing to use our website for job advertisement, they must be ready to meet our set hiring requirements that will ensure equality along gender and race. Our job advertisement receives a lot of responses and applications from qualified individuals of different races and genders. This criterion will be put into effect depending on the applications for that position measured against the number of people the corporations is willing to hire.Yes, it is essential to work with the HR department for these two reasons:the HR department works as a regulatory body between all departments and is also responsible for implementing the laws, conducts and rules in future, Vivos.com can easily deal with such scenarios by upholding these values among employees and partners of the company.Yes, it is critical to seek legal advice because:By association with the corporation, our willingness to comply with the Code of Business Ethics has come into question. The success of our business is only as strong as our reputation; therefore, legal council is needed.Legal advice will also ensure that our future endeavors and partners are vetted to ensure that their ethics and values match ours. In the case of any future ethical misconduct from them, Vivos.com will be dissolved of any wrongdoing.
Rubric

0
Not Present

1
Needs Improvement

2
Meets Expectations

3
Exceeds Expectations

Sub-Competency 1: Demonstrate good judgment when managing issues with legal or ethical ramifications.

Learning Objective 1.1:
Determine ethical and legal business solutions supported by sound reasoning.

An ethical and legal business solution for the case supported by sound reasoning is not present.

An ethical and legal business solution for the case is present but not clearly stated.
Only two reasons are provided to support the business solution described.
Not all reasons are relevant to the business context.
The response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.

An ethical and legal business solution for the case is present and clearly stated.
Three sound reasons are provided to support the business solution described and are relevant to the business context.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.

The response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
The response includes a solution that is ethical and legal, accomplishes the objectives relevant to the business context, aligns to personal values, and improves personal standing as a leader in the organization.

Learning Objective 1.2: Describe appropriate actions for implementing ethical business solutions.

Description of appropriate actions for implementing an ethical business solution is not present.

Descriptions of only two appropriate actions for implementing an ethical business solution are present.
Descriptions are vague and/or not clearly relevant to the business context.
The response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.

Descriptions of three appropriate actions for implementing an ethical business solution are clearly stated.
The actions reflect legal and ethical business practices and are relevant to the business context.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.

The response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
The actions are highly innovative.
The actions align with personal values and improve personal standing as a leader in the organization.

Sub-Competency 2: Identify situations where it would be essential that managers work with human resource departments and seek legal advice from qualified resources.

Learning Objective 2.1: Identify business situations in which working with the human resources department is essential.

The response does not state whether or not working with the human resources department is essential given the business context presented.

The response states whether or not working with the human resources department is essential given the business context presented.
Only one reason for working with the human resources department or not working with the human resources department is provided.
Reasons for working with the human resources department or not working with the human resource department are unclear and/or not relevant to the business context.
The response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.

The response states whether or not working with the human resources department is essential given the business context presented.
Two sound reasons for working with the human resources department or not working with the human resources department are provided and reasons are clear and relevant to the business context.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.

The response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
In the event that working with the human resources department is essential, response includes an accurate list of questions to ask the human resources department so that the information needed to make informed business decisions can be gathered, or in the event that working with the human resources department is not essential, response is thoroughly supported with examples from professional experience or references to authoritative sources.

Learning Objective 2.2: Identify business situations in which seeking legal advice is essential.

The response does not state whether or not seeking legal advice is essential given the business context presented.

The response states whether or not seeking legal advice is essential given the business case presented
Only one reason for seeking legal advice or not seeking legal advice is provided.
Reasons for seeking legal advice or not seeking legal advice are unclear or not relevant to the business context.
The response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.

The response states whether or not seeking legal advice is essential given the business context presented.
Two sound reasons for seeking legal advice or not seeking legal advice are provided.
Reasons are clear and relevant to the business context.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.

The response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
In the event that seeking legal advice is essential, response includes an accurate list of questions to ask legal counsel so that the information needed to make informed business decisions can be gathered, or in the event that seeking legal advice is not essential, response is thoroughly supported with examples from professional experience or references to authoritative sources.

Scenario 2: A Medical Mystery
Your department is on track to make its quarterly goal, but just barely. Walking down the hall, you overhear two of your employees talking quietly in their shared work station. One of your employees sounds upset.
Employee 1: It doesn’t look like I’m going to hit my numbers this quarter. It’s the second quarter in a row and the third time in 2 years. I heard that employees who miss their number three times in 2 years always get fired.
Employee 2: You really shouldn’t beat yourself up. The sales targets this quarter were really high. I’m just barely going to make it myself.
Employee 1: A friend of mine recommended I go out on medical leave. I read the policy and I think I could qualify. The leave goes for about 6 months and I could use that time to find another job. I just can’t take it here anymore.
As the manager of both employees, you will decide how to respond.
1 Describe your ethical and legal business solution and provide three sound reasons in support of your solution.
2 Describe three actions that you will take to implement your solution.
3 Does the situation make it essential to work with the human resources department? Provide two reasons to support your decision.
4 Does the situation make it essential to seek legal advice? State your decision and provide two reasons to support your decision.
(3–4 paragraphs)
Your Response
Being the manager of both the employees, I will conduct a meeting with the employees who is motivated but having trouble hitting his targets. Additionally, with the help of the meeting, it can be well communicated to the employee to stay positive and keep on trying his level best to complete the targets. Many managers believe that a deep understanding of value is a forerunner that is critical to gaining commitment and productivity for an organization's members (Oates & Dias, 2016). However, contemplating using the medical leave is unacceptable because it is meant for individuals with medical conditions. Therefore, the company will improve the requirements ensure that the employees present evidence of medical conditions that will warrant a medical leave.The three reasons include:Values will determine the priorities for employees and organization to set realistic goals that are achievable.The employees can be encouraged by offering incentives on achieving higher sales target, the higher number of sales can be achieved.Trying to manipulate company policies is an offence therefore employees found guilty of misusing the medical leave will be punished.Following are the three actions:Priorities among organizational goalsTo succeed, the goals of the organization must be defined and realistic. Some difficult business dilemmas try to balance potential competitive goals. The two most important goals of the organization are management of the organization and efficiency of the organization. Other key organizational goals include high morale, high organizational reputation, high organizational efficiency, and high productivity (CVS Health Code of Conduct, 2019).Feelings about the futureWith the goals and requirements of an employee already defined, the company will offer its employees assurances regarding the safety of their jobs. As long as the realistic targets are being achieved, an individual will continue to work for the company. This will ease the pressure on the employees and they will be motivated to work more efficiently. Balancing work-life demandsManagers often need to spend time on competing needs, expectations and personal wishes and decide how to allocate energy every day. The most important things are work, family responsibilities and duties. For today's managers, 62% point out that the main reason for “life satisfaction” as compared to professional and other external interests is family life.Yes, the situation needs to be worked with the HR department because the tensions among the employees is likely to increase. The following two justifications are: The HR department is created to listen to the grievances of employees thus the employees should be encouraged to raise their issues with the HR. The HR department will put pressure on me as a manager to address the issues and make sure that the employees have realistic targets and encouraged to work for the company.Yes, it is important to take legal advice on this issue reason being:Medical leave can be paid or unpaid depending on the nature of an employee’s contract. Therefore, anyone trying to manipulate it is guilty and an investigation should be carried out to establish any possible misconduct.Legal advice is critical in handing out contracts and employment to employees. This will ensure that whenever the employee fails to meet their targets, the manager can fire the employee and the employee can have no complaints.
Rubric

0
Not Present

1
Needs Improvement

2
Meets Expectations

3
Exceeds Expectations

Sub-Competency 1: Demonstrate good judgment when managing issues with legal or ethical ramifications.

Learning Objective 1.1:
Determine ethical and legal business solutions supported by sound reasoning.

An ethical and legal business solution for the case supported by sound reasoning is not present.

An ethical and legal business solution for the case is present but not clearly stated.
Only two reasons are provided to support the business solution described.
Not all reasons are relevant to the business context.
The response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.

An ethical and legal business solution for the case is present and clearly stated.
Three sound reasons are provided to support the business solution described and are relevant to the business context.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.

The response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
The response includes a solution that is ethical and legal, accomplishes the objectives relevant to the business context, aligns to personal values, and improves personal standing as a leader in the organization.

Learning Objective 1.2: Describe appropriate actions for implementing ethical business solutions.

Description of appropriate actions for implementing an ethical business solution is not present.

Descriptions of only two appropriate actions for implementing an ethical business solution are present.
Descriptions are vague and/or not clearly relevant to the business context.
The response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.

Descriptions of three appropriate actions for implementing an ethical business solution are clearly stated.
The actions reflect legal and ethical business practices and are relevant to the business context.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.

The response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
The actions are highly innovative.
The actions align with personal values and improve personal standing as a leader in the organization.

Sub-Competency 2: Identify situations where it would be essential that managers work with human resource departments and seek legal advice from qualified resources.

Learning Objective 2.1: Identify business situations in which working with the human resources department is essential.

The response does not state whether or not working with the human resources department is essential given the business context presented.

The response states whether or not working with the human resources department is essential given the business context presented.
Only one reason for working with the human resources department or not working with the human resources department is provided.
Reasons for working with the human resources department or not working with the human resource department are unclear and/or not relevant to the business context.
The response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.

The response states whether or not working with the human resources department is essential given the business context presented.
Two sound reasons for working with the human resources department or not working with the human resources department are provided and reasons are clear and relevant to the business context.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.

The response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
In the event that working with the human resources department is essential, response includes an accurate list of questions to ask the human resources department so that the information needed to make informed business decisions can be gathered, or in the event that working with the human resources department is not essential, response is thoroughly supported with examples from professional experience or references to authoritative sources.

Learning Objective 2.2: Identify business situations in which seeking legal advice is essential.

The response does not state whether or not seeking legal advice is essential given the business context presented.

The response states whether or not seeking legal advice is essential given the business case presented
Only one reason for seeking legal advice or not seeking legal advice is provided.
Reasons for seeking legal advice or not seeking legal advice are unclear or not relevant to the business context.
The response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.

The response states whether or not seeking legal advice is essential given the business context presented.
Two sound reasons for seeking legal advice or not seeking legal advice are provided.
Reasons are clear and relevant to the business context.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.

The response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
In the event that seeking legal advice is essential, response includes an accurate list of questions to ask legal counsel so that the information needed to make informed business decisions can be gathered, or in the event that seeking legal advice is not essential, response is thoroughly supported with examples from professional experience or references to authoritative sources.

Scenario 3: Managing Cogs
Linda, a new employee, asks Steve for advice. Linda is the Project Manager for the Cogs product line as well as three other product lines scheduled to launch at the end of the year.
Linda: Hi, Steve. Do you have a minute to help me figure out a problem I found on the Cogs product line?
Steve: Sure. Tell me what the problem is.
Linda: Last week I got the invoice for the research I requested, and it cost way more than I thought it would. I’m not sure how it happened, but it looks like the Cogs product will be way over budget.
Steve: Hmm. Okay. So how can I help?
Linda: I guess I need to notify Finance and get a bigger budget approved. I’m a little nervous about asking for more money at this point. I was wondering if you would tell me how to do it.
Steve: You don’t really have to do that. When I go over budget on one project, I can usually make up the difference by spending less than what I budgeted on another project. That way the bottom line stays even. The bottom line is all Finance really cares about.
Linda: Doesn’t that make it harder for the people working on the other project, the one with a reduced budget?
Steve: Sometimes, but that’s the way it goes. Anyway, they don’t know why their budgets changed. They just have to deal with it.
As the manager of both employees, you will decide how to respond.
1 Describe your ethical and legal business solu...