Radford University



Organizational Psychology I

Week 3: Ethics and Organizational Justice

1. What makes a corporate culture “ethical?” Can you think of examples of ethical and unethical corporate cultures?

2. How are human resource decisions tied to ethics? Generate some examples.

3. What are the different dimensions (types) of organizational justice? Can you provide examples of each? How related are these dimensions to each other? [Refer to the Colquitt et al. (2001) data for this.]

4. What kinds of organizational behaviors are related to organizational justice, i.e., what happens when the different types of justice are encouraged vs. discouraged within an organization? [Refer to the Colquitt et al. (2001) data for this.]

5. How does an employee handbook reflect organizational justice, i.e., what kinds of organizational policies and procedures affect perceptions justice?

6. How is an ethical corporate culture tied to organizational justice?

7. Do organizations have an ethical responsibility to balance the demands of both work life and non-work life that are placed upon employees?

8. Be prepared to discuss the following brief cases.

Situation 1

After delivering some materials to her boss, Mary returns to her office to find one of her coworkers, Bob, downloading a word-processing program from her computer. The company has only one site license for the use of this program. Bob explains that his home computer has no word-processing software and that his son Jeff, a high school senior, needs it to write a lengthy report on World War II. He further says that Jeff’s final grade in history is on the line; if the grade isn’t high enough, the boy’s total grade-point average may make college acceptance impossible. Bob asks Mary to let him finish downloading the program.

Your task: Individually write answers to the following questions.

1. What ethical conflict(s) does Mary face? What is at stake?

2. In addition to Mary, Bob, and Jeff, who might be affected by Mary’s decision?

3. What actions are open to Mary?

4. Which of these actions best meets ethical considerations while resolving the situation as positively as possible for the people affected?

Situation 2

Frank is a supervisor reviewing applications for an open position in his department. One of the company’s standard procedures for the hiring process is a background check. Frank’s friend Michael is one of the applicants and is well qualified for the position. Michael recently told Frank that twelve years ago he embezzled $6,000 from his employer. The employer pressed charges, and Michael was ultimately sentenced to one year of probation. According to organizational policy, this incident would disqualify Michael for the position. Michael has convinced Frank that the embezzlement was a one-time error in judgment that will never happen again. He has asked Frank not to do the background check.

Your task: Individually write answers to the following questions.

1. What ethical conflict(s) does Frank face? What is at stake?

2. In addition to Frank and Michael, who might be affected by Frank’s decision?

3. What actions are open to Frank?

4. Which of these actions best meets ethical considerations while resolving the situation as positively as possible for the people affected?

Situation 3

Ed works for Bionate International, a company that is trying to forge an alliance with Zentron, a firm based in another country. Some of Zentron’s executives are visiting Bionate on an executive-exchange program designed to facilitate ties between the two firms.

Ed is leading a project team that includes one of Zentron’s executives, Marina, as a member. In her role as a team member, Marina has twice violated Bionate’s directives. After the first incident, Ed spoke with her about her behavior, and she attributed it to a misunderstanding. After the second incident, Ed again spoke with her, and she essentially said that she couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. At this point Ed told his supervisor, Ralph, about Marina’s behavior. Ralph, in turn, referred the matter to top management. Now Ralph has told Ed that top management wants Ed to drop the issue and say nothing further about it.

Your task: Individually write answers to the following questions.

1. What ethical conflict(s) does Ed face? What is at stake?

2. In addition to Ed, Marina, and Ralph, who might be affected by Ed’s decision?

3. What actions are open to Ed?

4. Which of these actions best meets ethical considerations while resolving the situation as positively as possible for the people affected?

Situation 4

Susan is a front-line supervisor. One of her employees, Meg, has been in her department for eight months. Despite Susan’s repeated efforts at training and coaching, Meg is performing below an acceptable level. Meg has been given average ratings in the past by the supervisors of three other departments. Susan has talked to these supervisors and has discovered that they acted as they did in order to avoid hassles resulting from Meg’s reactions; they explained that Meg files grievances and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints on a regular basis. Susan’s boss, Barbara, has told Susan to give Meg a superior rating and a glowing recommendation for a vacant position in another division.

Your task: Individually write answers to the following questions.

1. What ethical conflict(s) does Susan face? What is at stake?

2. In addition to Susan, Meg, and Barbara, who might be affected by Susan’s decision?

3. What actions are open to Susan?

4. Which of these actions best meets ethical considerations while resolving the situation as positively as possible for the people affected?

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