Critical Thinking and Application Problem

Critical Thinking and Application Problem Identification Mark Williams graduated from college with a degree in business five years ago and he found it rather difficult to get a job. The need to find a position was imperative and immediate and given by the fact that unless this happened, Mark would have to return to his home village, as his family had no opportunity to keep him in the big and expensive city.

As his worries amounted, he received as telephone call from UPB Consulting to ask him in for an interview. He got the job and felt that the employer was his savior. Mark dedicated his full attention and commitment to proving his worth and becoming better at his job. Which he did. He became fully integrated within the organizational culture and made great friends with his colleagues as well as becoming a reliable employee for the managers. Last year, the first problems began to be noticed within the organization.

UPB Consulting was owned by two associates, who shared different, and at times even conflicting, views of how business operations should be handled. One of the owners was focused on creating a pleasant working environment that offered development opportunities for the staff members. In implementing his view, he often granted salary raises, bonuses and numerous incentives to stimulate employee performances. The second owner found the first to be wasteful with the company's hard earned money and was seeking to implement more restrictive policies in the treatment of the employees.

Since the views of the owners were so opposite, the conflict could only be resolved with the withdrawal of one of the parties. The first manager left and his departure dissatisfied virtually all employees in the firm.

Throughout the one and a half year that passed since the organizational modification, Mark Williams witnessed numerous situations that dissatisfied him -- despite his sustained efforts, his salary remained the same and he was not offered any bonuses; he was not sent to any training programs; he was not offered the expected promotion; about 30% of his colleagues switched employers. Advised by his close ones, Mark sent out some resumes and was made a job offer. The ethical question relies in whether or not he should switch employers himself.

He feels guilty about living the organization that believed in him when no one else would and he would miss his colleagues. On the other hand, he is extremely dissatisfied and feels that he can no longer perform in the current environment. The ethical question is then: should Mark follow his interests and disappoint his 'savior' or should he stand by the organization and be unhappy? 2.

Research The first step in offering a question to the posed ethical question is that of conducting research in order to see how the specialized literature deals with the issue. The problem is however that the ethics literature is often generic and refers to the entire palette of problems, without offering specific solutions, but the statement that one should choose what is right to do.

In terms of the ethics of changing jobs, Dean Geuras and Charles Garofalo identify the main source of ethical problems as the possibility that the switching of employers could involve conflicts of interest. An example of such a situation occurred in 2004 when a former Pentagon official resigned and moved to the Boeing Corporation. She was accused of ethical violations due to her acceptance of a job that would be in conflicts of interest with the previous position.

The conflict of interests in the case of Mark Williams relies in that the first company has formed him as a professional and that when he lives, the organizational investment will move to another company. Other issues of potential ethical interest could be offered by the answering of the following questions: 1. When would and should Mark inform his colleagues and employers that he had decided to leave the organization? 2.

Does the new job have the ability to place him is positions and situations that might hurt the interests of UPB Consulting and/or its customers? 3. In case conflicts of interest occur between the two firms, is it possible for Mark to be left uninvolved? (Todd) 3. Analysis of Potential Solutions In the given situation, it is clear that only two solutions are available -- the first one is that of remaining with the current employer, whilst the second sees that Mark Williams change jobs.

Each of these solutions has numerous implications upon both Mark, as well as the colleagues, the clients or the management -- in all, the stakeholders.

The following lines will reveal some of the most important implications: Effects of remaining with UPB Consulting: For Mark: no change, which implies additional time to adjust; ability to continually work in the familiar environment; frustration with the situation at UBP For colleagues: maintained levels of job motivation and the ability to continually work with Mark and share his expertise For clients: satisfaction and stability from working with the same UBP consultant For management: ability to benefit from the years of training Effects of changing jobs: For Mark: the ability to leave behind something that dissatisfies him; the thrill of something new; the ability to learn more; sense of guilt from leaving the company that has formed him professionally For colleagues: sense of loss; low levels of morality; they might interpret it that it is in fact time to leave the organization as no improvements are to be seen in the coming future For clients: dissatisfactions due to the fact that they have to switch consultants For management: lack of ability to generate a return on their years of investments in training; reduced costs due to the need to replace Mark 4.

Application Making a final decision is a tough chore and the simple presentation of the implication might not be sufficient to help Mark Williams decide on leaving or staying at UPB Consulting. In order to the best decision to be made, it is advisable to look at two ethical theories and identify the best answer from their angle. The consequentialism, or utilitarism, theory sees that in the process of making a decision, the individual should use arguments from the future, of the consequences each available course will generate.

The first main focus in this theory is that of getting what one wants. In light of this theory then, Mark Williams ought to switch employers. The second theory is called Aristotelianism, or the virtue of ethics, and it is based on the efforts made to be the best person possible. Finding a solution with the aid of this theory depends directly on the type of person each individual is (Brown).

Mark Williams is a committed, responsible and obliging young man, and in his perspective, he wants to be perceived as reliable and honorable. In this order of ideas then, he would decide not to take the new job. Still, this would bring about sorrow and frustrations. 5. Decision Making Having arrived to this point, it is necessary to identify the solution which is the more ethical of the two alternatives. According to the previously assessed theories, each course of action can be justified.

Yet, the decision to remain within the company is the most ethical decision that Mark Williams could make. Not only that he desires to implement and live by the principles of ethical virtues, but also as this decision generates the least negative effects upon the stakeholders -- colleagues, managers and UPB Consulting clients -- remaining within the company is the most ethical decision. 6. Evaluation of Chosen Solution Once the most ethical course of action has been selected, it is now important to assess it and reveal its implications.

The following lines detail on the positive and negative effects of remaining an UPB Consulting employee. Positive effects: UPB management will be able to capitalize on the five years of training and other investments in Mark Williams The colleagues will feel a sense of.