Resolution of Problems Involving Conflicting

¶ … resolution of problems involving conflicting moral and nonmoral values presents a real dilemma to the individual tasked with solving such a case. It is therefore critical that an appropriate decision-making or problem solving framework be employed in finding a sustainable solution that satisfies the conflicting demand of both situations (Harris, Princhard & Rabins,2000).In this case, I am part of a group which is mandated with the disposal of waste for a major medical facility based in New Mexico. However, due to the tightening of the belt due to the poor state of the global economy, we have to choose between retaining a valued worker and exposing several strangers to a serious case of bio-hazard. The employees are to be let go duty to a 10% budget cut imposed on the very department of the expensive-to-run waster disposal facility.It is however the discretion of each department to determine ways of adjusting their budgets into smaller and appropriate ones. The question is whether to protect the future of a single employee or endanger the life of many.

Collection of facts

A review of this case indicates that the department is faced with severe budget cuts that would see it institute a 10% cut in its budgetary allocations. There is a possibility of retaining the staff and then handling the medical wastes locally or shipping them to other far strict states like Mexico where it will be dumped while in the process causing pollution and biohazard to the residents living there. It is worth noting that these choices are mutually exclusive, meaning that they cannot be executed at the same time. One should be taken while other is abolished due to budgetary constraints. The ethical dilemma that exists is not about unfair profitability while ignoring corporate social responsibility. It is however more of protecting the future and possibly quality of life of an individual against protecting the life and quality of life of a group of strangers. Both of these choices would ultimately lead to a reduction in budget by certain amount. It is therefore my responsibility to adopt the right strategy of responding to the tightening of the belt in order to satisfy the budget cut conditions.

Listing of the relevant values

A review of this case indicates a classical clash of corporate social responsibility principles. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) was defined by Bowen (1953) to be the obligations of a give business to effectively pursue policies, make decisions as well as follow the specific line of actions that are deemed desirable in regard to the values and objectives of our society. Perhaps the definition that is more befitting to our case study is the one that was advanced by Frederick (2006) who defined CSR the act of conducting the affairs of a given enterprise in a manner that would maintain an equitable and yet workable balance among several claims of numerous directly interested parties comprising of a harmonious balance among the stakeholders such as employees, clients and the general society.

A review of this case indicates that firing a hard working employee goes against the rights of that particular employee. Therefore should such an employee be fired, and then the basic tenets of corporate social responsibility would have been violated. The enterprise would be therefore in essence sanctioning the gross mutilation of its moral and ethical guidelines. Every employee, irrespective of their employment rank has a right to fair dismissal. Dismissing employees due to budget cuts is unethical, immoral and irresponsible. This means that it is the moral duty of the firing authority to ensure that the fired employee has a safe landing or a negotiated layoff.

Protection of the society from harm/hazardous wastes/effluents is an ethical and moral responsibility of responsible companies/

While defining CRS as the act of conducting the affairs of a given enterprise in a manner that would maintain an equitable and yet workable balance among several claims of numerous directly interested parties comprising of a harmonious balance among the stakeholders such as employees, clients and the general society, Frederick (2006) indicated that there is also the element of the environment and the society as basic tenets of CSR. It is the moral and ethical responsibility of the company to safely dispose the bio-hazardous medical waste material without endangering the life of anyone whether they are known or are complete strangers to the disposing authority.

It is better to serve the interest of a community than that of an individual

A review of this case indicates that it is clash of saving a known individual vs. saving the whole community.

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