Scenario of Ethics

Week 3: Team Paper- Scenario of Ethics

Our team participated in an Ethics assessment to understand each individual's perspective towards ethics based on what is referred to as the CORE (Character, Obligation, Results or Equality). Ethical Awareness Inventory uses the A3 approach to resolve the decision making process in ethics and it is comprised of Awareness, Articulation, and Application or Action. We have a scenario that will allow us to utilize the CORE perspectives and use the A3 approach to aid in how the ethical decision making process is demised and resolved in this scenario. The organization that is involved in this scenario is Walt Disney World's Sign Shop. At the end of the month the manager must approve the purchase request in order for the transaction to be submitted to the vendors. During this process, the manager, Tamra noticed that the orders are becoming rather redundant to purchase paint brushes. The paint brushes cost hundreds of dollars each and are of high quality, so they should last the artists several months. The shop foreman is Tom and he has been writing up the orders and had thought that the paint brush requests are higher than normal consumption. When Tamra approached Tom and questioned him about the additional supplies being ordered, Tom said that the cast members like using the expensive paint brushes when they are new and after a few painting they do not like to use a worn out brush. After the artist thinks that the brush is no longer producing quality work, they are taking them home for personal use, instead of just throwing them in the trash.

The company has a clearly defined policy that you do not steal from the company, no tolerance for theft. Tamra and Tom discussed the situation and the company policy is to terminate the cast member if they remove company property from the premises without prior approval from the manager. The cast members have created a situation that could compromise personal values, organizational values, and impact the ability to make an ethical decision without impacting the lives of several hard working artists in an economically challenging time.

In any higher level management, the possibility of a termination arises. The best way to handle a tender situation is to consider both the company's ethics and your own. Tamra has taken the Ethics Assessment test to better understand her personality and how to make better decisions. The results of her test stated that her character is most important, results of an outcome second, her obligation to herself, company and cast members are third, and the equality of investigation verses word of mouth is fourth. Not to say that one is better than the other but only to notice that the order of awareness are different for many people. By fully understanding the assessment, Tamra will be aware of her abilities to make a good decision and articulate the reason for her decision and apply both to carry out an action or consequence.

According to the assessment her beliefs are powered by her character. It is stronger than the others beliefs simply because her personal values have been the root of what makes her a great manager. When determining a solution to a problem, receiving a consequence for an action is a driving force for an end result. Her sense of obligation helps motivate her to do the right thing regardless of the cast members' contribution to the company and what the situation presents. Tamra's equality is based on realistic scrutiny rather than her decision on what others say. The overall ethical style relies on the ability of each cast member to make honest judgments rather than following the rules. She also believes it is hard to make a decision if you do not already posses a good character. Some phrases that are often used with this ethical style include; "It is only fair to....", "It is the right thing to do...." and "Based on good conscience.....".

Based on the values of the cast members, they thought that they were doing nothing wrong by taking home the used paint brushes. Their thinking was that the brushes would be discarded anyway and since Tom, their foreman, had not confronted them, there was no liability on their part. Tom, being the foreman, should have enforced the company's policy and warned the cast members that the brushes were company property and by taking them home whether they were used or not used was against the company policy. It's apparent that Tamra placed a lot of her confidence in Tom. As the foreman, Tom had the responsibility of protecting the company's assets. Tamra's ethical style determines that an individual knows right from wrong. She values wisdom, integrity, and honesty, and she allows her