Excelsior College Case Analysis A New Work Ethic? Paper -

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Education marketing initiatives are becoming more prevalent. In today’s marketplace, young consumers not only have money to spend, but they also influence their parents’ buying choices. This leads to many ethical questions surrounding marketing to a captive audience. Can organizations that target young consumers argue that they are being socially responsible by discussing issues with this stakeholder group at a young age? Or, are they taking advantage of conditions and abdicating moral responsibility for their actions? This activity asks you to evaluate the situation and develop a moral framework that supports your answers to these questions.

Begin by reading A New Work Ethic? (Attached)

Use your full-sentence outline (Attached) to begin the full development of this case analysis.

Next, reflect upon the following in preparation for composing a case analysis:

  1. What recommendations do you have for human resource departments to deal with generational differences in employees’ work ethics?.
  2. Are Sheehy’s experiences similar to yours? Are the work ethics of your co-workers illustrative of views Sheehy reported? How do you explain the similarities or differences?
  3. If you were a manager whose employees acted in the way Sheehy described, what would you do and say to these employees?
  4. To what do you attribute the differences in employees’ attitudes toward work?
  5. Do you believe ethics training for employees will change their behavior? Why or why not?

Then, develop your case analysis using the five following sections:

  • Section 1: Introduction and situational analysis. Describe the ethical issues identified in the Sheehy case. Be sure to give appropriate background information. This is also where you do your situational analysis – identify factors related to the individual(s) involved, company and managerial practices and policies, external factors such as economic pressure, and any other aspects of the situation that you believe helped create the behavior described by Sheehy.
  • Section 2: Stakeholder analysis. Identify the key stakeholders and how they are potentially impacted by the behavior Sheehy experienced with co-workers. Note that stakeholder analysis is particularly pertinent to the consequentialist approach, and that one of the challenges is in estimating positive and negative impacts on relevant stakeholders.
  • Section 3: Analysis based on ethical theories. Analyze the ethical issues using a relevant theoretical perspective from this module’s material.
  • Section 4: Conclusion and recommendations. Up to now, you have been analyzing and comparing options. Here is where you pull together the different threads of your analysis. Make recommendations about how the stakeholders can work together in an ethical way. Make sure your justifications clearly flow from your analysis. Make managerial and policy recommendations that would provide guidance to help those facing a similar dilemma. Be sure your responses can be applied to a variety of occupations, not solely to a fast-food industry.
  • Section 5: References. List at least three sources (other than the articles provided, your text, or the case article) where you located additional information about ethical issues.


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Running head: FULL-SENTENCE OUTLINE: A NEW WORK ETHIC? 1 FULL-SENTENCE OUTLINE: A NEW WORK ETHIC? I. Introduction and Situational Analysis A. This case describes James Sheehy’s experiences as an undercover human resource manager at a fast-food restaurant where he discovered unethical practices of young age employees and their habit of stealing from their employers. 1. Work ethic in today’s younger employees are decreasing. a. According to Sheehy, the attitudes of young employees towards their jobs are getting worse (Shaw, 2016). Sheehy identified loopholes in the upbringing of the young employees who are incompetent and only worked to maximize earning by stealing. 2. The younger employees are resorting to methods that are illegal as sign of laziness, lack of morals and ethics. a. In the case study, young employees felt that “scamming” was the best way to make money. b. They would take shortcuts, fail to put much effort in their duties, and delegate their responsibilities to others. These young employees indicated that they would only dedicate time and effort into big jobs that they were expecting after completion of their education (Shaw, 2016). 3. When the younger employees are held accountable for their actions, they try to deny and end up trying to make them out to be the victum. a. They were confirming that the restaurant job was mean to ends during that time. Since the ethics of future employees as described by Sheehy FULL-SENTENCE OUTLINE: A NEW WORK ETHIC? 2 was based on the employee survey, it means that a large percentage of American business is run by college students who only focused on getting the job done with a no work ethics approach. II. Stakeholder Analysis A. Stakeholders are naturally younger these days which can have an impact on the American companies and how they operate. 1. Younger age stakeholders and emoployees are greatly intergrated into America’s workforce. a. Key stakeholders, in this case, are young age employees and American businesses. Work ethics is a significant ingredient in American companies because of its broader implications on customers. In this case, young age employees are unable to demonstrate work ethics since they like shortcuts and not making efforts. b. American businesses are major stakeholders impacted by this unethical behavior since employee shortcuts and stealing only result in the downfall of companies (Mathani, 2016). A utilitarian approach to this case is that poor services produce the least good for a great number of customers. c. Provision of quality customer services is a major reason for customers to return, and businesses need to offer quality services. Quality customer services encourage the growth of businesses because of returning customers (Mathani, 2016). FULL-SENTENCE OUTLINE: A NEW WORK ETHIC? 3 2. Some may thing that the youth or younger employees are not holding the standard set by the seasoned employees however, they are making positive change. a. In effect, poor customer services do the opposite. Sheehy notes that poor customer services are the norm in many industries. Young age employees are impacted positively as well as negatively by this behavior. Hedonism, as a consequentialist approach, indicates that something is good if its consequences generate pleasure or avoid pain. b. Young age employees are hedonistic when they fail to dedicate effort in duties and delegate their responsibilities to others (Pandey, 2019). Young employees’ "scam" their employers as a way of earning more money. However, this unethical behavior is likely to cost these employees’ jobs (Pandey, 2019). III. Ethical Theories Analysis A There is a moral countability that is present in the workforce and the culture of employment. 1. Value of Cultural relativism and ethical theoretical system. a. Cultural relativism is an ethical theoretical system indicating that morality is comparative to an individual’s culture (Womack, 2008). In this case, cultural relativism explains the lack of work ethics in the American business culture. b. The belief and attitude of part-time employees from colleges and young employees encourage pleasure-seeking behaviors and theft in FULL-SENTENCE OUTLINE: A NEW WORK ETHIC? the workplace. The work ethics of young employees in the American capitalist marker is weak since they are not satisfied with their compensation plans, and therefore, they steal. Current employees are not aware of moral practices since they have diverted their attention to hedonistic behaviors, rather than dedicating effort to enable the progression of the organization (Mathani, 2016). As a result, today’s businesses are lacking loyal and ethical employees. IV. Conclusion and Recommendations A. Attitude is everything! 1. The work ethics of future business in America, as described by Sheehy, is weak. a. The attitude of young age employees is getting worse as they feel that scamming” is the best mean to get money. These employees take shortcuts, fail to put effort into their duties, and delegate their responsibilities to others. 2. College students feel that they can dedicate hard work into big jobs that they were expecting after completion of their education, rather than parttime jobs (Shaw, 2016). a. This attitude leads to the delivery of poor customer services as well as encourages workplace theft among employees (Mathani, 2016). Employees with a strong work ethic possess a good character. An organization can develop a strong work ethic in their environment 4 FULL-SENTENCE OUTLINE: A NEW WORK ETHIC? 5 when they let members of their team know what is considered ethical and what is not. 3. Verity of culture. a. Every culture has a different understanding of what is right and wrong. The second recommendation is to reinforce the benefits of hard work among employees. Lastly, the management should insist on professionalism and encourage employees to observe punctuality, respect, and dependability (Mathani, 2016). FULL-SENTENCE OUTLINE: A NEW WORK ETHIC? References Mathani, B. (2016). The Significance of Work Ethics İn Human Resource Management for Upgrading the Performance of Employees: An Applied Study. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 12(4), 231. doi: 10.19044/esj. 2016.v12n4p231 Pandey, D. (2019). Job Hopping Tendency in Millenials. NCC Journal, 4(1), 41-46. doi: 10.3126/nccj. v4i1.24733 Shaw, W. (2016). A New Work Ethic? In Business Ethics: A Textbook with Cases (9th ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning. Womack, M. (2008). Studying Up and the Issue of Cultural Relativism. NAPA Bulletin, 16(1), 48-57. doi: 10.1525/napa.1995.16.1.48 6
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Explanation & Answer

Attached.

Running head: A NEW WORK ETHIC?

1

A New Work Ethic?
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliations

A NEW WORK ETHIC?

2
Introduction and Situational Analysis

This case describes James Sheehy’s experience as an undercover human resource
manager at a fast-food restaurant where he discovered unethical practices of young age
employees and their habit of stealing from their employers. Sheehy's interactions with fellow
employees who were teenagers and college student reveal that work ethic in today's younger
employees are decreasing. According to Sheehy, the attitudes of this generation of employees
towards their jobs are getting worse (Shaw, 2016). He identified loopholes in the upbringing
these employees who are incompetent and only worked to maximize earning by stealing. Young
age employees work ethic is characterized by disrespect for customers, demonstration of poor
customer services, unrealistic expectations about the job market, and a get-away attitude. Young
age employees provide customer services that are intended to get rid of customers as fast as
possible with the least effort. They perceived managers and supervisors with contempt and as
paper-pushing functionaries (Shaw, 2016).
The younger employees are resorting to methods that illegal as a sign of laziness, lack of
morals, and ethics. Sheehy reveals that this new generation of employees felt that "scamming"
was the best way to make money. The primary work ethic at their workplace is a kind of
gamesmanship that aimed at milking the organization dry. A common phrase among Sheehy's
coworkers was "getting on with getting mine," implying that they avoid hard work by dragging
on simple tasks to avoid additional tasks. They would take shortcuts, fail to put much effort in
their duties, and delegate their responsibilities to others. Employees would only dedicate time
and effort into big jobs that they were expecting after completion of their studies. Scamming
entailed completing a task without much effort of taking shortcuts; one will only put in effort and
time for the big score (Shaw, 2016).

A NEW WORK ETHIC?

3

When the younger employees are held accountable for their actions, they try to deny and
end up trying to make them out to be the victim. For them, the restaurant job was for dummies.
Employees who were college students believed that after completing their studies, they would
get big jobs, with computers and secretaries (Shaw, 2016). They were confirming that the
restaurant job was mean to ends during that time. However, they believed that most jobs were
like restaurant jobs: boring, automated, unsatisfying, and filled with hard people. They hoped for
action-packed workplaces, a culture displayed in movies (Shaw, 2016). Since the ethics of future
employees as described by Sheehy was based on the employee survey, it means that a large
percentage of American business is run by college students who only focused on getting the job
done with a no work ethics approach.
Stakeholder Analysis
Stakeholders are naturally younger employees these days which can have an impact on
American companies and how they operate. In this case, key stakeholders are young age
employees and Americans business organizations. Work ethics is a major ingredient in American
business organizations because of its implications on customer services. According to Sheehy,
the new generation of employees are unable to demonstrate work ethics because they prefer
shortcuts to putting effort into their jobs. American business organizations are critical
stakeholders effected by this unethical behavior since employee theft and shortcuts result in the
demise of companies (Mathani, 2016). A utilitarian approach to this case is that poor service
produces the least good for the greatest number of people. When employees fail to observe their
ethical duties to their employers, business organizations fail to generate revenues to operate
sustainably. Low revenue generation implies that business organizations will shut down,
affecting all stakeholders in the market. Shareholders lose capital, other employees get laid off,

A NEW WORK ETHIC?

4

and the government also gets at a loss since it was getting revenues in terms of tax from the
collapsed business organization. Taxes are important because they ensure that citizens get
service such as healthcare from the government. Based on the utilitarian approach, poor work
ethics contradicts the utilitarian approach because they produce the least good for all citizens.
Provision of quality customer services is a major reason for customers to return, and businesses
need to offer quality services. Quality customer services encourage the growth of firms because
of returning customers (Mathani, 2016).
Some may say that the youth or younger employees are not holding the standard set by
the seasoned employees; however, they are making positive change. However, this contradicts
my experience since my coworkers are professional and dedicated to their jobs. My colleagues
perceive the jobs as a way to accomplish their goals both inside and outside of the place of work;
where they work hard to ensure that organizational objectives are met. Employees at my
workplace are ambitious and won’t wait to be told what to do. They look for something to do,
openly discuss ideas with each other as well as offer suggestions on how to improve the
company. Another trait displayed by my coworkers is honest. ...


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