Transcript HU245 Unit Six Seminar New Business!

HU245 Unit
Six Seminar
Reading
 Case Study Discussion on Affirmative
Action
 Discussion of the Ethics of Cheating

New Business!
In an effort to combat racism and sexism, the regents of State University
passed an affirmative action admissions policy designed to open up
spaces in the freshman class for members of groups that have faced
discrimination and that are underrepresented at the University.
Katie Sampson, an African-American student at the University, strongly
objects to her institution's affirmative action policies, and she has asked
the Regents to institute an admissions policy that does not give special
preference to anybody. She is concerned that affirmative action policies
create the false impression that minority students like her do not deserve
their position at the University.
Katie is an effective organizer and has led a student group that has
successfully pressured the Regents to consider her proposal. A vote is
scheduled to follow a debate about whether or not affirmative action in
admissions lives up to its idealistic intentions.
Background to the Case Study
Do all affirmative action measures involve
quotas?
 “Affirmative action is a program designed
to ensure the proportion of minorities
within an organization matches their
proportion in the available workforce”
(Velasquez, 2006, p. 309)

Velasquez, M. (2006). Business Ethics Concepts and Cases (6th ed.). Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson Education.
What is Affirmative Action?
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Does job discrimination still take place?
How do you prove job discrimination?
2001 Average Family Income for White Families was
$73,498
2001 Average Family Income for Black Families was
$43,938 (or 60% of white)
1975 Average Family Income for White Families was
$16,367
1975 Average Family Income for Black Families was
$11,096 (or 64% of white)
(Velasquez, 2006, p. 311)
Why Affirmative Action?
Gives advantage for disadvantaged
groups
 Creates diversity.
 Job discrimination will continue without it.
 Seeks to address past wrongs.

Arguments For Affirmative Action
Results in reverse discrimination.
 Results in hiring and promoting less
qualified individuals.
 Causes harder feelings and more racial
tension.
 Portrays minorities and women as less
competent.

Arguments Against Affirmative Action
Which case do you find most convincing?
 Why?
 What are the weaknesses of the views?

What do you think?

Of the issues discussed in the text, what
topics are most important to you? Why?
Seminar Question 1
Why Do People Cheat?
When is it Okay to Lie, Steal or
Cheat?
Today, most people work in organizations.
Does this affect people's sense of moral
responsibility and conduct?
Seminar Question Continued!
Does authority and loyalty hinder ethical
judgment?
 Do people compromise ethical standards
in a “groupthink” setting?

◦ The Stanley Milgram Experiment
 I’m just doing my job!
I’m Just Doing My Job!
Does an organization have an ethical
responsibility as a whole or can only
individuals be ethical or unethical?
 Does ethics flow from the top down?
 How does a company develop an ethical
culture?

The Company Isn’t a Person
Business ethics is not a list of rules to
follow.
 Business ethics is not compliance training.
 Business ethics is not something that can
be learned without an understanding of
basic ethical theory.

What Business Ethics Isn’t
Questions? Final Thoughts?