Example Summary Paper - Values in tension PDF

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Introduction to Management is a survey course touching upon a large number of topics, none of them in depth. By the end of the course students should have gained a broad perspective on organizations and the art and science of getting work done through people.
The st...

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Haya$Rihani$ Management$460$Extra$Credit$ 12/04/2015$ $ $ The$article$I$chose$to$write$about$is$titled$Values'in'Tension:'Ethics'Away'from' Home'by$Thomas$Donaldson$found$in$the$Harvard$Business$Review.$The$article$ discusses$the$most$asked$question$in$global$business$ethics:$what$happens$when$a$ host$country’s$ethical$standards$seem$lower$than$the$home$country’s?$Often$when$a$ business$crosses$its$own$nation’s$boundaries$it$finds$itself$asking$whose$standards$ should$prevail?$ $ There$are$two$routes$a$company$can$take.$One$is$cultural$relativism$and$the$ other$is$ethical$imperialism.$According$to$cultural$relativism,$no$culture’s$ethics$are$ better$than$any$other’s,$however,$when$committing$to$doing$as$the$Romans$do$can$ be$beneficial$for$the$company$in$the$host$country$and$harmful$in$its$home$country$ especially$if$the$act$is$viewed$as$illegal$or$unethical$in$the$home$country.$On$the$ other$hand$ethical$imperialism,$allows$people$to$do$everywhere$exactly$as$they$do$at$ home.$This$could$be$a$problem$because$it$doesn’t$recognize$differences$in$culture.$ Conducting$a$sexual$harassment$course$in$the$United$States$may$be$seen$as$the$ norm,$but$conducting$one$is$Saudi$Arabia$for$example$can$be$seen$as$offensive$due$ to$the$different$ways$men$and$women$socialize$in$that$country.$This$concept$of$ absolutism$which$calls$for$the$same$behavior$everywhere$doesn’t$take$into$account$ concepts$such$as$different$cultural$traditions.$What$is$considered$ethical$or$legal$in$ one$country$may$not$be$in$another$country.$But$if$companies$can’t$adopt$a$host$ country’s$ethics$nor$can$they$extend$their$standards,$what$can$they$do?$Donaldson$ believes$that$companies$should$be$guided$by$the$following$three$principles:$respect$ for$core$human$values,$respect$for$local$traditions,$and$the$belief$that$context$ matters$when$deciding$what’s$right$or$wrong.$Some$activities$are$wrong$no$matter$ where$they$take$place$and$some$practices$that$are$ethical$in$one$country$may$be$ acceptable$in$another.$Donaldson$believes$managers’$actions$must$be$guided$by$core$ human$values.,$which$define$minimum$ethical$standards$for$all$companies.$ Individuals$mustn’t$treat$others$as$tools,$individuals$must$treat$people$in$ways$that$ respect$their$rights,$and$members$of$a$community$should$work$together$to$support$ and$improve$the$institution.$These$values$will$help$all$companies$evaluate$standards$ of$ethical$conduct$at$home$and$abroad$and$identify$acceptable$and$unacceptable$ practices.$These$core$values$will$help$businesses$exercise$ethical$judgment$and$ think$about$their$actions$and$consequences$when$operating$in$a$foreign$country.$$ $ This$article$discusses$the$topic$of$cultural$relativism,$which$we$examined$in$ class.$Cultural$relativism$and$ethical$imperialism$are$present$and$very$easy$to$be$a$ part$of.$This$article$examines$and$presents$a$potential$solution$to$consider$the$ situation$when$being$asked$which$standards$prevail.$The$core$values$mentioned$ above$may$not$wipe$out$corruption$or$put$an$end$to$child$labor$but$they$do$allow$ managers$and$leaders$to$use$their$best$judgment$and$consider$ethics,$culture$and$ tradition.$...