An ethical issue identified in ABC organization is workplace racial discrimination. Some white employees are against the presence of recently hired African Americans because they find all the representatives of this racial minority group to be unprofessional and noisy. The key stakeholders are the firm’s managers and HRs, who must solve the issue, and the workers involved in the conflict. ABC’s leaders face a moral dilemma because they need to maintain the loyalty of the dissatisfied employees. Still, it is also essential to raise workplace inclusion, diversity, rights, equality, and tolerance – the primary values involved in the conflict (Whitaker, 2019).
Akella, D., & Eid, N. (2021). An institutional perspective on workplace incivility: Case studies from academia. Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal, 16(1), 54-75. Web.
In their paper, Akella and Eid (2021) present an analysis of two case studies from academic institutions located in different parts of the world. The authors explore the possible causes of workplace incivility, which they define as a set of rude, unethical, and unpleasant behaviors aimed against one’s colleagues. Cultural factors are found to have severe effects on whether there is racial discrimination in organizations, and previous historical events, such as slavery and prejudices, are the primary causes (Akella & Eid, 2021). This paper contains valuable and credible information that is backed up by a vast number of quality sources and contributes to the overall understanding of the topic. It is useful for the purpose of the research because the authors provide a detailed definition of workplace incivility, which involves racial discrimination, and offer minor but important steps to reduce its levels.
Li, J. Y., Lee, Y., Tian, S., & Tsai, W. (2021). Coping with workplace racial discrimination: The role of internal communication. Public Relations Review, 47(4), 102089. Web.
Different strategies that address workplace racial discrimination exist, and this paper by Li et al. (2021) compares the effectiveness and impacts of emotion- and problem-focused approaches. According to the authors, most employees who face discrimination tend to select the former group of methods, seeking to feel better. However, emotion-focused techniques only help temporarily and offer short-term improvements, while addressing the root of racial inequalities should be preferred (Li et al., 2021). Transparency and warmth of communication lead to reduced levels of aggression based on racial differences, and this information can be used in the research. This article is a valuable source of information, considering the background of the authors and the strength of the methodology. Although it has a list of limitations, it provides efficient practical implications. In the research, this source’s findings can be used to support the choice of an approach to solve the ethical dilemma.
Livingston, R. (2020). How to promote racial equity in the workplace. Harvard Business Review, 98(5), 64-72. Web.
This paper is devoted to explaining the five steps that lead organizations toward racial equity. According to Livingston (2020), in many cases, the issue might be not in the absence of diversity training but in its excess or wrong implementation, which increases employees’ resistance and resentment. The author offers a model known as PRESS, including the steps of problem awareness, root-cause evaluation, empathetic attitudes, strategies, and sacrifice (Livingston, 2020). Performed sequentially, these steps allow firms to realize and understand the problem and its causes, develop concern and involvement, and correct undesired behaviors. Although this article does not contain references, which seems to be an integral part of credible sources, it is still a reliable and valuable paper. Its author also has a book published by Penguin Random House/Currency and serves on the faculty of the Harvard Kennedy School, which gives him authority to contribute to the topic (Livingston, 2020). This source will be used in the research when drafting a strategy for ABC company to solve the ethical dilemma.
Tamunomiebi, M. D., & John-Eke, E. C. (2020). Workplace diversity: Emerging issues in contemporary. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 10(2), 255-265. Web.
The authors of this article begin by defining workplace diversity and examining its key benefits. This information is significant for the research and can be used further to prove the need for ABC company to hire employees from racial minority groups. According to Tamunomiebi and John-Eke (2020), although diversity benefits both employers and workers, racial discrimination is one of the severe problems affecting it. Effective and strong management of inclusion and diversity are costly but have to be implemented so that all employees feel safe ad welcomed (Tamunomiebi & John-Eke, 2020). Specific recommendations offered in this article can be used in the research to draft a conflict resolution suggestion. This article is a quality resource that expands knowledge on the topic and structures previous information about the benefits and concerns of workplace diversity.
Trevino, L. K., & Nelson, K. A. (2021). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right. John Wiley & Sons.
This book explores the basic concepts of business ethics and provides the tools, knowledge, and models for effectively solving different moral problems. According to Trevino and Nelson (2021), prevention is the key step in addressing workplace ethical issues. They state, “since many ethical issues are somewhat predictable, you have a better chance of dealing appropriately with ethical problems if you think about what’s likely to happen before it occurs” (Trevino & Nelson, 2021). Similarly, racial discrimination against employees can be prevented if leadership introduces quality training programs not after but before such behaviors appear. This book contains vast amounts of quality and applicable information on business ethics and workplace discrimination, particularly. As a result, it will most likely be useful for the research, especially when discussing different moral theories and stakeholders involved in the dilemma. This source will also help create a resolution suggestion because it offers several effective steps and methods.
Velasquez, M., Andre, C., Shanks, T., S.J., & Meyer, M. J. (1987). Can ethics be taught? Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. Web.
This article answers the question of whether ethics and morale can be taught. Velasquez et al. (1987) mention that the Wall Street Journal finds ethics courses useless because it is impossible for an individual to learn to be moral. However, while referring to Lawrence Kohlberg’s development theory, the authors prove that people are not born ethical or unethical. Instead, their perceptions of these concepts change when growing, and one can be taught to act morally and in accordance with universal values (Velasquez et al., 1987). This source’s information is of high quality as the authors base their explanations on the theory of a famous psychologist. This article is useful for the research as it supports the need for workplace ethics training programs.
Velasquez, M., Moberg, D., Meyer, M. J., Shanks, T., McLean, M. R., DeCosse, D., André, C., Hanson, K. O., Raicu, I., & Kwan, J. (2021). A framework for ethical decision making. Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. Web.
The value of this source cannot be overestimated because the authors explain what ethics is and is not, summarize the key moral lenses, and list the steps that should be included in ethical decision-making. As noticed by Velasquez et al. (2021), it is possible for people to solve ethical dilemmas in accordance with their primary values. Thus, they can be guided by justice, universal happiness, moral rights, interdependence, and other concepts, and different lenses of ethics can be applied to a given situation (Velasquez et al., 2021). Further, the authors clarify the sequence of actions to take when facing an ethical dilemma. This is an academic source, and the information provided in it is high-quality and valuable. In further research, this article will be used when applying different ethical theories to solve the case of racial discrimination.
Whitaker, T. R. (2019). Banging on a locked door: The persistent role of racial discrimination in the workplace. Social Work in Public Health, 34(1), 22-27. Web.
In their writing, Whitaker (2019) states that African American employees face the highest levels of workplace discrimination, prejudices, and negative attitudes, which prevents them from numerous benefits. According to the author, “employers may unconsciously want to surround themselves with people with whom they believe there is shared commonality and reject those who may make them feel uncomfortable” (Whitaker, 2019, p. 24). This article proves that leaders of companies have to pay increased attention to ending racial discrimination practices and improving the access and experiences of African American workers. This is a strong and informative source that can be used in the research when exploring the topic of workplace inequity and inequality.