Organizations and Its Individuals

Organizations and its Individuals

Jon

Organizational Ethics

1. Define the situation.

Organizational ethics are the way employees and management applies morals and values to decisions affecting the entire group. These decisions are not ranked on the level of importance. All decisions require some form of ethical evaluation. Each employee is empowered to make decisions being trusted they truly care about the effect on the organization.

2. Assemble and analyze the key data.

At Aberdeen, the use of organizational ethics is second nature to its employees. The absence of fear for job security leaves major, or minor, decisions in the hands of the employees. Trust is placed on each employee to make the decision that seems to be the best, or most productive, with the whole organization in mind. The plant manager, or particular team leader, does not have the burden of making every decision. They simply share the task of decision making with the employees with little concern for ethical abuse.

3. Identify any necessary additional information.

Personal ethics can vary from person to person as much as it can from organization to organization. Each FMC plant can attempt to set the ethical path for its employees to follow, but without the trust practiced at Aberdeen, the fear dampers productivity. An example of this is clear in the $500 budget placed on needed purchases by each employee. The family atmosphere helps maintain a certain level of honesty. Each employee knows that if they abuse the "no questions" approach to this budget, that they will be hurting the entire organization; thus, hurting themselves and eventually eliminating their job.

4. State your assumptions.

The observations done at the Aberdeen plant have shown that organizational ethics are not a credo hung on the wall as much as they are a learned behavioral trait acquired from a trusting environment. This learned trait is the bi-product of a creative atmosphere centered on trust. The organizational ethics at Green River can only be changed with diligence and positive reinforcement. Organizational ethics are developed over time, much like an animal must slowly accept a human as not being a threat.

5. Draw your initial conclusions.

To successfully implement the same organizational ethics as used at the Aberdeen plant, the Green River plant must instill more trust in its' employees. The creation of a friendlier, more open family atmosphere must be present before changes will truly take place. This process is, and always will be, an ongoing challenge.

6. Indicate possible alternatives and their expected outcomes.

Education in the development of organizational ethics is one possible alternative to change, or enhancement of, the ethics used at Green River. This could be as involved as having each employee, or sectional manager, attend a seminar on the subject.

7. Make your recommendations.

My recommendations would be to focus on creating a trusting environment and relationship with all employees. This openness will eventually allow the employees to naturally develop organizational ethics that reflect the values behind the plant's credo.

8. Prepare a plan for implementing your recommendations.

These ethics are not like creating a Ten Commandments for the plant. Just because someone says that these are your organization's ethics does not make it so. The environment and employees will dictate what the ethics are. The pride and commitment will reflect these through every task. A plan to incorporate Aberdeen's organizational ethics would be to first restructure the way Green River values its employees.

9. Prepare contingency plans.

The contingency plan should be to re-evaluate Green River's employee's perception of the plant's organizational ethics. If they do not match the ethics desired by the management, further training or education may be necessary.

The Management of Ability

1. Define the situation.

The management of ability is easily explained as the proper appointment of an employee in respect to their attributes. The organization can be much more efficient if each employee is adequately positioned to reach their full potential.

2. Assemble and analyze the key data.

At Aberdeen, the management of ability is started at the hiring level. A series of tests or tasks presented to the applicant. The management evaluates and compares them against a predetermined scoring system. The evaluators also take into consideration the ability of the applicant to fit into a group or family environment.

3. Identify any necessary additional information.

Follow-on training is also a part of the management of ability. Each employee must be continually educated and challenged to expand their growth. The Aberdeen plant hired a consultant to conduct seminars on employee development called "Mastery Training."

4. State your assumptions.

The Aberdeen plant has place much needed emphasis on the abilities of its employees. This emphasis created a system to treat each person as an investment for the plant. The more contributions an employee can make to the plant the more efficiently things run.

5. Draw your initial conclusions.

Aberdeen has fashioned it own style of managing the abilities of its employees. If Green River used Aberdeen's examples, they could become more effective in the management of its employees' abilities.

6. Indicate possible alternatives and their expected outcomes.

Green River could continue using the methods of present with the risk of mismanagement rising. By developing a program to focus on the management of ability, Green River can ensure a more efficiently operated plant.

7. Make your recommendations.

My recommendation would be to evaluate the hiring and training process currently in place. The next step would be to compare it to the