torrington, hall & taylor, human resource management 6e, © pearson education limited 2005 slide...

Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005

Slide 31.1

HR Ethical Dimensions

• First phase – a preoccupation with social justice

• Second phase – a preoccupation with development of humane bureaucracy

• General interest in ethics


Slide 31.2

Defining Ethics

Dictionary singular definition – ‘The moral value of human conduct and the principles that ought to govern that conduct’

Dictionary plural definition – ‘A social, religious or civil code of behaviour considered to be correct, especially that of a particular group or profession’


Slide 31.3

Ethics In Business Terms

• Part of a culture of an individual business

• Sets the behaviour by which staff abide

• Sets guidelines followed by staff as it makes practical sense in enabling them to do their jobs


Slide 31.4

Early Management Concerns With Ethics

• Victorian philanthropists

• Andrew Carnegie – charity and stewardship

• Milton Friedman – criticism of social responsibility

• 1980s return of interest


Slide 31.5

Incongruity of Business Ethics

• Business is about the pursuit of profits – won’t businesses act immorally whenever necessary?

• Executive salaries being out of line – isn’t dramatic inequality wrong?

• Is it wrong to subject workers in their mature years to so much insecurity?

(Novak, 1996)


Slide 31.6

Need For Ethical Guidelines

People seek justification for their decisions and actions

• Moral justification – value systems• Ethical principles – voluntary agreement by

members• Ethical standards – generated by businesses


Slide 31.7

Codes of Ethics

• By early 1990s one third of leading British companies had a written ethical code

• How are they supported by people to whom they apply?

• Necessary that all codes are understood, appreciated, and willingly honoured


Slide 31.8

Criticisms of HRM Approach to Ethics

1. HRM is amoral and anti social – ignores the pluralistic nature of work organisations

2. They have lost their claim to independent professional standing

3. Is ecologically destructive

(Hart, 1993)


Slide 31.9

HR Interest in Ethics

• Welfare concept

• Deviant innovator


Slide 31.10

Job Enrichment & Humanising the Workplace

• HR managers have not abandoned their interest in welfare

• Personnel managers shun traditional approach as it is ineffectual

• Concentration on surroundings in which work is carried out

• Giving more meaning to jobs• Need for hearts and minds not just hands and muscle


Slide 31.11

CIPD Code of Professional Conduct

1. Accuracy

2. Confidentiality

3. Counselling

4. Developing others

5. Equal opportunities

6. Fair dealing

7. Self development


Slide 31.12

Ethics Across National Boundaries

• Social responsibility international dimension has still to be developed

• Ethical standards vary

• Games are played between governments and multinational companies


Slide 31.13

Current & Developing Ethical Dilemmas

• Environment• Equalising opportunities• Quality of working life• Information technology• Employment• Self improvement• Personal element


Slide 31.14

Life in the Business

• Quality working life holds• Job redesign initiatives• Has the quality of working life declined?• Workplace stress• Lack of comfortable feelings of security


Slide 31.15

IT & the Workplace

• What will be done to make up for what technology will take from us?

• How great will the influence of the computer on HRM work actually become?

• Will technology provide a different social institution?


Slide 31.16

Employment

• How will people find employment

• Management of own careers

• Flexible employability

• How will job prospects in the economy be improved?


Slide 31.17

Self Improvement

• Relating pay to performance

• Delayering

• Development of novel aspects of corporate culture


Slide 31.18

On a Personal Note

• Ethical challenge – process of management is seen to be carried out by people

• MBWA – management by walking about• HR as ‘a contact sport’• HR managers need an ethical sense


Slide 31.19

Summary (1 of 2)

• Ethics are part of the corporate culture that sets the norms of behaviour staff will abide by

• Ethical standards vary between national cultures

• Ethical codes are only valid if they are appreciated & willingly implemented


Slide 31.20

Summary (2 of 2)

• Personnel managers and HRM practices are regularly criticised for failure of social responsibility

• CIPD has a code for its members

• There are a number of current and developing ethical dilemmas

torrington, hall & taylor, human resource management 6e, © pearson education limited 2005 slide...

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