Defend Your Stand in an Ethical Debate

Defend Your Stand in an Ethical Debate

The third topic from the selection list is adopted for discussion in this paper. The topic relates to a concern that an organization’s culture does not represent the values of diversity and inclusion to the best of its ability. Regarding this topic, it is taken that the organization’s culture reflects the values of diversity and inclusion to the best of its ability. Various arguments can be made to support this stance of the discussion. Diversity and inclusion are important topics drawn from an ethical perspective that exists in modern-day workplaces. An organization that fails to prioritize diversity and inclusion will get itself at the receiving end of an ethical dilemma such as the one highlighted in the selected topic. The arguments that support the stance are discussed as follows.

The subject organization is accused of failing to represent values of diversity and inclusion in its organizational culture to the best of its ability. Notably, this accusation focuses on the organization’s culture as the measure to evaluate whether the organization represents diversity and inclusion. However, it is not the only metric for evaluating these two major aspects. Other metrics such as organizational employee composition, leadership, and history should be considered in evaluating whether the organization’s values of inclusion and diversity are represented. Therefore, focusing on culture alone is not objective enough to claim that the organization is diversified and all-inclusive. In the discussion, it is not claimed that the organization lacks fairness and equality in its work environment, which are fruits of diversity and inclusion. Additionally, the organization has all its employees feeling respected and valued regardless of their identity or background. Thus, it is not enough to raise concerns that the organization lacks credibility for practicing diversity and inclusion to the best of its ability.

There is a close association between inclusive and diverse workplaces with better financial performance. According to Nyagadza et al. (2022), studies have shown better financial performance for organizations that value diversity and inclusion than those that do not. Essentially, this is so because such organizations can attract and retain top talents, appeal to a broader customer base, and improve employee morale and engagement. Since the organization has better financial performance, it cannot be said that it does not reflect the values of diversity and inclusion well. Further, the organization has not faced the negative consequences often associated with failure to prioritize diversity and inclusion. An organization that fails to prioritize these two notable values will be subject to a tainted reputation, low employee morale and retention rate, and lack of innovation. Notably, the subject organization in the discussion topic should be scanned for these consequences. Since they cannot be identified outright, the concerns of the organization’s culture failing to exhibit inclusion and diversity at best are unfounded.

Most brands in the contemporary world that can be said to exhibit diversity and inclusion at the best level in their work environment have common characteristics that can be used to support the stance taken in this discussion. According to Thomas et al. (2021), companies like Samsung, Apple Inc., and Google Inc. display the best levels of diversity and inclusion in their organizational cultures. As a result, they have managed to have the highest stakeholder satisfaction. The organization that is the topic of discussion has a high stakeholder approval rate. Even though concerns are raised over its culture for failing to uphold the values of diversity and inclusion, it is debatable why the stakeholder approval rate remains significantly high. Therefore, there is a need for further analysis of the organization to uncover whether the concerns raised have a reasonable basis or are ill-motivated.

Despite the supportive arguments that are made above, other concerns should be considered when handling the topic of inclusivity and workplace diversity. Achieving an organizational culture with the values of diversity and inclusion being displayed to the best of their ability is a costly affair. Significant amounts of investment have to be made in social corporate responsibility activities. For instance, for an organization to have a diverse workforce with an equal balance in gender, more expenses will have to be incurred to hire additional staff and pay their salaries. Again, the sole purpose of the hired staff will be to balance the gender equation and not fulfill the organization’s primary purpose. An organization’s primary purpose should be maximizing the shareholder’s wealth, and other matters, such as diversity and inclusion, come as secondary issues (Sordi et al., 2022). Therefore, the fact that the subject organization is displaying the values of inclusivity and diversity, although not at the highest levels possible, should be accepted as long as the primary purpose of maximizing the shareholder’s wealth is being met.

Other negative issues arise in an organization while attempting to display the highest levels of diversity and inclusion. For instance, tension and conflicts arise within an organization when efforts are directed toward maintaining inclusivity and diversity. Such tensions arise from employing people from different backgrounds who do not share beliefs or values to serve diverse purposes. Such misunderstandings can derail the organization’s pace at which tasks are undertaken. Therefore, it is of the essence for an organization to ensure that its culture carries the values of diversity and inclusion. However, organizational activities should not be disrupted by the need to display these values to the best levels.

Questions that have a basis in ethical issues can spark unending debates that often result in a common agreement or understanding. Such is the case for the subject topic of discussion that has been evaluated above. A position is taken that the organization is justified for failing to display the best levels of diversity and inclusion in its workplace culture. Various arguments in support of this stance are provided. For instance, it is established that the organization can meet the best performance with the current level of diversity and inclusion. Further, when successful companies are considered, the subject organization is established to be performing well. Additionally, the discussion notes that the organization may suffer negative consequences in the fight to display the best levels of inclusion and diversity. Although the current level of these values is not at the best level, it is justified considering the arguments provided.

References

Nyagadza, B., Gwiza, A., & Hove, P. K. (2022). Workplace Diversity, equality, and Inclusivity in the Zimbabwean labor market. Cogent Social Sciences, 8(1), 2033456.

Sordi, A., Tate, W. L., & Huang, F. (2022). Going beyond supplier diversity to economic inclusion: where are we now and where do we go from here? Journal of Purchasing and  Supply Management, 28(2), 100751.

Thomas, K., Ochrach, C., Phillips, B., & Tansey, T. (2021). Social Justice as an Organizational Identity: An Inductive Case Study Examining the Role of Diversity and Inclusivity Initiatives in Corporate Climate and Productivity. Journal of Business Diversity, 21(4).

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As you are probably aware, people seldom fully agree on any one topic. Even ethical dilemmas can have multiple points of view. For example, should an organization grow its business, even though it may adversely affect the surrounding community? Unfortunately, even though a decision may not be easy, you will have to decide. However, how do you make that decision? Open, effective communication is a good way to start. This week, you will explore your own ethical dilemma and choose a side to defend.

Utilizing a topic of your choice from the list below, take a stand on one side of an ethical issue in business. You will defend your position in a short, clear, and succinct white paper. When choosing your topic, look outside of your comfort zone. Find a topic that you may not naturally agree with and argue to the contrary of your actual ethical beliefs.

Choose one of these topics for your assignment:

There is currently a hiring freeze for domestic positions while an international location is launched. Concerns have been expressed due to staff shortages in your local office.
A small team in your organization has taken credit for another group’s innovative work.
There are concerns that an organization’s culture does not represent the values of diversity and inclusion to the best of its ability.
Some lower-level staff members are concerned about what they view as unrealistic or conflicting goals set by their leaders.
There has been questionable use of the organization’s technology with potential violations of Internet policies.
Length: 3-4 pages, not including title or reference pages

References: Include a minimum of 3 scholarly resources.