A Reflection of Our Learning
During the past nine weeks, I can conclude I have taken something away from every lesson. In identifying just three, I will select the lessons that were most thought-provoking and cause for self-reflection more so than others. Overall, the course has helped me better understand alternative considerations as it pertains to ethical decisions as well as to the extent these ethical decisions and behaviors affect others. Through self-reflection, I have been able to re-evaluate how I have not always made decisions to act or behave in accordance with my morals. Becoming aware of these hypocrisies caused me to look more closely at my decisions so I may better align them with my values and beliefs.
Looking back at the lesson on whether or not management is a true profession was a valuable look into what makes a profession a profession in fact. The traditional 'professions' that are based on a specific skillset that society relies heavily upon by their citizens for accounting, law and order, for healthcare, for infrastructure and religion and governed by its own professional body with an adherence to a particular code of conduct is the standard by which we determine what is, or is to become a profession. Barker (2010) shares "True professions have codes of conduct, and the meaning and consequences of those codes are taught as part of the formal education of their members...unlike doctors and lawyers, managers don't adhere to a universal and enforceable code of conduct"
Management takes a variety of skills and capabilities to plan, organize, coordinate, synchronize and help execute the efforts of their subordinates utilizing any and all related resources in the accomplishment of given objectives. While management has numerous honorable aspects in the way of contributing to society, it lacks the focused skillset, a governing body, a code of conduct and a controlling professional school of education. "...neither the boundaries of the discipline of management or consensus on the requisite body of knowledge exists. No professional body is granted control, no formal entry or certification is required, no ethical standards are enforced, and no mechanism can exclude someone from practice...moreover, management can never be a profession, and policies predicated on the assumption that it can are inherently flawed" (Barker, 2010).
Another wonderful lesson I enjoyed learning more about was the ethics of punishment. While our society is imbued with judgment and condemnation, we rarely question the presumed justifications and if they balance with our morals and growth as a society. In my experience, misery loves company! In other words, when a person or persons feel hurt or wronged by another, despite what the facts may show, the hurt or wronged party nearly always requests retribution. In doing so, what do these retributive acts, or sentences offer us besides perhaps a sense of fairness? It is difficult to measure pain, determine proportional but effective punishments and understand what it takes to heal mental and emotional injury. Digenarro Reed & Lovett (2008) states, "Some scholars (LaVigna & Donnellan, 1986) have argued that punishment is unnecessary, claiming that reinforcement-based strategies provide the efficacy of punishment without harmful side-effects, thereby making punishment unethical."
While it appears that little research studies relating to why we should not negatively punish the accused compared as to why we should, it is difficult to empirically show and thus justify other non-harmful strategies. Until this data becomes substantial, it may be some time before our justice system changes for the better. As credible philosophers such as Immanuel Kant continue to offer dispositions in support of 'an eye for an eye' rule of law, we will continue to be challenged in showing the efficacy of new ways to express retributivism through our justice system. "- Kant, qualifying the right to impose criminal punishment as "the right of the sovereign as the supreme power to inflict pain upon a subject on account of a crime committed by him," lays down the philosophical foundations of retributivism asserting that punishment 'must in all occasions be imposed only because the individual on whom it is inflicted has committed a crime" (Materni, 2013).
Although it may be simplistic by way of an example, I believe 'The Train Dilemma' offers a great deal in terms of considering not only what we think is right, moral and ethical, but the rights of those affected by our decisions where we would not typically look to in consideration. Understanding now that choosing a greater number of lives over a lesser amount may be seen as the more ethical choice on the surface, however, in doing so, we must look at all the facts, consider what we do not know, what assumptions we are making and what options do we have from which to choose (if time allows). In the version of the Train Dilemma where we have five children on the tracks that a train is headed towards while we are in control of a switch that, if thrown, would redirect the train to another track where there was one child. Immediately we all think to save the greater amount of lives, but in doing so, we take away the right of the one child that is not in harm's way and place them there. If we thought to redirect the train was the best choice, would it still be if the single child was one of our own?
Looking back at the lesson on whether or not management is a true profession was a valuable look into what makes a profession a profession in fact. The traditional 'professions' that are based on a specific skillset that society relies heavily upon by their citizens for accounting, law and order, for healthcare, for infrastructure and religion and governed by its own professional body with an adherence to a particular code of conduct is the standard by which we determine what is, or is to become a profession. Barker (2010) shares "True professions have codes of conduct, and the meaning and consequences of those codes are taught as part of the formal education of their members...unlike doctors and lawyers, managers don't adhere to a universal and enforceable code of conduct"
Management takes a variety of skills and capabilities to plan, organize, coordinate, synchronize and help execute the efforts of their subordinates utilizing any and all related resources in the accomplishment of given objectives. While management has numerous honorable aspects in the way of contributing to society, it lacks the focused skillset, a governing body, a code of conduct and a controlling professional school of education. "...neither the boundaries of the discipline of management or consensus on the requisite body of knowledge exists. No professional body is granted control, no formal entry or certification is required, no ethical standards are enforced, and no mechanism can exclude someone from practice...moreover, management can never be a profession, and policies predicated on the assumption that it can are inherently flawed" (Barker, 2010).
Another wonderful lesson I enjoyed learning more about was the ethics of punishment. While our society is imbued with judgment and condemnation, we rarely question the presumed justifications and if they balance with our morals and growth as a society. In my experience, misery loves company! In other words, when a person or persons feel hurt or wronged by another, despite what the facts may show, the hurt or wronged party nearly always requests retribution. In doing so, what do these retributive acts, or sentences offer us besides perhaps a sense of fairness? It is difficult to measure pain, determine proportional but effective punishments and understand what it takes to heal mental and emotional injury. Digenarro Reed & Lovett (2008) states, "Some scholars (LaVigna & Donnellan, 1986) have argued that punishment is unnecessary, claiming that reinforcement-based strategies provide the efficacy of punishment without harmful side-effects, thereby making punishment unethical."
While it appears that little research studies relating to why we should not negatively punish the accused compared as to why we should, it is difficult to empirically show and thus justify other non-harmful strategies. Until this data becomes substantial, it may be some time before our justice system changes for the better. As credible philosophers such as Immanuel Kant continue to offer dispositions in support of 'an eye for an eye' rule of law, we will continue to be challenged in showing the efficacy of new ways to express retributivism through our justice system. "- Kant, qualifying the right to impose criminal punishment as "the right of the sovereign as the supreme power to inflict pain upon a subject on account of a crime committed by him," lays down the philosophical foundations of retributivism asserting that punishment 'must in all occasions be imposed only because the individual on whom it is inflicted has committed a crime" (Materni, 2013).
Although it may be simplistic by way of an example, I believe 'The Train Dilemma' offers a great deal in terms of considering not only what we think is right, moral and ethical, but the rights of those affected by our decisions where we would not typically look to in consideration. Understanding now that choosing a greater number of lives over a lesser amount may be seen as the more ethical choice on the surface, however, in doing so, we must look at all the facts, consider what we do not know, what assumptions we are making and what options do we have from which to choose (if time allows). In the version of the Train Dilemma where we have five children on the tracks that a train is headed towards while we are in control of a switch that, if thrown, would redirect the train to another track where there was one child. Immediately we all think to save the greater amount of lives, but in doing so, we take away the right of the one child that is not in harm's way and place them there. If we thought to redirect the train was the best choice, would it still be if the single child was one of our own?
In the train version where we are asked to choose between throwing ourselves, or another onto the track to save the group of which we are part of, most people would choose to throw another in order to save themselves and the group. Sachdeva et al. (2015) shares "...people would approve the killing to save oneself more than killing to save others...when the decision-maker was part of the group at risk, he or she was more likely to approve of sacrificing of another person to save the group and the self, relative to the condition where the decision-makers life was not at stake." I find it interesting to think while most people act on behalf of self-preservation, society still believes that self-sacrifice for the greater is the more ethical decision.
Throughout this course, I have enjoyed watching my curiosities and perspectives on how I would apply what I have learned and become aware of as it relates to myself, my work-life and the community in which I live. I can say to each extent that it will be my constant self-monitoring of the application of ethics to become the person I want to be as well as the example for others within my organization and society at large for which to follow.
Life continues to show me there are numerous factors that people leverage to rationalize their immoral behavior and decisions. I find typically their decisions are solely fear-based; afraid of not getting, having or doing what they value most at the moment. The problem? Indifference. The solution? Education. If society 'does not know what they do not know,' then how can we expect society to make better ethical decisions?
Reference:
Barker, R. (2010, August.). The big idea: No, management is not a profession [Harvard Business Review]. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2010/07/the-big-idea-no-management-is-not-a-profession
DiGenarro Reed, F. D. & Lovett, B. J. (2008). Views on the efficacy and ethics of punishment: Results from a national survey. International Journey of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy, 4(1), 61-67. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2009-04078-006.pdf
Materni, M. C. (2013). Criminal punishment and the pursuit of justice. Retrieved from https://hls.harvard.edu/content/uploads/2011/09/michele-materni-criminal-punishment.pdf
Sachdeva, S, Iliev, R., Ekhtiari, H. & Dehghani, M. (2015, June 15.). The role of self-sacrifice in moral dilemmas. PLOS ONE. Retrieved from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0127409
Throughout this course, I have enjoyed watching my curiosities and perspectives on how I would apply what I have learned and become aware of as it relates to myself, my work-life and the community in which I live. I can say to each extent that it will be my constant self-monitoring of the application of ethics to become the person I want to be as well as the example for others within my organization and society at large for which to follow.
Life continues to show me there are numerous factors that people leverage to rationalize their immoral behavior and decisions. I find typically their decisions are solely fear-based; afraid of not getting, having or doing what they value most at the moment. The problem? Indifference. The solution? Education. If society 'does not know what they do not know,' then how can we expect society to make better ethical decisions?
Reference:
Barker, R. (2010, August.). The big idea: No, management is not a profession [Harvard Business Review]. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2010/07/the-big-idea-no-management-is-not-a-profession
DiGenarro Reed, F. D. & Lovett, B. J. (2008). Views on the efficacy and ethics of punishment: Results from a national survey. International Journey of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy, 4(1), 61-67. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2009-04078-006.pdf
Materni, M. C. (2013). Criminal punishment and the pursuit of justice. Retrieved from https://hls.harvard.edu/content/uploads/2011/09/michele-materni-criminal-punishment.pdf
Sachdeva, S, Iliev, R., Ekhtiari, H. & Dehghani, M. (2015, June 15.). The role of self-sacrifice in moral dilemmas. PLOS ONE. Retrieved from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0127409
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