Ask week 3

First scenario: Sabstine In your period between 2004 and 2007 as sales manager at an international telecommunication / IT company, you might have gained your intercultural experience. In accordance with Robertson and Athanassiou 2009 argument, what is the most important concept of intercultural business and intercultural ethics have you learnt?
According to Svensson and Wood 2008, what is the importance of organizations having international or global standards? This is a very vital concept for organizations venturing into international market.
It is apparent that although an organization need to gain intercultural experience, there is a need not to try to change anyone’s moral standards. In what ways can you ensure this? This can be argued to be correct because organisations should get to learn and understand foreign cultures and incorporate their customs into their operations (Warren 2011).
When recruiting and hiring employees, an organization should have ethical approach towards the whole process. Explain how an organization should carryout this process in relation to its internationalisation. This is vital especially depending on whether an organization want to keep local standards and values or to create an international “ universal” code.
In what ways can an organization measure its code of conduct?
Why do you think the study of international ethics for organizations is important?
Second scenario: Neail
In relation to your quench to develop a leading-edge bionanotechnology-based detection system for laboratory medicine, what are some advantages of approaching the issue as group? It is apparent that working as a team could lead to new seminal findings and discoveries (Spence 1998).
In what ways can various cultures influence how work is done in laboratory? For example, some aspects like the cultural aspects of consensus thinking and problem-solving, seniority of position over those of junior standing and the notions of class or castes such as socioeconomic may highly impact on decision making and problem solving (Korthals 2008).
Do you think a more universal code, framework for operating or organizational guidelines can add greatly to improving your situation? If yes, state in what ways. For example, in some of your groups the notion of ‘ losing one’s face’ is very important concept that is varied by type of group. Therefore, taking a more relative than absolute approach to individual interpretations could be crucial (Svensson and Wood 2008).
Are there advantages of working with individuals with international experience? This is important because collaborative work may need people with vast experience on how to work as a group with people from other culture.
In what ways would an ethical, moral, and operating set of guidelines or policies help bring together a common understanding that would bridge cultural, gender, education, age and scientific field biases?
How would you apply the ideas about ethics in your CAL project?
In what ways can conflicting values help harmonize how the group interprets and acts upon certain actions? It is evident that issues affecting groups can contradict each other and the outcomes can have a varied outcome upon each group. According to Korthals 2008, Ethical Room for Maneuver’ or (ERM) is meant to construct ‘ ethically’ (how to properly define this is problematic) a processual flow of activities that are considered to be ‘ needed’ in the outcome sought of the events.
Third scenario: Akade
Explain why you argue in favour of a more universal code of business ethics to mitigate the complexities of compliance with internal and external code of ethics. This concept is important because according to Korthals, 2008, to be effective, organizations require ethical traceability to safeguard the integrity of the international code of ethics.
In what ways can an organisation reduce the ethical dilemma on whether to follow the company’s home country rules and customs, or whether to follow host country rules and local customs?
Explain ways through which your organization can apply the international code of ethics in practice?
Why do you think “ thin” universal concepts that have relevance to the “ thick is a strategy feasible option towards the resolution of my workplace problem?
How will you use the concepts and tensions evident in this week’s readings to inform your ongoing problematization and exploration of your workplace-based problem?
Why do you think efficacy of an international code of business ethics is a possible solution to your workplace problem?
Bibliography:
Korthals, M., 2008. Ethical rooms for maneuver and their prospects vis-a-vis the current ethical food policies in Europe, Journal of Agricultural & Environmental Ethics, 21 (3), pp. 249-273, EBSCOhost [Online] Available from: http://search. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. liv. ac. uk/login. aspx? direct= true&db= eih&AN= 32919820&site= ehost-live&scope= site (Accessed: 18. October 2012).
Robertson, C. J. and Athanassiou, N., 2009. Exploring business ethics research in the context of international business, Management Research News, 32 (12), pp. 1130-1146, Emerald [Online] Available from: http://dx. doi. org. ezproxy. liv. ac. uk/10. 1108/01409170911006894 (Accessed: 18. October 2012).
Spence, L. J., 1998. ‘ On effective interdisciplinary alliances in European business ethics research: Discussion and Illustration’, Journal of Business Ethics, 17(9/10), 1029-1044.
Svensson, G. and Wood, G., 2008. International standards of business conduct: framework and illustration, European Business Review, 20 (3), pp. 260-274, Emerald [Online] Available from: http://dx. doi. org. ezproxy. liv. ac. uk/10. 1108/09555340810871446 (Accessed: 18. October 2012).
Warren, R., C., 2011. Are we making progress in international business ethics?, Humanomics, 27 (3), pp. 212-224, Emerald [Online] Available from: http://dx. doi. org. ezproxy. liv. ac. uk/10. 1108/08288661111165240 (Accessed: 18. October 2012).