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Case Studies
Repaying a good turn
Tom and Jerry were mechanical engineers of the Clark Gable Company Ltd (CG Co). The two were the same batch and had been with the company for only a short time. Recently, due to the re-organisation of the firm, some people would be laid off. Mechanical engineering work would then be vested with a larger company, the Rock Hudson Ltd. The first ones to go would be those who came last and thus Tom and Jerry's jobs would be in jeopardy.
Tom tried to find a way out for the two of them. They persuaded two friends, Sam and Tim who had similar training and background, to set up an engineering company called the Catch All Engineering Ltd (CAE). This would serve as a fallback in case they were really sacked.
Shortly after CAE was set up, the bad news released. Tom and Jerry were given notice to leave CG Co but, to their great surprise, Rock Hudson Ltd., which had taken over CG Co, offered to employ them to undertake their old duties.
Both of them were overjoyed. But then they had another problem. The two would have no more time to take care of matters related to CAE.
So one evening Tom and Jerry treated Sam and Tim to a sumptuous meal and told them that they could no longer share the business with them. Sam and Tim were outraged. They reprimanded Tom and Jerry for making use of them in the first place and then leaving them in the lurch. Trying to find a way out, Tim then made a proposal to Tom and Jerry.
Rock Hudson, as a major company, could provide many work opportunities. The only thing that had to be done was to get CAE on their approved list of contractors. Tom and Jerry could try to arrange that in whatever way possible. After all, CAE provided quality service and it had to survive.
Tom and Jerry were in a quandary. They counted themselves most fortunate to be still in employment and with an even larger company. And they wished they could help their friends out. Should they agree to add CAE to the approved list no matter what and no matter how? It would do Rock Hudson no harm anyway.
What would happen if they refused? Would they be indebted to Sam and Tim for the rest of their lives? How should they handle that?
Case Analysis
Tom and Jerry were facing an ethical dilemma that might put their personal values such as fairness and honesty to challenge. On one hand, they felt obliged to help Sam and Tim out as they were lured into setting up a company upon invitation; on the other hand, it might jeopardise their career if Tom and Jerry tried to put the company on the approved list of contractors without going through proper procedures. In handling the situation, they should identify the relevant facts and take stock of all stakeholders concerned. The following factors should be taken into consideration when identifying viable alternatives and choosing the best course of action for themselves:
- Does their decision violate their professional, industry specific, or company code of conduct?
- Is their decision against the law?
- Does it correspond with her self-values such as fairness and honesty?
- Can they disclose the decision to others openly and honestly without misgivings?
The ETHICS PLUS ethical decision making model might be helpful for them in solving the dilemma.