Ethical Confusion - Right v/s Right?

1. Ethical Confusion –
Striking a right balanceGroup D2
TAPMI, Manipal

2. Once upon a time in our
Karmabhoomi ..
• Sadhus and Rishis had sex with girls without formally
marrying them
• An impotent man would ask a Brahmin to have babies
on his wife – Niyoga
• It was acceptable for men and women to have multiple
husbands or wives
• Concept of acceptable prostitution like Dev Dasis
• Kamasutra was a respected text
• Women wore revealing clothings
In latter times, all these became unacceptable , Why?

3. Determinants of Individual Ethics

4. Racism
• An Indian origin model and contestant on Big Brother
reality show has been facing a “tirade of insults”
• In 2007, an Indian celebrity had faced similar
situation
Other incidents:
• Nearly 88,000 racist incidents were recorded in
Britain's schools between 2007 and 2011.
• Indian students killed in Australia.

5. Racism : Unethical Or Less ethical
• It discriminate between
people.
• It make the culprit feel
superior ,not on the
basis of skills but on
place of origin.
• Racist would try to bully
the person against him.
• Violation of victim’s
right.
• The society had been
divided into groups since
the inception.
• The people from other
place will form a group.
It results into racism.
• The “racist” sometime
made the comment
because of her previous
experience with a person
from that “group”

6. Maruti Case
• More than 3000 workers went on a violent rampage
• One killed, many seriously injured (VPs, GMs, DGMs)
• Senior executives systematically targeted
• Intention to attack the senior staff, make plant defunct
• Reasons:
• Growing mistrust between the management and
union
• Young age profile of workers
• Perception of low wages
• Company’s failure to form Grievance Redressal
Committee

7. • Could not build trust among
workers
• Could not communicate
appropriately with factory level
staff
• Misunderstanding about
Grievance Redressal Committee
• Possibility of deliberate attempt
to create a rift between
management and workers
(rumors and badmouthing)
• Individual employees bore the
brunt of wrong company
policies.
• Lack of transparency and proper
communication form the
management’s side
• Dissatisfaction with wages
• Low education level and relatively
lower age group
• Influence from within the group
• Build-up of anger
• Company could not convince them
and win their trust
• Provocation by a senior employee
• Individual employees bore the brunt
of wrong company policies.
Management’s Viewpoint Workers’ Viewpoint

8. Rape
• It is a heinous crime
• The worst form of a woman’s oppression
• Perpetrators MUST be punished
• The circumstance doesn’t matter at all
• Media Intervention leads to speedy delivery of
Justice
• Awareness of punishment leads to prevention of
crime

9. Does the society think of the victim ?
• “What is lost by a rape victim is face”
• Ours is still Conservative society
• Reputation of victim is in peril
• Is media alive to the conditions prevalent in
the Indian society ?
• Are they sensitive and responsive to the rights
of victims?

10. RIGHT v/s RIGHT
• Difference between right and wrong is connected to
ethicality
• Players in governance of ethics – Religion,
Community , Traditional values ,Reference group etc
• Confusion out of conflicting value systems among
these groups
• System witnesses wrath of one right on other ‘rights’

11. Nature of Ethical Confusion
• Value responses getting stuck into the past
• Value expectations keep on changing
• Value responses not in tune with changing Value
expectations
• Value responses not evolving with an evolving
culture

12. Compulsions From Customs
Example of a marriage :
• Squeeze of dowry often stretched to an
unimaginable extent
• Boy’s parents ask to break the formal commitment
for marriage.
• Does the boy listen to their parents as a dutiful son?
• Does he refuse it as unethical as per modern
practice?

13. Dilemma Of Society
• Need to improve the
standard of living V/s
Sticking to ethical
principles
• Bowing to the demands
of authority and Power
V/s An ideal agent of
state
• Strength of personal
values V/s Hazy ethical
ambience of India

14. For us , as Managers
Is it possible to :
• Reconcile between two systems with conflicting
values?
• Come out of an unethical system rather than being
spoiled within?
• Reform an unethical system from within?
• Address conflicts between ethics and rules?
• Follow business ethics through corporate
governance?

15. THANK YOU