Ethics in Human Resources: An Exercise Involving New Employees

Abstract

This situation-based exercise introduces the concept of an ethical dilemma – a situation in which two or more values are in conflict. Ethical dilemmas in business concern four major areas: human resources, customer confidence, conflicts of interest, and the use of corporate resources (Treviňo & Nelson, 2010). Ethical dilemmas are most difficult to identify when they combine several different areas. New employees are especially vulnerable because they are often overwhelmed with information and have not yet been socialized into the company’s organizational and ethical culture. Human Resource Management can play a critical role fostering an ethical culture by providing orientation and training for all employees. The following case challenges students by placing them in the midst of a realistic business ethics situation.

Keywords: business ethics, ethical dilemma, human resource management, case study