The Problem: The Case of the Troubling Inquiry

At lunch one day a friend, who is an excellent mid-level scientist in the company in which you work, tells you she wants to talk with you about a problem. She has a suspicion that she is being paid less that her male colleagues and wants your help. You have just been doing some research and know that the women scientists are in fact being paid less than the men with comparable experience and comparable education in the field.

The hiring practice had been to bring people in at the lowest possible salary. You know that the research shows that because women tend to be more tentative about salary, they don't ask for top dollar. You have just completed a salary survey in your company and know that women scientists are currently being paid 10% less then men with the same credentials in many cases. Your preliminary work indicates that to bring the women into parity with the men will cost approximately $37,500 per quarter.

Here is the assignment:

Worksheet 5: For this part of the Assignment, you are asked to Be Reflective, asyou consider both how you made the decision as well as your response to theAssignment.

In this segment you consider how you corrected for personal bias and your own blind spots-hubris-and have attended to the common good.This part of the Assignment must have citations and references. Use the questions as headings for each section, and write no more than a paragraph on each.

? Discuss whether or not the ethical analysis made sense. As you considered the section in the Baird text that described the process that those from the deontological school of thought use for ethical analysis, what were the strengths and weaknesses of this process? What were the problems with the process?What are the sticking points?

? Did you like the results? Did you like the reasons for taking the action, the rationale that is part of the deontological school of thought? Do you get a sense that you would follow these results or the rationale in real life? Why or why not?

? What insights do you have about this problem that you would like to share with others? What information would you appreciate from them?

? How would adding the world of emotion and conscience help clarify your decision, as described on the first page of Chapter 7 of the Baird text? Ethical maturity is often defined as not only being responsible but also considering others in the decision. Why is considering others important in the particular problem you were asked to resolve?

? Consider the spiritual perspective-spirituality being defined as that which gives life and work meaning and purpose. As you begin to see yourself in light of the community, how can you (and others in the organization) begin to discipline your desires so you can live fully in the present with faith and trust, avoiding self-righteousness and self-deception?