Organizational Behavior

Decision Making Model, The Case of Top Talent

Thanks to Sean initiating the discussion board, Trevor and Thomas for putting in valuable and meaning ful thoughts/points to the discussion. I was inundated with ton of work at my job, so I will try to do bit of catching up and try not to repeat points already made and try to bring in my perspective on Ethical Lens Theory/Baird Model to this case/ discussion.

Response to question raised by Sean:  What do you think this tells us about ethics overall?

The Baird Values is Tension Model there are competing values in decision making. Based on this model, the ethical behavior differs according to one’s personal perspective. Each individual act or perceives a situation ethically according to his/her own value system, personality, judgement and emotional state of mind. As they say, “we are all product of our circumstances”.

Baird model captures some of the real world situations, in which each individual may have different set of ethical response and that is what I have observed in the discussion by Sean using the Rights/Responsibility Lens, Trevor using Relationship Lens and Thomas using Results Lens to find out possible solution to the case.

Personal Perspective:

By definition of Eli Ethical Lens Inventory, I scored right in the middle top of Rights / Responsibility and Relationship Lens that means, I use reasoning skills (Rationality) to determine both the universal rules that each person should follow (Autonomy) and the process that will assure fairness and justice in all in community (Equality).  While respecting viewpoints expressed on the discussion board, I would like to discuss the case on the basis of Rationality the reason based approach.

I strongly believe in finding the root cause of an issue and the try to find a reasonable solution to a problem with available set of options.

Step 1: Be Attentive

1. Facts  

• As manager at new firm, need to hire people, to meet deadline of the project.
• “Proprietary Agreement” with previous firm in place.

              Assumptions

• Talented/knowledgeable hires are available in open market.

• The new company cares about its reputation.

1. Identify Values in Tension

• Need of talented new hires and the “Proprietary Agreement” with previous firm to not to solicit its employees for a period of one year.

1. What is the issue - question that has to be answered?

• What media and advertising content I should use to hire people without  violating the spirt of “ Proprietary Agreement”
• How to meet the deadlines of the new project without knowledgeable/talented people.

Step 2: Be Intelligent

• Rights/Responsibility Lens:  Need to honor the spirit and content of “Proprietary and Separation Agreement” to not to solicit employees from previous firms.
• Relationship Lens: I would advertise using broad spectrum of media to fairly and equitably seek candidates from open market, and keeping the spirit of agreement in mind, debarring applications of candidates from previous firm.
• Results Lens:  I do not want to pay severance or face litigation from previous firm, and in order to get mutually good results I will hire knowledgeable/talented workers who can be coached /trained easily to pick up work to meet project deadlines.
• Reputation Lens: I would be consistent in my approach displaying good moral character by not hiring individuals from previous firm by honoring the Proprietary Agreement. That will also enhance reputation of my new Organization.

Step 3: Be Reasonable

• Right/Responsibility Lens: I would keep my commitment to the Proprietary Agreement and would not solicit any candidate from previous firm.
• Relationship Lens: I would advertise using broad spectrum of media to fairly and equitably seek candidates from open market, and keeping the spirit of agreement in mind, debarring applications of candidates from previous firm.
• Results Lens:   In order to get mutually good results I will hire knowledgeable/talented workers who can be coached /trained easily to pick up work to meet project deadlines.
• Reputation Lens:  I would be consistent in my approach displaying good moral character by hiring individuals from open market, in spirit of Proprietary Agreement. That will also enhance reputation of my new Organization.

Steps 4 and 5:  I would choose to advertise on social media, however would not consider response from two employees from previous company. I believe that soliciting two candidates from previous firm overtly or covertly, simply giving a lead to the recruitment staff is the breach of ‘Proprietary Agreement”.  I do not agree with Thomas’ response on this issue as act of collusion by mentioning about talent at previous firm to someone in hiring position does not absolve one from the binding signatures on the Proprietary Agreement.