Short Paper#1 Qin Yao

Does Diversity Affect Ethical decision?

How are ethics and diversity related? Before my first experience with the business world, my view on diversity and ethics was narrow. When it comes to a business, most decisions are made by a group of individuals commonly filled with different backgrounds. By attending multiple meetings on important decisions for the company, I have experienced firsthand the importance of diversity in an executive environment. So how does one define diversity? On the surface, diversity relates to an individual’s gender, race, cultural background, and religious beliefs. However, on a deeper level, there are many factors that contribute to an individual’s persona. Common examples include where they were raised, who they were raised by, the schools they attended, the country they are from, and the work experience they have been trained in. When making a decision, all of these facets must be taken to consideration. Businesses showcase how cultural diversity affects decision making. For example, a food franchise owned by a couple from India decides they would like to have security installed into one of their branches. They have made a choice to stay in a budget range of $800-$1,000 for the installation and setup. The company they hire has a flat rate of $1,200 for installation, plus labor fees for repair and maintenance. The sales client they speak with is Italian. He was raised in a very strict household where his parent’s decisions are as is with no negotiations. He also has a military background and has been trained to always respect his superior’s decision. The security company needs this sale to profit for this financial quarter, but the food manager and the sales client cannot come to an agreement. They finally send another sales client, who happens to also be Indian, to help meet a mutual agreement by lowering the flat rate to $1,000 if the security installers are given free lunch at the branch during labor hours. Because of the Indian’s background of marketing and trade, they comply and sign the contract, thus closing the deal. Another example of diversity may include several managers who work for a department store. Corporate has informed their branch that they are merging with another store and will be absorbing employees from that branch. The other store has a history for performing their duties in a vastly different way, with the managers deciding to steer away from corporate policy in order to keep more customers in their store. When the merger occurs, 2 managers are brought over as well as 6 employees. The holiday season is coming up and the company needs to