Corporate Universities:Corporate Universities:The New Keepers of theThe New Keepers of the

Ethical Flame?Ethical Flame?

Philip McGee

Clemson University

Corporate Universities:Corporate Universities:The New Keepers of theThe New Keepers of the

Ethical Flame?Ethical Flame?

Philip McGee

Clemson University

Behavior

VS.

Performance

Behavior

VS.

Performance

Three Influencers of Behavior:Three Influencers of Behavior:

• Goals

• Needs

• Values

Goal

Need

Value

EthicsEthics

Type into any Internet search engine the keyword unethical behavior to find the following:

• Unethical Behavior of Pharmacists

• Real Estate

• Medical Schools

• Sports Agents Preying on Student-Athletes

• Accounting and Banking

For unethical companies…For unethical companies… For unethical companies…For unethical companies…

• Employees are turning their backs on employers who lack a sense of moral responsibility.

• It is estimated they lose almost $3 trillion dollars a year in the U.S. alone.

For ethical companies…For ethical companies… For ethical companies…For ethical companies…

• With good reputations tend to enhance their brand image.

• Productivity and the quality of their products and services improve.

• Companies with environmental management systems substantially reduce their operating costs.

As teachers and trainers… As teachers and trainers…

I believe that we have, and have I believe that we have, and have had, a tremendous amount of had, a tremendous amount of influence upon the ethical behavior influence upon the ethical behavior displayed in our society. We are at displayed in our society. We are at the same time, both part of the the same time, both part of the problem, and part of the solution.problem, and part of the solution.

As teachers and trainers… As teachers and trainers…

I believe that we have, and have I believe that we have, and have had, a tremendous amount of had, a tremendous amount of influence upon the ethical behavior influence upon the ethical behavior displayed in our society. We are at displayed in our society. We are at the same time, both part of the the same time, both part of the problem, and part of the solution.problem, and part of the solution.

Business RelationshipsBusiness Relationships

TrustTrust

TruthTruth

How Work Was Viewed In How Work Was Viewed In Ancient Times Ancient Times

(400 B.C. – 400 A.D.)(400 B.C. – 400 A.D.)

Both the Greeks and Romans used slaves in an Both the Greeks and Romans used slaves in an attempt to avoid work.attempt to avoid work.

PlatoPlato

Saint Saint Augustine Augustine

Education in Education in Ancient TimesAncient Times

How Was Work Viewed How Was Work Viewed During the Middle Ages? During the Middle Ages? (400– 1400)(400– 1400)

The Search for Truth The Search for Truth During the Middle Ages During the Middle Ages

Peter Abelard (1079-1142)

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

Roger Bacon (1214 -1294)

Higher Education during Higher Education during the Middle Agesthe Middle Ages

How Work Was Viewed How Work Was Viewed During the Renaissance? During the Renaissance? (1400 – 1700)(1400 – 1700)

Martin Luther (1483 – 1546)Martin Luther (1483 – 1546)

John Calvin (1509-1564) John Calvin (1509-1564)

The Search for Truth During The Search for Truth During the Renaissancethe Renaissance

Christopher Columbus (1451 - 1506)

Sir Thomas More (1478-1535)

Galileo Galilei (1564 -1642)

René Descartes (1596 -1650)

Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

Hobbes, Thomas (1588-1679)

Robert Boyle (1627 -1691)

Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727)

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716)

John Locke (1692-1704)

Higher Education During the Higher Education During the RenaissanceRenaissance

In American Harvard College is In American Harvard College is founded in 1636founded in 1636

How Work Was Viewed How Work Was Viewed During the Age of Reason During the Age of Reason (1700-1800)(1700-1800)

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1780)Benjamin Franklin (1706-1780)

•“Work as if you were to live a hundred years, pray as if you were to die tomorrow.

•Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

•Well done is better than well said.

•Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee.

He that hath a Trade hath an Estate

The Search for Truth The Search for Truth During the Age of During the Age of Reason (1700-1800)Reason (1700-1800)

Major philosophers of this period were:

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)

David Hume (1711-76)

Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-78)

Adam Smith (1723-1790)

Higher Education During the Higher Education During the Age of Reason (1700-1800)Age of Reason (1700-1800)

American universities continue to be established.American universities continue to be established.

 

Church Related:

Yale (1701) Congregationalist

Princeton (1746) Presbyterian

Columbia (1754) Episcopal

Rutgers (1766) Presbyterian

Brown (1764) Baptist

Dartmouth (1769) Congregationalist

 

State Universities:

University of North Carolina (1789)

How Work Was Viewed During the How Work Was Viewed During the Industrial Revolution (1800-1900)Industrial Revolution (1800-1900)

The secularized work ethic rejected the The secularized work ethic rejected the concept of a calling and replaced it with concept of a calling and replaced it with the concept of public usefulness.the concept of public usefulness.

The Search for Truth During the The Search for Truth During the Industrial Revolution (1800-1900)Industrial Revolution (1800-1900)

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

John Stuart Mill (1806-73)

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900)

Higher Education During Higher Education During the Industrial Revolution the Industrial Revolution (1800-1900)(1800-1900)

State Universities:

University of Georgia (1801)

University of South Carolina (1803)

 

Land Grant Universities:

As our nation grew, so did our need for people trained in agriculture and engineering. To meet this need The Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862 was passed and provided an open door for the common man to earn a university degree. Because these were state school that focused on “what worked” their orientation and curriculums were pragmatic in nature.

How Work Was Viewed in How Work Was Viewed in the 20the 20thth Century Century

During the twentieth century work in During the twentieth century work in America shifted from manufacturing and America shifted from manufacturing and agriculture to knowledge and information agriculture to knowledge and information generating and manipulation. While the generating and manipulation. While the twentieth century stated out in the industrial twentieth century stated out in the industrial age it closed out in the information age.age it closed out in the information age.

The Search for Truth in the The Search for Truth in the 2020thth Century Century

William James (1842-1910)

John Dewey (1859-1952)

George Santayana (1863-1952)

Martin Heidegger (1889-1976)

Jean Paul Sartre (1905-80)

Higher Education During the 20th Century

Higher education, driven by the information age, has gown exponentially during the twentieth century. Sleepy tree lined campuses have been turned into educational super-markets. Most every community has at a minimum a community college that offers both day and evening classes. If you can’t attend a class in person, you can now go online with any number of private, public, or for profit colleges and universities who are more than eager to fulfill your educational and training needs. In short, education has become big business with at times, big business ethics.

What Will it Be Like to Work in the 21What Will it Be Like to Work in the 21stst Century?Century?

"Good" jobs--those offering health insurance and a pension, along with a prospect for advancement--are increasingly relics of the past.

Increase in the use of temporary employees.

Highly flexible organizational forms--often called networked organizations or virtual corporations—will become increasingly common in the future.

Higher Education in the 21st Century Higher Education in the 21st Century

• Residential institutions of higher education at the undergraduate level.

• Continued growth of community and technical colleges.

• Introduction of corporate universities.

• Increased use of technology.

A Little HistoryA Little History

Mid-Evil Universities

Founded by the Church

Scripture = Truth

Mid-Evil Universities

Founded by the Church

Scripture = Truth

Universities After the Enlightenment

Founded by the State

Experimental Method = Truth

Universities After the Enlightenment

Founded by the State

Experimental Method = Truth

Corporate Universities

Founded by Corporations

Pragmatism = Truth

Corporate Universities

Founded by Corporations

Pragmatism = Truth

Jarvis, P. (2001). Universities and Corporate Universities. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing Inc.

Corporate Values in the 21st Century Corporate Values in the 21st Century

“In a business world still reeling from corporate scandals, HR leaders – past and present – from some of the nation’s largest employers consider HR’s new role in steering a company’s legal and ethical activities from the top down.”

Ricard F. Stolz

“In a business world still reeling from corporate scandals, HR leaders – past and present – from some of the nation’s largest employers consider HR’s new role in steering a company’s legal and ethical activities from the top down.”

Ricard F. Stolz

Stolz, R.F. (2003, January). What HR Will Stand For. Human Resource Executive. 20-28.

Major Philosophical ApproachesMajor Philosophical Approaches

AbsolutismAbsolutism RelativismRelativism

Theoretical Normative•Teleological Theories

•Deontological Theories

•Environmental Ethics

Theoretical Normative•Teleological Theories

•Deontological Theories

•Environmental Ethics

1. Human Resources: Development and Protection of People.

Four Basic Areas of Corporate Social Responsibility

Four Basic Areas of Corporate Social Responsibility

2. Community, Cultural and Societal Involvement and Philanthropy.

3. Environmental Protection, Waste Reduction and Sustainability.

4. Product, Consumer, and Service Contributions and Protections.

Adapted from: Hatcher, Tim. (2002). Ethics and HRD. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing.

Let’s Do an ExerciseLet’s Do an Exercise

Strategic PlanStrategic Plan

Ethical GoalEthical Goal

Policies and GuidelinesPolicies and Guidelines

Rules and ProceduresRules and Procedures

Measure, Monitor and EvaluateMeasure, Monitor and Evaluate

Let’s ShareLet’s Share

Thanks for Coming!Thanks for Coming!

A Post Conference Website for This Session can be Found at:

A Post Conference Website for This Session can be Found at:

http://people.clemson.edu/~pmcgee/Ethics/Ethics_Menu.html