Activity 1

EHRM1514 – ONLINE ASSIGNMENT 1: ETHICS in HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

STUDENT INSTRUCTIONS

Dear student

The purpose of assignment 1 is for you, your group members, and your tutor to get to know each other
better. You will have to start communicating with your group members and provide them with
constructive and supportive feedback. You will be expected to make meaningful contributions based on
the questions that you are provided with.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSIGNMENT 1

A final assignment (‘Word’ document) must be uploaded on Blackboard in the assignment link called:
Assignment 1

Question 1 (1 mark)

Instructions for question 1 (20 minutes)

 Students are expected to form groups of between 10 – 12 students.
 Each student must introduce him/ herself to their group members. The purpose of this activity
is to break the ice in the group and to encourage students start to communicating effectively
and efficiently with one another.

1. Introduce yourself to your tutor and the group.

1.2 Tell the group and your tutor what your dream job is and also why human resource management is relevant
to your specific field of study.

 E.g. My name is … and HR is relevant to Public Administration because it … (reason)

 Question 2 (7 marks)

Instructions for question 2 (30 minutes)

 Students must share their views regarding the question posed below and explain what their
thoughts were based on.
 This question aims to ensure that students’ communication and critical thinking skills are
stimulated.
2.1 Discuss and provide your view on what ethics is and what it is not. (2 marks)
2.2 Discuss and provide your view on what a responsible person is and whether being a responsible person is
the same as being ethical. (5 marks)

Question 3 (5 marks)

Instructions for question 2 (30 minutes)

 Students must form two sub-groups for this question.
 One sub-group will argue why it IS important to have and adhere to ethical responsibilities and
values while the other sub-group why it is NOT important to have and adhere to ethical
responsibilities and values
 This question aims to ensure that students’ communication and critical thinking skills are
stimulated.

Companies often have a code of conduct document that informs team members of their ethical responsibilities.
Businesses also publicizes their values statement (ethical standards) to which they hold themselves.

3.1 Explain to your group members why you think, taking the time to formulate business ethical standards and
code of conduct is important or is NOT important for the organisation.
 Question 4 (7 marks)

Instructions for question 2 (30 minutes)

Read the scenario and then answer the questions that follow in your group.
Sophia is about to finish high school and she has received a fully paid scholarship to study at the University of
Cape Town, However, it feels like the whole world is falling apart. She is not entirely sure what is going on, but
her parents have been fighting constantly over the past few months. She even overheard them considering
divorce.
To make matters worse, Sophia’s mom has started drinking again. Her mom is a recovering alcoholic and has
been sober for six years, but with the constant fighting, she has “fallen off the wagon” again. Sophia’s father
doesn’t know it yet, but all the signs are there. The moment Sophia’s dad leaves for work, her mom dashes into
the car and reaches for the “water bottle” under the seat. She hides bottles in the laundry room where she thinks
Sophia’s dad won't see them. She speaks with a slur. She drives irresponsibly when she takes Sophia and her
siblings to school and often forgets to pick them up after school. Yet she sleeps it off before Sophia’s father gets
home at night, so for the moment, he does not seem to suspect anything.

Sophia’s mom went to rehab when Sophia was in primary school. Sophia’s dad has threatened he would leave
her and the children if she ever goes back to again. It was like living in a nightmare. Sophia’s parents are already
in a bad space. If she tells her father her mother is drinking again, her dad will leave all of them. If she doesn’t
say anything, something bad could happen to her mom or siblings. Can she still accept the scholarship obtained
for the University of Cape Town whilst her family is in Bloemfontein? Can she leave her younger siblings with
their mom? What will happen to them? Sophia feels like there isn’t a single good choice to make. What should
Sophia do?
Questions
4.1 As a group, indicate whether the ethical dilemma can be resolved with the ethical decision-making
framework. (1 mark)
4.2 Name the ethical decision-making frameworks you learned in class. (4 marks)
4.3 Choose the best-suited approach to resolve the ethical dilemma and share your thoughts with the class on
why you think your group approach is the most suitable. (2 marks)

Reflection Time (10 minutes)

 Allow a few students provide to provide feedback on the session.

 Ask them to elaborate on what was positive and negative about the session.
 Ask whether they can see the link with the theory.
 Rubric for assessing the Unit 4: Ethics in Human Resource Management

Excellent Good Needs Improvement Total

Question The student states what Not done Not done 1
1 his/her dream job is and (0 marks) (0 marks)
explains why HR is relevant
to your specific field of
study.

Question Students (group members) Students (group members) Students (group 2

2 have a comprehensive have a partial members) do not
understanding of what understanding of what have an
ethics is (definition) and ethics is and what ethics is understanding what
what ethics is not. not. ethics is and what
ethics is not.

Discussed and provided Partially discussed and No discussion and 5

their view on what a provided their view on what provided on their
responsible person is and a responsible person is and view on what a
whether being a whether being a responsible person
responsible person is the responsible person is the is and whether
same as being ethical same as being ethical being a responsible
person is the same
as being ethical
Question Students identified and Students identified and Students did not 5
3 explained the partially explained the identify the
necessity/importance of necessity/importance of importance of
formulating business ethical formulating business ethical formulating
standards and a code of standards and a code of business ethical
conduct conduct standards and a
code of conduct
Question Students (group members) Students (group members) Students (group 7
4 indicated that an ethical indicated that an ethical members) indicated
decision-making framework decision-making framework that an ethical
can resolve this dilemma can resolve this dilemma. decision-making
(1) framework can
Provided and briefly resolve this
Provided and briefly explained 3 or 2 important dilemma.
explained the four (4) ethical decision-making
important ethical-making frameworks. Provided 1 only or 0
frameworks. ethical decision-
Choose an applicable making frameworks.
Choose an applicable approach and motivated
approach with/without theory. Did not identify any
(Consequentialism /virtue applicable
ethics and motivated with approach.
theory (2)

Total 20