OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Ethical Communities Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:
1. Understand the four ethical communities
2. Apply an ethical community to your personal case situation

Complete the following making sure to support your ideas and cite from the textbook and other
course materials per APA guidelines. After the peer review, you have a chance to update this and
format for your Electronic Portfolio due in Module 6.

1) Briefly restate your situation from Module 1 and your role.

Our company needed to establish a distribution center in one of our major locations. To
achieve this, we had to divide a large warehouse into two separate units/warehouses. The
plan was for our team to dismantle the existing shelving and install new pallet racks in its
place. However, the project was delayed by a week due to the team members at the
location not completing their tasks before our arrival. As a project specialist in this
organization, my role involves overseeing inventory corrections, conducting full location
inventories, managing manufacturer claims and returns, handling warranty and defective
processes, and managing new location setups or closures, among other responsibilities.

2) Describe how the ethics of the organization influenced the situation.

Ethics within my PCA organization has frequently mirrored a blend of the extended
family and jungle metaphors, requiring us to switch between these two approaches based
on the circumstances and individuals involved (Bolman & Deal, 2021). The jungle
metaphor, emphasizing justice and power, tended to dominate, creating a politically
charged environment where conflicts and self-interest prevailed. This often led to
departmental silos competing and asserting power, contributing to the challenges we
faced. Conversely, when dealing with individuals, we learned more about the family
metaphor, emphasizing care and compassion. This balancing act between the two
metaphors was essential for navigating the various ethical challenges within the
organization.

3) Recommend how you would apply one of the ethical community metaphors (see
Exhibit 20.1 in Bolman and Deal) for an alternative course of action regarding your
case.

1
 The ethical community metaphor that particularly resonates with me for addressing the
current situation is the Factory metaphor of excellence and authorship, as outlined by
Bolman and Deal (2021). This metaphor highlights the significance of ensuring that work
is conducted efficiently and effectively to yield high-quality outcomes. In the context of
my case, the project could have been completed smoothly and within the set schedule if
the two top managers of the departments had collaborated on a plan. This approach
would have minimized conflicts and setbacks, as the project involved straightforward
processes that could have been easily accomplished with commitment and cooperation
from both departments.

4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently and give what you have learned
about ethics.

Reflecting on my understanding of ethics, I believe there are proactive steps I could take
to address challenges within the organization. One approach would be to facilitate a
meeting between the managers of the top two departments. By leveraging the factory
metaphor of excellence and authorship as described by Bolman and Deal (2021), we
could collaboratively develop a comprehensive plan to streamline the project initiation
process. This inclusive approach would ensure that both departments have a voice in
shaping the project's direction, leading to quicker delivery of intended outcomes with
fewer obstacles.

Reference:
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2021). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership
(7th ed.).