Question

Discuss how to think through the ethical implications of using a new operations management technique to improve organizational performance.

Answer 1

The thinking through the ethical implication of the new operations management technique starts with the tradeoff between profitability and value to be created for the organization and the training and employability skills to be raised for the employees. When a new operation management technique such as automation process is adapted, then it helps organization to be efficient and more productive, but it can also reduce jobs as most of the jobs are done by the new operations management technique. So, it is unethical to fire the employees and to prevent it, organization needs to train the employees and lake them eligible to work for other functions. It creates value to the employees and they can either continue in the same organization, or find jobs in other organization. The next thinking goes to assess the intention of the implementation of the new operations management technique, that should be morally right and ethical correct with established standard of the society. If it is done, then implementation of new technique is ethical and it should be pursued. The Third level of thinking, should assess the consequences of implementing new operations management technique in terms of impact upon employees, upon their families, pollution and society at large. This impact analysis tells about the outcome of the implementation  of new operations management technique. If the impact analysis gives morally right outcome, then the action taken up by the organization is ethical in nature and organization should pursue it. If not, then organization should reconsider it.