Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Summer A Blog Post I


Blog Posting I (Summer A)

This first blog posting deals with an ethical question.  Remember, there is no right or wrong answer.  Suppose a colleague of yours left her computer on.   You try your best to mind your own business, but the temptation overwhelms your senses of decency (not that you really had any to begin with).  So, as you peer over the desk, you see an unsent email on her screen.   With famished eyes, you read the text, perusing every juicy morsel of text.  It appears that, Jane, your colleague and competitor, has left the following message for your accidental perusal:

Dear Rich:
After last night together, I decided that I want to run away with you. I know it's crazy, but crazy and love go together fire and passion.  I don't care about my husband or kids.  All I care about is you.  I miss the strong squeeze of your arms around my waist and your heavy breathing against my cheek at night ;-)  It's hard to go an hour without your firm, gentle touch.

I know you worry that my husband will find out.  Well, you shouldn't.  He doesn't know anything about us.  Actually, he really believes I still love him.  I can hide from him, but I can't hide from you.  Hold me, take me, and love me.

Jane X0X0

Now you stand at the computer with the power to wreck the lives of two people employed within the company. Rich is the senior technical writer and Jane is a products specialist.  Both are employees of Mastech, a microchip company.  You never liked Jane, and she is your direct competitor for the big promotion.

 No one is in the office at the moment.  You have four scenarios to choose from.  Pick one of them and write your first response on your own personal blog page.

(I)You decide to cc Jane's email to everyone in the company.  Do you think doing this would be a justifiable action?  What might happen to the people involved should everyone know Jane's feelings about Rich?  Could you gain anything by doing something to hurt these two?  What might you lose if you sent the email?

(2)Read over chapter 11 of your text and discuss how Jane is incorrectly using email?  Also, what legal trouble could Jane face by sending this email through work?

(3)You decide to do nothing.  Despite your hatred for Jane, you don't want to risk any backlash from the parties involved.  Is this is a wise decision?  Would your personal outcome be better or worse if you decide to walk away?

(4)Suddenly, Jane appears in the cubicle, startling you.  She demands to know what you are doing in her work area.  How would handle this situation?  Would you mention that you read her email to Rich?  Would you threaten her with that evidence?  Or would you feign ignorance?

7 comments:

  1. I will do nothing about the situation as I would not want any backlash from the parties involved. I also think this is Jane's personal matter and she herself has to decide what is moral and right for her and her family. If I confront her about this situation, what guarantee does it gives me that she will not do this again outside of work place where she meets up with Rich. I think Jane is old enough to understand what she is doing and what will be the outcome of this whole situation.
    Thanks
    sonal

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jane is using her work email to send a highly sensitive and personal message to her lover who also works at the same company. Work emails are the property if the company and are meant to be used for work related communications only. Any email sent or received by an employee is the property of the company and it should be assumed that it will be scanned, monitored, and archived. By sending Rich such a personal email, Jane is risking not only her position and her job but also his. The chance of public humiliation through private messages sent through work email is very high. The recipient is not only Rich, but also his supervisor. To void any potential problems, Jane should send her shameful love-letter through her personal email, from her own computer, and from behind closed doors. After all, email is not a safe way to send such a letter to Rich!

    Leila

    ReplyDelete
  3. In this situation I decided to take no action despite my hatred towards Jane as I would not like to be involved in unethical situations. Furthermore, I would like the promotion to be earned based on my hard work and qualifications not based on revealing Jane affair with Rich as this could potentially place a burden on myself for destroying their families and also Rich and Jane Professional careers. This would be the best course of action as I would still have an opportunity to be promoted if my work and qualifications meet the requirements for the position.
    Thanks
    Yannier

    ReplyDelete
  4. In this situation I do not want to get involved. Despite my hatred to Jane it's not for me to decide her wrong actions. I don't want any backlash from other parties. In order for me to be successful at my job I will not counteract with her because of her personal affair.
    Thanks,
    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  5. Honestly, I wouldn't do anything at the moment. If she is my direct competitor for a promotion, she certainly isn't doing herself any favors by using her work email to send a very personal email. Therefore yes, it would be in my best interest to walk away. Should I be the one to win the promotion and was vindictive, I would passive-agressively micromanage her.
    If I didn't get the promotion, I definitely wouldn't say anything unless I was put in a position where I absolutely had to, for instance she was being verbally abusive, threatening my job, etc. After all, I have to look out for me and in corporate, being nice doesn't always get you where you want to be.

    Angela

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think that it is uneithical as a person to slander another person. There is no justice or morals in any action like people lifes are on the line and not only that there jobs are too. Should her co-workers find out her chances of staying on the job are slim and the chances of her stanying in her marriage is slim as well. In a sistuation like that there is nothing to gaine by sending or even telling. The only thing that could happen is that you would loose what we call Self Worth and to me Self Worth goes a long way.

    ReplyDelete
  7. If Jane found me reading her shameful email written for her co-worker Rich, her lover and she dare voices concern of me reading her email in a way that I feel is a bit aggressive toward me. I would make it clear to Jane that I read her email completely, that I have all this information that could possible terminate her's and Rich career with the company, and from now on she better stay out of my way, including not to apply or run for any position that I decide to run for within the company. If she does not agree with my terms, then I will tell management of the letter and have her fired.

    ReplyDelete