Event Management – Academic Events

ACADEMIC EVENT MANAGEMENT

CONFERENCE CONVENTION SEMINAR WORKSHOP UNCONFERENCE etc
ACADEMIC EVENT MANAGEMENT

A Primer

By

VIKRAM KARVE

We may classify events can in a few broad categories based on their purpose and objective: 

1.  Leisure Events  [leisure, sport, music, recreation] 
2.  Cultural Events [ceremonial, religious, art, heritage, and folklore]
3.  Personal Events [weddings, birthdays, anniversaries]
4.  Organisational Events [commercial, political, charitable, sales, product launch, trade fairs, shows, road shows etc]
5.  Academic Events [ conferences, workshops, seminars, symposium, unconference]

In this article – let me focus on Academic Events – since that is what I am most conversant with – having been an HR/Training Manager and Professor for many years in my long career – and having participated in and actively presenting papers (and also passively attended as delegate). 

As a part of my work – both in the Navy and in Academia – I have organised many Conferences, Seminars, Workshops, Symposia etc.

Of course – I have organized and participated in many other types of events as well – and may write about it subsequently.

The two main stakeholders in an academic event are the organisers – and the participants – or – delegates.

From the academic point of view – the Organisers view the event as one-way communication – a gathering where they impart information to the attendees. 

Of course – there may be other commercial motives and career ambitions as well.

The Delegates may look at the event from different points of view. 

There are a number of reasons why persons attend academic events like conferences – learning experience, enjoyment, professional networking, seeking peer group approval and prestige [by presenting their research papers] – or as a perk or reward for good performance etc.

Conference: A meeting of individuals or representatives of various bodies for the purpose of discussing and/or acting on topics of common interest or theme. 

A conference is a large event, lasting several days and attracting a large number of delegates. 

Typically a conference may attract more than a thousand delegates (1000+ delegates)

A session is an unbroken period within a conference.

The plenary session is a session at which all delegates are present. 

The “Graveyard Shift” is the session immediately after lunch – when most delegates are likely to feel drowsy, have a siesta and nap off. 

A poster session affords opportunity for authors of papers which are not actually presented in the conference to display posters, summaries and abstracts of their papers to delegates and stand by to discuss and answer questions. This is held during conference session breaks outside the main conference hall in the foyers and adjacent lobbies.

Convention: A convention, or congress, is a gathering of greater importance than a conference, much larger in size, with a few thousand participants, with a formal agenda and programme, with the aim of formulating policy.

Seminar: A seminar is a small to medium sized event with the number of delegates ranging from 20/30 to around 100/200. 

Seminars are compact one or two day events designed to educate and inform delegates of the subject(s) of interest and discuss issues of common concern.

Symposium: A symposium is a Seminar where only a single topic or subject is discussed in an informal way encouraging inter-delegate-speaker communication and debate.

Colloquium: In a colloquium one or more experts or eminent academicians deliver lectures on a subject followed by a question and answer session. 

A colloquium is purely academic in nature.

Workshop: A workshop is a small gathering of delegates to discuss and exchange ideas on specific topics or to solve particular problems. 

It is like a symposium but more formal in nature.

Meeting: A meeting is a much smaller event – maybe involving a few executives or invitees – discussing business or a precise agenda.

Information Flow: In a symposium and workshop the flow of information is between all the participants, delegates and speakers; whereas in a seminar and colloquium the flow of information is primarily one-way from the speakers to the audience. 

Of course – in a meeting – there is more of presentation, deliberation and discussion with the aim of collective consensus and decision-making.

Clinic: A clinic is a meeting of a select group of persons with common interests, confronting and discussing real-life situations and problems, organised for the purpose of diagnosing, analysing and seeking solutions to specific problems.

Unconference: An “unconference” is a facilitated, participant-driven face-to-face conference centred on a theme or purpose.

Even at traditional conferences – the most productive moments often occur during informal networking – tête-à-tête – and discussions between the formal sessions – in tea and lunch breaks – and in the evenings over cocktails/dinner/get-togethers etc

That is what an “unconference” aims to achieve.

The cardinal premise of an “unconference” is that there are no spectators – in an “unconference” – everyone is a participant.

This sets the stage for everyone to actively contribute and is another factor in making this event so unique.

The idea of “unconference” probably emanated from the Fundamental Law of Conventional Conferences: 

“The sum of the expertise of the people in the audience is greater than the sum of expertise of the people on stage...”

The aim of an unconference is to break the barrier between the audience and the speakers on the podium. 

Members of the audience and participants write topics they are interested in on boards, consolidate the topics, and then break into discussion groups.

With the advent of the internet and increasing virtual interaction – meetings, conferencing, networking and modern forms of “formal” and “informal” web-based communication and learning technologies – the concept of “unconferencing” is more attractive than traditional conferences of the “old mould” type.

So how does one plan and organise such academic events...?

There are so many aspects and factors to be considered – topic, venue, dates, programme, speakers, papers, delegates, technology, communication, budget, accommodation, food, entertainment, PR, promotion, publication, sponsorship, commercial aspects, check-off lists… 

I will end now. 

But – more on this topic – and about other types of events – later on my blog. 

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

This blog post is a revised repost of my article written 25 years ago in the 1990s and posted online earlier at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2010/09/event-management-conference-seminar.html

Military Metaphors in Business Management Jargon

MILITARY METAPHORS IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT JARGON

Musings of a Navy Veteran

By

VIKRAM KARVE

The Art and Science of Management owes its genesis and evolution to the Military.  

Modern Management theories, concepts, techniques and practices emerged in the 1950’s from the experiences and lessons learnt during World War 2 

This was particularly so in The United States of America by organizations like the RAND Corporation.

For example – the concept of systems analysis – which involves looking at a particular problem not in isolation but rather in the context of the whole system of which it is a part and then explicitly examining the consequences of alternative courses of action – was developed at RAND in the 1950’s to address military challenges.

The revolutionary technological concepts of information technology like internet and software and hardware technologies on which today’s corporate world depend so extensively also emanated from the military. 

In fact – RAND was the birthplace of the Internet's basic distributed network technology.

Isn’t it therefore ironic that the reverse is happening today...?

Yes – it was the military that gave modern management principles to the civilian corporate world.

And – today we see a paradoxical situation of Military Officers running to Civilian Business Schools and Management Institutes to “learn” management and acquire the coveted MBA degree which is the sine qua non and all important passport for entry into the corporate world.

It is also amusing to see so-called management experts from the corporate world – safely ensconced in the comfort of their air-conditioned offices – who are far removed from the experience of war and who have never seen a shot fired in anger – boast of using military strategy in boardrooms – and advocating the use of military tactics in sales and marketing.

These Management Gurus freely bandy about terms like “foot soldiers”, “generals”, “field experience” – and liberally quote from Sun Tzu’s The Art of War and other military classics. 

It has become fashionable to call competitors as “enemies” and use terms like “battles” and “leading from the front” – little realizing that there is a vast difference between the rules of engagement pertaining to corporate “wars” and actual wars fought on real battlefields.

This metaphorical imagery may sound appealing to civilians – but – the stakes are vastly different.

If a Manager does not “win” – he risks losing his job – and he may cause a financial loss to his company.

If a Military Officer does not win – he risks losing his life (and those of his men) – and he can cause defeat in war to his country – which can have catastrophic consequences. 

Think about it.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved. 

Repost of my post MILITARY METAPHORS IN MANAGEMENT JARGON posted online earlier at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/03/military-metaphors-in-management-jargon.html 

Mothers Recipe - Ready To Cook (RTC) Chicken Curry

Ready to Cook Mother's Recipe Chicken Curry Mix

TRIED and TASTED 

Recommended for Bachelors and Busy Working Women wanting a quick easy-to-cook tasty chicken curry

http://www.mothersrecipe.com/

Unfortunately, Mother's Recipe products are not easily available.

I wish they improve their marketing and distribution systems.

KANDA POHE aka KANDA POHA

Here is a Guest Post by my friend Dhananjay Joshi - a multifaceted personality - an ex-navy buddy, an engineer, a teacher, an artist, a painter, a raconteur, a philosopher, a thinker and a foodie. 

KANDA POHA ( aka Kande Pohe )

The explosion of global cuisine in our metros is gastronomically exciting. 

But what excites me is the word play associated with these foreign dishes. 

Sample this – “…lightly stir fried handpicked shiitake mushrooms served with a dash of jankanoo pepper sauce and delicately seasoned in rosemary-thyme syrup served with an array of five eclectic dips..”

This is enough to even start a non-foodie salivating. 

There is an element of consumer psycho-graphics in the careful crafting of these menu cards. 

They are designed to re-assure the customer that they are indeed getting value for its ridiculous price. 

The “cooler” it sounds, the higher the price.

So, I tried to make the humble Marathi “kanda-poha” sound exotic on the menu. 

Here is my effort:

“A lightly steamed affair of the choicest hand flattened rice grown on the Western coast of exotic India. Mouth wateringly spiced with a sprinkle of popped mustard seeds, curry leaves, garden fresh green chillies and native asafetida. Served with a topping of the choicest roasted unskinned peanuts and lightly garnished with finely chopped window sill coriander…”

Wow! 

How much would you pay for it? 

Isn’t it more about marketing it cleverly?  

Look at what the Italian moms did to the pizza! 

Its humble origin was to get rid of dinner leftovers.

The kanda-poha is indeed a delicacy. 

Soak the poha incorrectly and it either becomes a messy ball or a chewy feed. 

Steam it inconsistently and it becomes a crispy chivda. 

Toss the roasted peanuts in too early and they lose their crunchiness. 

Garnish it too early and the coriander loses its aroma. 

Getting it right is not easy.

We just need to make it all sound cool, and people will pay.


My Comment:
Just have a look at the mouthwatering gastronomic jargon on menu cards of some fancy restaurants describing rather prosaic dishes, and you will fully agree with what the author has to say.

HUMOUR IN UNIFORM - ARMY SENSE OF HUMOR

HUMOR IN UNIFORM

ARMY SENSE OF HUMOUR

A Laugh on Monday Morning 

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Disclaimer: Please read this only if you have a sense of humour. This is a spoof. So first convince yourself that you have a sense of humour and only then read the yarn and have a laugh.

I thought the Navy was witty, but I must say that the army has a great sense of humour.

I have seen many recruitment advertisements with catchy slogans aimed at attracting the right kind of youth to a career in the Defence Services (Army Navy and Air Force).

When we were students the most popular army recruitment advertisement had a rather prosaic yet effective slogan which appealed to your patriotic sentiment:

JOIN THE ARMY AND SERVE THE NATION

This simple slogan made it very clear what type of officers and soldiers the army was looking for.

The army wanted to attract youth inspired with a sense of patriotism – young men who wanted to dedicate their lives in the service of the nation.

In those “good old days” an army officer was required to put service before self and live up to the Chetwode Motto:

“The safety, honour and welfare of your Country come first, always and every time.

The honour, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next.

Your own ease, comfort and safety come last always and every time”

And so the army recruitment slogan was in sync with this paramount OLQ requirement.

( OLQ is the acronym for “Officer Like Qualities” )

The Navy had its own slogans too. 

Those days a popular navy recruitment advertisement had the slogan:

JOIN THE NAVY AND SEE THE WORLD

(Now you know why I preferred the navy to the army, though in hindsight I realize that I have hardly seen much of the world especially in comparison to my merchant mariner son who has travelled round the globe sailing across all oceans and seas and seeing all continents)

Recruitment advertisements were designed depending on what type of person the army wanted to attract to recruit as an officer or a soldier.

The recruitment slogan encapsulates in a nutshell the cardinal OLQ (“Officer Like Quality”) desired at that point of time.

Thus, the slogan “Join the Army and Serve the Nation” clearly implied that patriotism was the most important OLQ.

OLQ (or what are considered “Officer Like Qualities”) keep changing as the army ethos and value system tries to keep in tune with the changing social culture and situational ethics. 

Accordingly, as the concept of OLQ changed from time to time, in order to attract the matching type of youth to join the army, the army came up with a variety of recruitment slogans emphasizing on and appealing to different human sentiments – adventure, bravery, masculinity, honesty, sacrifice, social status, quality of life, sports and recreation facilities, salary and perks, financial security, material benefits etc

Yes, with the progress of time, change in ethos and value system is inevitable and the meaning of OLQ too will accordingly change to keep in sync with social mores.

Like I said, I thought the navy was witty, but I was stunned when I came across this bizarre army recruitment slogan:

IF YOU WANT TO HAVE BEAUTIFUL AND SUCCESSFUL DAUGHTERS JOIN INDIAN ARMY

I chanced upon this gem of wit on twitter. It was a photograph of a hoarding apparently carrying an army recruitment advertisement. The advertisement had pictures of Bollywood Actors and Celebrities, who are daughters of army officers, with a caption that reads: “If you want to have beautiful and successful daughters, join Indian Army”. 

Some persons had clicked snapshots and photos of the hoarding featuring this colourful army recruitment advertisement and uploaded the pictures on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter and soon this picture had gone viral on twitter.

In due course, this was picked up by the mainstream media and duly reported in newspapers and TV news channels.

There are many reasons to join the Army, but this one takes the cake: “Join the Army if you want to have beautiful and successful daughters?” – what a fascinating and incredible reason! 

I wonder what type of officer material the army is trying to attract and what is the new meaning of the term OLQ?

Well, I have not seen this advertisement myself, so I will not post it here. You may have seen it (and read about it) in the mainstream media or on the social media or on the internet. 

If you haven’t, here is are some links to reports and picture of the advertisement in the mainstream media (click the links below which will open in a new window):

(And hey, after seeing the pictures and reading the news-reports, please remember to come back here and continue reading my blog)

DNA Newspaper : Thursday, Apr 18, 2013

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/1824161/report-want-beautiful-daughters-join-indian-army-ad-gets-recruitment-centre-into-trouble

Photo: http://static.dnaindia.com/images/cache/1824163.jpg

India Today Online

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/if-you-want-successful-daughter-join-indian-army/1/266464.html

As I write this I cannot stop laughing.

“If you want to have beautiful and successful daughters, join Indian Army”

I have not seen a more hilarious army recruitment slogan than this one.

Have you? 

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 
© vikram karve., all rights reserved. 

NB:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013. All Rights Reserved

Did you like reading this blog post?
I am sure you will like all the 27 stories in my book  COCKTAIL an anthology of Short Fiction.
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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com

Twitter: @vikramkarve

      

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

ARE YOU GOING TO A FASHION SHOW

Here is a Mulla Nasrudin Story to cheer you up (and me too) on this hot Tuesday Morning

FASHION SHOW - A Mulla Nasrudin Story

One day Nasrudin went to a prestigious fashion show.

When he returned, his friends asked him how he liked the fashion show.

“They cheat you,” Nasrudin complained, “it is a total swindle.”

“In a fashion show is a swindle? They cheat you? How?” 

“They show you the women – and then they try to sell you the clothes.”

Dear Reader: Have a Good Day

HOW TO PUT THE RIGHT MAN IN THE RIGHT JOB

A friend of mine sent me this by email. Let me share it with you.

HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE RIGHT JOB 

Put about 100 bricks in some particular order in a closed room with an open window.  

Then send 3 candidates in the room and close the door.  

Let them be undisturbed in the room for about 3 hours.

Then go back into the room and analyze the situation. 

If they are counting the Bricks, put them in the Accounts Department.

If they are recounting them, put them in Auditing.

If they have messed up the whole place with the bricks, put them in Engineering. 

If they are arranging the Bricks in some strange order, put them in Planning.

If they are throwing the Bricks at each other, put them in Operations.

If they are sleeping, put them in Security.

If they have broken the bricks into pieces, put them in  IT (Information Technology).

If they are sitting idle, put them in HR.

If they say they have tried different combinations, yet not a brick has been moved, put them in Sales. 

If they have already left for the day, put them in Marketing.

If they are staring out of the open window, put them in Strategic Planning.

If they have thrown all the bricks out the window, put them in Business Process Re-engineering.

And then last but not least, if they are gossiping with each other and not a single brick has been moved, congratulate them and put them in Top Management.

Have a Happy Monday and a Great Week Ahead

A CASE STUDY IN BUSINESS ETHICS

A CASE STUDY in BUSINESS ETHICS

HOW TO RESOLVE ETHICAL DILEMMA USING CATWOE ANALYSIS

By

VIKRAM KARVE

[An updated excerpt from my Article titled PUTTING ETHICS BEFORE BUSINESS by VIKRAM KARVE published in the Journal INDIAN MANAGEMENT (The Journal of the All India Management Association) Vol 36 No 10 October 1997 issue pp 51-53]

Some people believe that ethics is of little concern to business people.

Ethics is ethics and business is business.

When faced with an ethical dilemma today, many upwardly managers tend to take the position that they must wear two ethical hats and cloak themselves with two separate conflicting codes of ethics. 

One Ethical Hat applies to the professional or technical aspects of their work (professional or technical ethics).

The second Ethical Hat applies for their business behaviour (business ethics).

This leads to the development of a schizophrenic ethical personality.

On the one hand the manager strives for professional excellence and high ethical standards for his own self.

Whereas, on the other hand he resorts to unethical practices to achieve business success for his organization at all costs.

Indeed this Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Ethical Approach is at the heart of many ethical dilemmas in managerial decision-making.

One useful technique to resolve such ethical dilemmas is the CATWOE model adapted from Systems Management. 

Ethical dilemma occurs due to mismatch in ethical perspectives of various stakeholders involved in the ethical situation.  

A CATWOE analysis helps the manager identify all stakeholders involved in a decision and their respective ethical perspectives.

CATWOE is an acronym to categorize various stakeholders:

CATWOE MODEL

C = CUSTOMERS, OR CLIENTS OF THE DECISION

A = ACTORS, OR AGENTS WHO CARRY OUT THE DECISION

T = TRANSFORMATION PROCESS, THE DECISION MAKER

W =WELTANSCHAUUNG, WORLD VIEW PREDOMINANTLY HELD 

O = OWNERS / OWNERSHIP

E = ENVIRONMENT / ENVIRONMENTAL IMPOSITIONS

To elaborate a bit:

C:   The ‘customers of the system’. In this context, ‘customers’ means those who are on the receiving end of whatever it is that the system does. Is it clear from your definition of “C” as to who will gain or lose from your decision?

A:   The ‘actors’, meaning those who would actually carry out the activities envisaged in the notional system being defined.

T:   The ‘transformation process’. What does the system do to the inputs to convert them into the outputs?

W:   Weltanschauung - The ‘world view’ that lies behind the root definition. Putting the system into its wider context can highlight the consequences of the overall system. For example the system may be in place to assist in making the world environmentally safer, and the consequences of system failure could be significant pollution.

O:   The ‘owner(s)’ – i.e. those who have sufficient formal power over the system to stop it existing if they so wished (though they won’t usually want to do this).

E:   The ‘environmental constraints’. These include things such as ethical limits, regulations, financial constraints, resource limitations, limits set by terms of reference, and so on.

CASE STUDY – ETHICAL DILEMMA

(This case study pertains to the year 1997)

A state-of-the-art cutting-edge technology product (say something like a mobile cellphone – remember we are talking about the year 1997) is to be launched by a leading company simultaneously at different locations for the first time in the country on a certain date which has been widely announced and advertised and there is fantastic customer response and heavy bookings for the product.

A big event is planned in Pune for the launch for which a large number of dignitaries, customers and media have been invited, for extensive TV, media and press coverage.

The manager’s career hinges on the success of the event and the launch.

Three days before the scheduled launch date the newly appointed regional manager’s deputy tells him that the trucks transporting the product have been detained at the octroi post outside Pune.

The trucks (carrying the consignment of the new product) have been detained ostensibly for want of some documents and the octroi inspector is demanding a bribe for immediate clearance of the consignment.

“Should we pay the bribe?” the deputy manager asks the regional manager.

CATWOE Analysis

To begin CATWOE analysis of the ethical situation, let us start with the key player – the regional manager who is the decision maker or the “T” of the CATWOE model.

The newly appointed regional manager may face a number of ethical dilemmas that may complicate his decision.

What is the meaning of the directive from his boss that the launch event must succeed at any cost…? 

Does his boss mean that the regional manager must do anything, legal or illegal, in order to ensure a successful launch…? 

Or does this directive imply and assume that the regional manager should act within bounds of the law and ethical propriety…?

Why has his deputy manager passed the ball in his court…? 

The deputy manager has been working in this office for a long time and surely such situations must have arisen before. 

The amount of the bribe is peanuts and well within the deputy manager’s scope to pay and he can surely “manage” this on his own. 

Then why is he asking the regional manager…?

Is it a trap to test the newly appointed regional manager’s honesty…?

The regional manager has many ethical obligations towards several parties. He has an obligation to obey the laws of the land but as an employee he also has owes a degree of obedience to his superiors and obligations to ensure the company’s success.

This conflicting two-fold obligation comprises not only business and commercial success but also includes his duty to guard his company’s reputation, protect its interests and see that it does not fall foul of the law.

Finally, the regional manager has a duty towards himself not to compromise his own personal conscience. 

At the same time he needs to look after his career interests for which a successful launch is vital.

And he must safeguard himself against legal hassles if he is caught breaking the law.

CATWOE - The Dramatis Personnae and their Ethical Perspectives

ACTORS

The actors include the various persons demanding the bribe and the company employees / agents involved the the payment / delivery process of the bribe. 

It could set a bad precedent as both the company and newly appointed regional manager could acquire a reputation that they can be easily “milked” and are ethically vulnerable. 

Furthermore, paying the bribe could create an attitude among employees and junior staff that, in this company, bribery is simply a standard operating procedure.

It is most likely that employees expecting to be held accountable to the manager and company rules will begin to distrust both the manager and the company itself, for in today’s world employees reject the “Do as I say, but not as I do” notion.

OWNERS

The directive the the launch must be a success at all costs (secure business at all costs) conveys the message that the company’s top management is concerned with only results not with the means to achieve the results. 

It encourages employees to abdicate moral responsibility for their actions and take refuge in the “I was only following orders” excuse thereby shifting the blame and trying to clear one’s conscience. 

When senior management fosters an attitude that anything goes, experience suggests that it probably will and there is every chance that scams and scandals may occur.

It must also be remembered that to the extent the company gains sales for non-business reasons it runs the risk of being complacent about the quality of its products or services. 

On the contrary, if the organization no longer feels the need to respond to the demands and dynamics of market or the challenge of technological advancements, it risks losing its competitive edge.

CUSTOMERS

From the perspective of the customers, the ethical dilemma here is that:

On the one hand the regional manager must keep his promises to his customers regarding timely delivery

while on the other hand

 

the regional manager must not lose sight of the fact that bribes represent unproductive dead-weight that raises the cost of doing business which in turn is passed on to the customer.

ENVIRONMENT

Is the argument “well, others are doing it, so why not us” valid and ethical? 

The prevailing ethical environment depends on the moral behaviour of the majority of citizens.

In this case the ethical environment is also determined by the moral values and code of ethics and conduct practiced by the existing industry in India, particularly in and around Pune.

But one thing is sure – in the long term, it is not beneficial to conduct business in an environment where lying, stealing, bribery, cheating and other immoral activities are permitted and practiced by the majority. 

That is why bribery is illegal in virtually every country in the world.

WELTANSCHAUUNG (World View Predominantly Held)

 

On the ethical plane, bribery and corruption is almost universally condemned as it violates the core ethical values of honesty and integrity.

SUGGESTED SOLUTION (to the Ethical Dilemma)

CATWOE analysis presents a holistic view of the ethical perspectives of concerned stakeholders involved in the ethical dilemma. 

In the ethical situation analysed here in this case study, it clearly suggests that it is the long term interests of the stakeholders involved in the ethical decision that the regional manager should act in the following manner:

1. Decline to pay the bribe.

2. Apprise the top management of his decision.

3. Use the three days time available and try to resolve the issue in the proper manner, with the help of the top management, intervention at higher levels and threat of counter-exposure if necessary.

4. Take customers into confidence to cater for the “worst case scenario”.

5. Ask the top management promulgate a code of ethics which clearly prohibits all types of bribes and illegal payments.

BUSINESS ETHICS

Business ethics concentrates on moral standards as they apply to business policies, institutions and behaviour of top management and employees who work within these organizations. 

Business ethics is applied ethics as it incorporates ethical analysis involving all stakeholders (CATWOE Model) and applies the conclusions of this analysis to resolve ethical dilemma.

Business is a cooperative activity whose very existence requires ethical behaviour, as any unethical behaviour on the part of any of the stakeholders is detrimental to business interests. 

Business cannot strive without ethics so it is in the best interest of business to promote ethical behaviour among all its stakeholders as well as within its larger society. 

When employees believe an organization is ethical, they are more willing to contribute to the organization’s interests, as they see managers’ leadership as legitimate and readily follow what their managers and supervisors tell them to do.  

Thus, ethics is sine qua non for any business and term “Business Ethics” is certainly not an oxymoron.

Dear Reader:

This is the end of the Case Study

Now let us talk about practical things. 

Do you agree with the above analysis in the case study?

Or do you consider it quite theoretical, idealistic and Utopian and feel that it is impractical to implement such business ethics practices in today’s world? 

Do you feel that the term “Business Ethics” is an oxymoron and such Utopian concepts of ethics and codes of conduct have no relevance in today’s world?

Please comment and let us know your views.

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 
© vikram karve., all rights reserved. 

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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
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Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com

      

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