OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Ethical Communities Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:

1. Describe the four ethical communities

2. Apply the ethical communities 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.

In Module 1, I talked about how the pandemic has affected not only the
customers, but the partners working at Starbucks. The company decided to hold a series
of “Third Place” meetings that allowed partners to talk about their concerns and
uncertainties about their role in the company. In these meetings, we had the opportunity
to express our feelings; what we feared, how we can feel safe, and concerns about what
Starbucks is doing in regards to handling the situation. We had a barista expressed her
concerns about the safety precautions that Starbucks is providing in order to continue
operations. It seems like customers were not following these updated policies and it has
caused conflict between customers and partners. It is my role, as a shift supervisor, to
supervise shifts and ensure safety for all customers and employees. I assign roles and
responsibilities, and reinforce a positive work environment. During this pandemic, I
provided comfort and information to customers and partners that have questions about
what Starbucks is doing to ensure safety throughout the store. It is my role to represent
the company when managers aren't present and secure a safe place for both customers
and partners

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

The ethics of the organization influenced the situation by focusing on the “soul”
of the organization. In Chapter 19, Bolman and Deal argued that ethics resides in soul,
which makes up the organization’s core beliefs and values (2017, p. 387). In an
organization, having soul is showing a sense of character and being confident of what
they stand for. This could include having core values that focuses on trust, respect,
customers, courage, and accountability (Bolman & Deal, 2017, p. 389). Starbucks’ core

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 values focuses on creating a culture of warmth and belonging, delivering our best, acting
with courage, and being present in the moment. As partners, we want to make sure that
we are catering to our customer’s needs, most especially during this unfortunate time. To
do our part, we wash our hands every 30 minutes and we wear our masks at all times.
We also provide shield guards to separate customer interaction while being able to see
them and be present in the moment. Due to the amount of customers that are coming in
everyday, we still strive to deliver the very best and attend to every customers.

Due to the pandemic, it has created some conflict with customers, especially when
it comes to wearing a mask inside the store. Since it’s been really busy, there has been
longer wait times for customers and has caused some tension especially when customers
start yelling at partners. It has made partners feel stressed out and defeated after a busy
shift, causing them to call out or maybe quit. This situation has created confusion and a
gray line with telling customers what not to do, while creating an environment that caters
to customers at the same time.

3) Recommend how you would apply one of the ethical communities for an alternative
course of action regarding your case.

Based on what I’ve learned about ethics communities and an alternative course of
action regarding my case, I would use transparency and trust to find a solution. Solomon
mentioned that virtues are important in personal life, are also essential to good business.
These virtues include honest, dependability, courage, loyalty, and integrity (Bolman &
Deal, 2017, p. 390).

Depending on some stores, I would suggest to continue to close down the lobby
and just have the drive-thru open. Since the drive-thru already have shield guards,
customers don’t have to wear their masks unless they want to. Provide more labor hours
so partners don’t feel like they are overworked and have the roles filled so that service is
working at a faster rate. Additionally, I would provide a message to all the customers,
make it known and be transparent that there might be longer wait times in some stores.
With this, the organization is still following the core values while adapting to the
pandemic.

1) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned
about ethics.

Based on what I have learned about ethics, I would try my best to support partners
who has felt defeated and stressed out during this time, not changing what I’ve been
doing since the beginning. As a shift supervisor, it is my role to be there for both partners
and customers, and to represent the core values that the organization strongly believes in.

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It is for me to understand when customers feel frustrated about longer wait times and for
me to provide a safe space for workers. It is an unfortunate event that the organization
and the world has to go through, but something that can still be manageable by following
ethical standards.

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 Reference or References

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership.
Hoboken: Jossey-Bass.