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

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

The facts of the situation is that there is a “Fixer Upper” project for a family that the

company wants to take on but the family’s budget is not realistic to what they need. The family

consists of a husband (Andrew), wife (Kim), a wheelchair-bound 10-year-old daughter (Lily),

and 5-year-old son (Dillion). The family recently experienced a devastation from a recent

hurricane and they lost their home. They have been living with family members but they need

space for their children. The company has $500,000 available to allocate to this project and

charity for this family in need. The situation at hand is to work with the clients to find a home in

an area they want, renovate the home for the needs of the family, make sure the home is

wheelchair accessible, and stay under budget as $500,000 is the most the company can spare.

The role I will represent is being a Project Manager. The home renovation business involves

working with clients to find the “Fixer Upper” of their dreams, buy, renovate for client needs,

and reveal the final product within the client budget (Magnolia’s Blog). As the Project Manager,

I will be facilitating the housing projects and working with the clients, interior designers,

contractors, and other stakeholders to make the experience as smooth as possible. According to

ProjectManager.com, during a remodel, you’ll find that discoveries, surprises, change orders, or

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redesigns will affect scope and then budget. To remain effective, the project manager must

communicate and secure decisions or verifications as soon as possible.

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

The ethics of an organization can have a significant impact on the behavior of its employees

and the overall success of the company. Ethical conduct is essential for building trust with

customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. It can also help to reduce the risk of legal and

financial penalties. Ethics of an organization can influence the situation by shaping the behavior

of its employees, building trust with stakeholders, and reducing the risk of legal and financial

penalties. By creating an ethical environment and providing formal training, organizations can

encourage ethical business behavior and reduce the likelihood of unethical conduct.

Magnolia is commonly known for their hardworking nature and family values. The founders

of Magnolia are Chip Gaines who grew up very poor and had unfortunate family circumstances

and Joanna Gaines who was handed down her hard work and determination from her Korean

immigrant mother. They value the importance of family which is why they use their skills to help

families create their dream home. To recreate what Chip and Joanna Gaines successfully made

for themselves. The situation regarding the family in need who are experiencing hardship, hits

close to home for the founders of Magnolia which is why I am able to work as a Project Manager

to facilitate these goals and assist the founders in working on this project.

3) Recommend how you would apply one of the ethical communities for an alternative

course of action regarding your case.

Ethics in communities can show in many ways including mission statements, values, and

overall behavior. In any organization, there are certain values, rituals, ceremonies, and stories

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that make up the environment and ethics of the group and attract members that support the cause.

Ethical values and decisions define the meaning to the culture of an organization. Processes and

events are held with higher understanding and purpose when they are linked to a common belief

of the group.

I don’t think I would choose an alternative course of action regarding my case based upon the

organizational ethics. The ethical decisions of the organization help provide motivation and

determination towards the situation overall.

4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned

about ethics.

In a complex world of global transformation, navigating challenging ethical situations and

effective decision-making is facilitated by a compass of ethical guardrails and values. Engaging

in an ethical manner ensures that there is an equal balance between profit, the planet, and our

people, creating a sustainable future.

I wouldn’t do anything differently given what I have learned about ethical communities.

However, I think the knowledge about ethical communities reinforces the situation mentioned

above and reinforces the cultural climate of Magnolia.

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 Reference or References

Construction Project Management software. ProjectManager. (2023, April 21).

Recipes, design how-tos, and stories on Magnolia’s Blog. Magnolia. (n.d.).