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.

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

The recruitment drive focused on the Product Team, where I, along with another recruiter, aimed to fill
three distinct Product Manager roles. Product Manager roles are notoriously difficult to fill due to the
multifaceted skill set required, which must span technical expertise, market acumen, and strong
leadership qualities. Additionally, the need for alignment with several Group Product Managers across
various teams added complexity to finding the right candidate fit for the role. This process involved close
collaboration with four Group Product Managers (GPMs) across various teams. At the onset, the hiring
stages included the following; resume screening, two technical screens, an intensive take-home
assessment (lasting 6 hours), and a comprehensive two-round onsite interview process.
During my recruitment efforts at Getaround, I encountered several challenges that required careful
navigation and strategic solutions.

One significant challenge was the misalignment of skill set expectations among the Group Product
Managers (GPMs). Each GPM had a unique perspective on what skills were necessary for their teams,
leading to inconsistencies in the technical screening process. Candidates often passed the first technical
screen but then failed the second, reflecting these varied criteria
Another major obstacle was scheduling complexity. The packed schedules of the hiring team members
made it difficult to coordinate interviews, often leading to delays in the recruitment process.

Cross-team evaluation also presented its own set of challenges. During the onsite interview phase,
evaluators from diverse teams such as design, engineering, and analytics were involved, each with their
own set of expectations. The lack of clear, role-specific criteria often led to confusion and inconsistency
in evaluating candidates.

Furthermore, the lengthy take-home challenge, which required 4-6 hours of commitment, resulted in a
high dropout rate among candidates. The extensive time demand of this assessment phase was a barrier
for many potential hires, impacting our ability to maintain a robust candidate pipeline
Navigating these challenges required a thoughtful approach, balancing the needs and expectations of
various stakeholders while ensuring a smooth and efficient recruitment process.

● Describe how the ethics of the organization influenced the situation

In the complex recruitment drive at Getaround, aimed at filling Product Manager roles, the
organization's ethical underpinnings and culture were crucial in navigating through the many challenges
encountered. Specifically, the Political Frame and Symbolic Frame of ethics played pivotal roles in
shaping the recruitment strategy and outcomes.

The recruitment process was fraught with challenges stemming from divergent expectations among
Group Product Managers regarding the necessary skill sets for the roles which exemplified the Political
Frame and Ethics. This situation highlighted the Political Frame, as the internal power dynamics and
competing interests within the organization. The ethical considerations in this context were crucial for
understanding how internal politics and the negotiation of power could impact the fairness and integrity
of the recruitment process. The ethical challenge lay in balancing these competing interests and
expectations in a way that remained true to the organization's principles of equity and transparency.

Through the lens of the Symbolic Frame and Spirit, the recruitment drive was an opportunity to reinforce
and articulate the organization's core values and cultural identity. The extensive nature of the
recruitment process, particularly the intensive take-home assessment, while a barrier for some, was also
a manifestation of the organization's commitment to excellence and thoroughness. However, recognizing
the challenge it posed led to a reflection on how such practices align with the organization's values.
Ethically addressing this concern involved balancing rigorous evaluation with respect for candidates' time
and efforts, thereby adapting the process in a manner that was both inclusive and reflective of the
organization's values. Through these frames, the situation at Getaround was not just a logistical or
procedural challenge but a reflection of deeper ethical considerations.

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

In addressing the challenges faced during the recruitment drive at Getaround, applying the “Family:
Caring & Love” alongside the “Factory: Excellence and Authorship” Ethical Communities presents a
comprehensive alternative course of action. This approach would emphasize the organization's
commitment to both its people and its systemic processes, ensuring that ethical considerations are at
the forefront of recruitment strategies.

Central to this approach is the “Family: Caring & Love” Ethical Community which would recognize each
candidate's intrinsic value and potential. Adapting the recruitment process to be more empathetic and
candidate-centric could involve actively seeking feedback from candidates about their experiences,
especially regarding the extensive take-home assessment. Understanding candidates' perspectives allows
for the alignment of recruitment practices with the organization's ethical commitments to respect and
fairness. Offering flexible assessment options that could better accommodate diverse candidate
situations, enhancing inclusivity and demonstrating respect for individual circumstances.

From the “Factory: Excellence and Authorship” Ethical Community perspective, establishing clear,
transparent, and consistent guidelines for the recruitment process would also be essential. Creating a
unified framework for evaluation criteria used by Group Product Managers and ensuring these criteria
are transparently communicated to all candidates from the outset can mitigate confusion and
inconsistency. Standardizing the stages of the recruitment process, including technical screens and the
take-home assessment, coupled with incorporating ethical oversight mechanisms, such as a review
board comprising diverse stakeholders, ensures accountability and adherence to ethical standards
throughout the recruitment process.

This integrated approach would emphasize a recruitment environment that not only seeks candidates
with the requisite skills and technical expertise but also fosters a sense of belonging and commitment to
the organization's core values and ethical standards. By focusing on caring and refining excellence
processes, Getaround can enhance its organizational culture, ensuring that its recruitment drive aligns
with its overarching ethical values.

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

Reflecting on the Getaround use case, and with a deeper understanding of reframing ethics and spirit
within the four frames, one significant adjustment I would make involves a more integrated approach to
addressing the misalignment among Group Product Managers and the challenges of the recruitment
process. Specifically, leveraging “The Jungle: Justice and Power” Ethical Community more effectively by
fostering a collaborative environment where power dynamics and competing interests are openly
discussed and negotiated. This would mean not only addressing these differences in expectations
through dialogue but also implementing a structured framework for consensus-building that respects
each GPM's perspective while aligning with the organization's ethical standards. Such an approach would
enhance the fairness and integrity of the recruitment process, ensuring that decisions made reflect a
collective agreement that balances various interests with ethical considerations.

Additionally, drawing lessons from “The Temple: Faith and Significance” Ethical Community, I would
place a greater emphasis on how the recruitment process—particularly the intensive take-home
assessment—reflects and communicates the organization's core values and ethical commitments.
Recognizing that every aspect of the recruitment process sends a message about the company's culture,
I would advocate for revisiting the design and implementation of such assessments to ensure they are
not only rigorous but also respectful of candidates' time and reflective of an inclusive, empathetic work
culture. This might involve creating more flexible or varied assessment options that can accommodate
diverse candidate situations without compromising the quality of evaluation. By doing so, the
recruitment process itself becomes a manifestation of the organization's commitment to ethics and
spirit, reinforcing a positive, values-driven image to both internal stakeholders and potential employees.
 References

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2021). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership (7th ed.). San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass