Operations Management and Ethical Issue
According to Aquilano, Chase, and Jacobs (2005), Operations management (OM) is
defined as the design, operation, and improvement of the systems that create and deliver
the firm primary products and services (p.19).
Operations management is a dynamic field and presents exciting new issues and
challenges for operations managers. For example, Maura Sprenger, human resources
director at Techno Inc., a fast growing information technology company, is faced with a
very difficult issue between winning a multimillion dollar business contract with Apex
Company or run the risk of causing a very knowledgeable and valuable employee to quit.
Sprenger faces a dilemma on ethical issues related to diversity in the workplace. And the
risk of losing a deal with Apex company, a large client. In addition, Techno presents a false
expectation to Apex Company to close a deal which would run the rise of losing the
contract deal.
Jack Ridge, Techno vice president for sales and marketing department tries to sell a major
contract to Apex and with a visit to was Apex headquarter Ridge is impressed with Apex
diversity program. Ridge is under the impression that executives at Apex are very
proactive about the diversity of its workforce and likes its vendors to reflect the same
commitment.
Techno has its own employee diversity committee, staff training, and recruiting efforts,
however, the staff diversity is very limited. Because Ridge does not want to send the
wrong message to Apex and prevent a lucrative contract he decided he needs to have a
playerfrom a minority group, therefore, he picked James Tellis, an African American who
