This essay examines how ethical principles can be used to address organizational issues. It also address the role that external social pressures have in influencing organizational ethics, how these issues are relevant to organizational and personal decisions, and the relationship between legal and ethical issues as shown in the film. The reason Liberty Mutual started The Responsibility Project was as it stated, “to explore what it means to do the right thing”.
The film viewed was Dancing on a Dream.Although this film did not specifically deal with an organization, I chose this one because the ethical principles really moved me. Dancing on a Dream is about Michaela DePrince, an orphan from Sierra Leone that tells what her life was like before coming to the United States and fulfilling her dream as a dancer. In 1997, there was a civil war in Sierra Leone. Michaela’s dad was killed by rebels. Her mom did not know what to do.
She gave Michaela all of the food, and as a result, her mother starved to death. Michael became an orphan at. At the orphanage, all of the children were ranked by favorite.From numbers 1-27. Michael was number 27.
So she was always last to get any food or toys. Michael also had She had Vitiligo. The orphanage workers did not understand what it was. They would call her the devil’s child. One day, Michael saw a dancer on the cover of a magazine. This picture amazed her so much; she aspired to become a dancer.
Finally, Michaela got adopted. She was adopted along with her best friend Mia who was number 26. That was perfect. This never usually happens but somehow it did for them. Michaela does not know where she would be had she never been adopted.
She is now a principal dancer with the Dance Theater of Harlem. She now feels obligated to tell her story. Over 300,000 children in the world are orphans. (Liberty Mutual, Dancing on a Dream, 2013). Over 95% of them are located in the developing world. I think the important issue in this film is that we need to somehow reach out and affect others’ lives in a positive way.
The way the adoptive family reached out to adopt, and the way that Michaela reached out to tell her story. I think another important issue is that a person can do anything they set their mind to.Just as Michaela saw the magazine cover with the dancer and actually became a world class dancer. A third issue is that we should not judge based on appearance. The orphanage employees saw Michaela’s vitiligo and judged and treated her based on that.
We also do not know a person’s personal circumstances or their past. So their behavior and attitude maybe a reflection of this even though we may find it strange or do not understand it. Social pressures have a tremendous effect on influencing organizational ethics. One example, although not ethical is that of Coca-Cola.
Back in 1985 because of the fierce competition of Pepsi, the executives at Coke decided to change their soda formula and release a new coke replacing the original. Society went crazy. Coke received over 400,000 calls and letters of anger and disappointment. They started receiving 1,500 calls a day versus the normal 400. Even talk show hosts and comedians mocked the switch. At sporting events, Coke ads were booed.
Within less than 3 months, Coke put back the original formula all because of pressure from society. The issues in this film are relevant to organizational and personal decisions because many people are judged based on appearance.Organizations need to take into account the diversity of the public and their employees when making certain decisions. This will help them to continue be competitive and keep up with our changing society as well as retain consumers who have become more ethically aware and responsible. Individuals should learn to think outside of themselves. I think a big part of being responsible is not just being responsible for you, but for your community and society.
Being responsible means doing the right thing. The relationship between legal and ethical issues in this film was that of the orphanage.The orphanage was not operating illegally; in fact an orphanage is usually a place that someone who works there is usually one with a giving and caring heart. However, the condition in which Michaela was treated was far from ethical.
I think this film captures perfectly how ethical principles can be used to address organizational as well as personal issues. Handling issues appropriately based on proper ethical principles is important. There can be devastating effects organizationally and personally if not handled the right way. We have a moral responsibility.
