The
Praxis Business Ethics Inventory
PBEI helps answer
a question frequently asked by participants in business ethics
classes and workshops. How do my moral values stack up to those
of my peers, customers,or my firm itself? Put another way, those
asking this question are seeking to discover the degree to which
they share a sense of moral community with others in the business
world. By moral community we mean a group of people who usually
play by the same ethical rules.
The answer to
this question is vitally important to anyone doing business. Business
like most human enterprises, is conducted according to agreed
upon principles and practices that affect the shared values and
interests of those concerned.
When these values
and interests deal with right and wrong or good and bad, they
become moral in character. They make it possible for us to count
on others and what others say as we attempt to do business with
them. Without a shared moral business community, it is difficult
to give employees discretion,trust contractors or suppliers, and
expect repayment of debts. One could not depend on others to tell
us the truth about our products, our work processes, our markets,
and most of all, ourselves, as managers and employees.
A firm can lack
a moral community not because most of us are unethical, but because
we have differing levels of sensitivity to ethical issues, and
interpret our shared ethical beliefs in different ways even in
the same situation. Some people see ethical issues everywhere;
others seem to be ethically insensitive, or at least a bit "nearsighted".
Faced with the same situation, some people will be quick to emphasize
one ethical principle, some another, and still others will stress
the unique facts if the situation itself.
As a result, in
the business world it is vital that all of us strive to ask and
answer three questions about our business ethics and the ethics
of those with whom we deal:
To what degree
do we share a moral community with others in our business world?
How ethically sensitive to issues of business ethics are we compared
to others?
How similarly do we interpret ethical situations in business to
those with whom, we work and serve?
The answers to
these questions are not just nice to know, they are necessary
to understand in order to conduct business responsibly and effectively.
Using this inventory can help you develop a better grasp of these
issues, your own moral conduct and that of others.
Firstly, it helps
respondents evaluate both their level of ethical sensitivity and
their ability to differentiate the seriousness of ethical concern
in business issues by comparing their responses to our panel of
560+ private and public managers.
Secondly, it helps
respondents judge the degree they are part of what might be called
a moral community with peers, customers, and our reference sample.
Thirdly, it helps
illustrate how and why people disagree with each other morally
and how to discuss and resolve such differences.
The Praxis Business Ethics InventoryThe questionnaire, scoring, and interpretation materials for individual respondents.
The PBEI Trainer's GuideA booklet describing how to administer, score, interpret, and use the inventory in training situations with sample training designs. Also includes background material on facilitating ethical disagreements in the workplace.
PBEI Color Overhead PackageValuable material for conducting training workshops/classes.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ON THE PRAXIS BUSINESS
ETHICS INVENTORY AND TRAINERS' GUIDE,
PLEASE SEE OUR DEDICATED PAGES:
PRAXIS BUSINESS
ETHICS INVENTORY
At its simplest, power is the capacity (skill and will) to do something. We use power to fulfill many, if not most, of our needs, wants, and cares in life. Because we continually need the cooperation of others to get things done, we exercise our powers in social relationships. These we call power relationships.
In the workplace, a power relationship between manager and employee establishes who will determine the goals the work serves and the means that will be used to do the work. As long as both the manager and employee can achieve their needs, wants, and cares in the relationship it is a preferred power relationship. When one or another party finds themself unable to achieve their needs, wants or cares, they may seek to change the relationship.
Since a power relationship is defined by who determines means and ends, such relationships vary in terms of these two factors. There are five basic power relationships: AuthoPower, Custodial Power, CoPower, Entrusted Power, Empower.
This instrument reveals which of these relationships you tend to establish as a manager. It will also help you analyze those situations in which each relationship tends to be appropriate, as well as the results of over or under utilizing any of the relationships.
The Power Relationship InstrumentThe questionnaire, scoring, and interpretation materials for individual respondents.
The PRI
Trainer's GuideA booklet describing how to administer, score, interpret, and use the instrument in training situations with sample training designs.
PRI Color
Overhead PackageValuable material for conducting training workshops/classes.
To read about the workshop that uses this instrument click Managerial Power and Influence
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to Training Materials List
Guide to Effective Feedback BookletThis booklet contains both the theory of and guidelines for giving and receiving effective helpful feedback. It answers the questions: What is Feedback? How do I give it helpfully? How do I receive it effectively? How do I overcome blockages to effective feedback at work? It also links this model of feedback with modern philosophical thought on communicative competency and contrasts feedback with other non-feedback alternatives like "giving advice."
Instructional AudiotapeThis one hour tape contains two phases: Side 1 is a lecture on feedback which highlights the model and essential guidelines. You may find this handy in the car or while traveling for reinforcing the booklet's ideas and guidelines. Side 2 is a series of dramatized role play situations what show effective and ineffective ways to give and receive feedback along with commentary on these examples.
Practice JournalThis workbook suggests a variety of different real life situations in which to practice giving or receiving feedback along with an analysis guide for learning from these experiences. This booklet is also useful as a journal of your own practice.
Reminder Card PacThese wallet sized cards are handy reminders of the main ideas and guidelines for giving and receiving effective feedback.
To read about
the workshop that uses this instrument click Effective
Feedback Skills
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to Training Materials List
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