Wal-Mart Ethical Issue Paper free essay sample

The paper will conclude by proposing a plan for revising the ethical standards and communication of these standards in order to resolve the ethical issue. Chalace Epley Lowry started working at Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) as an administrative assistant in the communications department, on Jan. 2 of the year 2008; she went through a day-long orientation with a heavy emphasis on ethics. Chalace stated that, We were told that even if we see something that has the appearance of something unethical we should report it. Now, two weeks after filing a complaint against a more senior executive, the 50-year-old mother f two finds herself looking for another Job. The article states that, Chalace did not know for a fact that Wal-Mart executive was doing anything wrong. Wal-Mart says Lowry is simply confused. The company says she mistook a deferred compensation form for an options exercise request and that Williams did nothing wrong. The Ethics Office determined the same day the complaint was filed tha t the document that created Ms. Lowrys [sic] concerns had nothing to do with stock trading and that there was no violation of Wal-Marts ethics policy, said David Tovar, a Wal-Mart spokesman, in a statement. Soon after Lowry filed the complaint, her identity was disclosed to Williams. Wal-Mart says Lowry agreed to disclosure, but Lowry says she was never given a choice. Lowry said, It was impossible to remain in the department since Williams was effectively her boss, so she asked to be transferred. Wal-Mart has said that, Lowry now has 60 to 90 days to look for a Job within the company, but she may not get one. If she cant find another Wal-Mart Job in 90 days, human resources officials have told her that they would have to discuss next steps. To make a long story short, the article said that, Wal-Mart gave Lowry the option of taying in her current position. In spite of the fact that Ms. Lowery was not treated concerns to her supervisors attention, Ms. Lowery [sic] indicated that she was uncomfortable continuing in her current position and asked to be transferred, said Tovar in his statement. In the article Lowry says that, a human resources officer she met soon after her identity was disclosed brought up issues related to team dynamics and alleged that she didnt get along with co-workers. Given the timing of the comments, Lowry says, She grew even more uncomfortable in the communications department. Lowry says she had an outstanding evaluation in her last Job performance review in March, scoring 4. 5 out of a possible 5 in the rating scale. Lowrys story may prove a cautionary tale for workers at Wal-Mart, and beyond. She had been on the Job only a few months when she saw the documents that fueled her concerns. With the words from her initiation class still ringing in her ears, she decided to tell her direct supervisor, Sarah Clark, a senior director in the communications department. Clark encouraged her to report the issue to the companys ethics office. So on May 25, Lowry filed a complaint. Within days, Williams new that it was Lowry who had raised questions about her ethics. Wal-Mart says thats because Lowry agreed to make her name public Ms. Williams was informed after the Global Ethics Office concluded their review and after Ms. Lowery [sic] agreed that it was appropriate to inform and discuss the matter with Ms. Williams, said Tovar in his statement. However, Lowry says her supervisor made it seem like it was required. It was phrased to me like it was part of the complaint process to tell Mona that I had filed a complaint, she says. l didnt know I had a choice. Today, Lowry feels totally disheartened by the way the ethics complaint as handled. She was Just trying to do what was right. Now she hopes something good comes from the episode. My experience was not what I perceived the ethics line or open-door policy to be, and I would think twice before going that route again, she says(WalMart. com). Lowry had copied papers for her boss Mona Williams prior to hearing that Wal-Marts is planning a 15 billion dollar stock buy back and felt that maybe her boss has traded stock information. Although Lowry, discreetly had gone to the ethic department to inform them of her finding of information she thought was unethical. Upon doing so even though Lowry omits she did not know whether her boss had done anything wrong. Moreover, the ethics departments told Lowry that day they did not see any wrongdoing. Even though Lowry acted in good faith, pointing out that their might have been some wrongdoing However, her name is revealed by the Communication department and giving to Business Week and to her boss. In dispute, however, are the circumstances that led Lowry looking for a new Job. Since the incident has asked for a transfer because her identity was discovered to Williams. Wal-Marts says Lowry agreed to the disclosure, But Lowry assures Business Weekly he was never given a choice. Lowry says it is impossible to remain in her position because Williams is her direct boss. Since the Lowry to find, her own position within the company but do so, within 60 to 90 days. In addition, quoted Lowry may not find a position. The Wal-Marts Company has several issues in the past concerning their ethical behavior. Therefore, Wal-Marts are in question about their ethics within the company. Moreover, Wal-Mart asks for honest of their employees but do not stand behind them. Revealing Lowry named Jeopardized her position while working for re scathing attacks for the workplace practices from the union-backed groups WakeupWalMart. om and Wal-Mart Watch. As well as several politicians including Presidential hopefuls Senator Barrack Obama and Senator John Edwards, Wal-Mart has also taken heat from shareholders as its stock price has stagnated. The organizational leadership came into to play in this article when an administrative assistant by the name of Chalace Epley Lowry in the co mmunications department was asked by the vice- president for corporate communications to make some copies of some papers that she thought might have had something to do with the stocks. The Ethics Office determined that the complaint that was filed by Ms. Lowry had nothing to do with stock trading and there was no violation of Wal-Marts ethics policy. When Lowry took her concerns to her direct supervisor Sarah Clark, a senior director in the communications department, Clark told her to report the issue to the company ethics office. And when Lowry did this Ms. Williams was informed after the Global Ethics Office concluded their review and Lowry agreed to inform and discuss the matter with Ms. Williams. Lowry was given the option of staying in her current position.