We have come to a conclusion of the ethics class and time to say good bye until I see you somewhere down the path. Paths will probably cross again, and more connections will still be made. Looking back though, I have learned a lot of valuable tools to continue down this path. I have learned that you can come to an understanding without coming to an end in a discussion. There is also a lot of value (information) that you need to know before going into a discussion. The value that you have is to better both parties, and you will accomplish more with a plan for your best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA).


Thanks to cartoonresource.com for this cartoon.


There have been many great discussions in this class along with great insight. I thank you all for your ideas, input, and making this class so enjoyable. I wish you all well in your endeavors as you continue through your work, school, and life as you know it.

As for me I feel I have become more stable in my personal ethics. I feel that I know more about what my ethics are and how they effect others. I'm a good listener, but a harsh trainer, manager, and harsh on my self. This is something I will work at. I now have an understanding that not only do people come with there own biases and their influences, I can not change them. No matter how hard I push. I can only show them what I know and how it helps everyone. I can't make them do it. In the end we all have to work together to come to a conclusion to a rational ethical decision.

Negotiations in the Real World

Our ethics and decision making class has ended our reading of Judgement in Managerial Decision Making by Bazerman and Moore. This book has made me consider some very important factors in my life. One of the biggest insights I will take from this book is negotiations and it aspects. For example, don't show your entire hand in the beginning. One of the best examples of this is too much information at critical times. Hiring for a new job. Here is a link to a great blog/tweet about salaries in an interview- Salary Negotiations During the Interview.


This is only one point of negotiations. There are many parts to go with this. For example, biases are the first thing to pop in my mind now. Not who has them, but to just make sure I'm aware that we all have biases. Theses biases have many ways to effect the way negotiations are handled. Once both sides understands that there are biases on either side is only when you can make it easier to come to an agreement. I did not say a conclusion, but an AGREEMENT. This is when you know what your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA) is. In other words to put emotions to the side and know exactly what your bottom line is. For example, me and my family tested BATNA tonight. We have been looking for a vehicle for 1 and half years. My wife visited Overstock.com for a vehicle. Since we are in the "O club" we get extra perks. We receive special on various items so we decided to try the automotive category. We input the data on their site and received a confirmation with a price quote and expiration date of today. To make a long story short, we would not take less then $4000, and they said they would give us $4200. This knowledge that had been gained told us that they were coming back higher than our BATNA. The work had already been done. If we did not discuss and have our BATNA, we would probably try to get higher and walked away from a great deal.

There are many aspects to negotiations, but it seems to me knowing your BATNA greatly impacts the success of your outcome. From my example, I feel satisfied in what I expected/needed in the value of what I had.

The Effect of One Class- Ethics

The more and more I learn about ethics and integrity in my class the more I see people's "other" side. I don't know if I was just oblivious to it before, or just did not care. I do see it now, and it does not matter who it is. People are all the same. We are all made of flesh, and we all bleed red. the only thing that makes us different is inside us. This inside us is not the physical objects; heart, brain, stomach, and so on, but the intangible stuff inside the heart and brain.

To give you a better understanding about me, I am a christian, but this class has help me even more understand that I am more un-denominational. What I mean by this is that to know, understand, and choose to do what God says, all you need is the Holy Bible. Denomination means to me is that men have picked which parts to focus on, and how to govern the church by them. Man has created their laws from God's law.

This country was born and based on freedom. If you have not read the Constitution of America or the Bill of Rights, I challenge you to do so. I include myself in this because I have not read all of them (to have a full understanding) either.

I will leave you with this, how free should our rights be? Should government be for the people only? or also by the people? Should a person be able to speak their own mind in our country, as stated in the first amendment, or would that be stepping on other people's rights? Here is an example of a Christian Protest. This article should show us all how government is changing, and could effect all our freedoms at some time.

Week 2- The Assessment

This is the second class I have taken with Professor Artz. I like his style of instructing, and his method of delivering the class. Since I am a manager with ever changing schedules, I like that I can work at my own pace. I do have to schedule things tight, since I am a husband and a father of two young boys.

Like most of you I don't jump up and down with joy seeing that we have a paper due at the end of our class. Although, I know by the end of class, just like the other class with Professor Artz, I will have a great amount of knowledge I will take with me. I am not a proficient blogger yet, but I am getting used to it. I do however enjoy reading the blogs from my class mates and others. I also enjoy reading what people have to say on the blackboard for discussions. One day perhaps BU could transit to a multi blackboard. The board could then be both typing and/or video posting. This would be presented like Professor Artz's video overview, or a commentary to a movie. Maybe just thinking out of the box.

This brings me to the TV commercial. I am looking forward to make and posting my TV commercial. I will make sure I read the guidelines closely so as not to leave anything out.

Overall, I think this class will be very enjoyable. This is not at all to say that this class will be easy. You will, however, get out of it what you put into it.

Ethics in a multiethical world

This is my first week in my new class, Ethics and Decision Making class. For the next ten weeks I will be making posts about these issues.