Society IV Corporate Domain example essay topic

BLIND OBEDIENCE 1. Examples of cruelty done on Human beings in India under blind obedience: - i) Religious and Cultural domain: e.g. Gujarat violence Graham Staines murder case (religious fanaticism) Sati praha B abri Masjid demolition ii) Political domain: e.g. Fundamentalist terrorist groups in India (ULF A-Assam, Laska r-e-To iba - Akshardham Temple) ) Social domain: Conservative practices in society (female infanticide) iv) Corporate domain: Exploitation of Laborers in coalmines of Jharkhand-low security measures; Hazardous working conditions-disposal of hazardous wastes (violation of pollution norms). 2. Reasons behind this phenomenon: - i) Social Structure ii) Economic Constituents ) Illiteracy iv) Political exploitation 4. Lessons for Corporate executives: - -Consequences of deviating from standard policy should not be set so high, that people are afraid of using their own ethical values in arriving at a judgment. -In situations of dilemma, executives should give preferences for their logical reasoning and values, over a stringent blind following of corporate policies.

-Corporate executives should analyze any situation using a balanced and holistic view taking into account its short run and long run merits and demerits. -Corporate executives should not analyze any situation from the organization perspective alone but also taking into account the benefit of society as a whole. 3. Development Process Behind "Blind Obedience" a) The development of an appealing objective -In NAZI campaign -The Schutzstafflen whose job was to actually exterminate Jews. "The SS as an exterminator of 'inferior' races" b) Indoctrination of members: -Principles reiterated over and over again so that new entrants are thoroughly sleeper in them. -Just to quote one of the principles used by the SS "We have only one task-to stand firm and carry on the racial struggle without mercy" c) The obligation of obedience: -Seeks to establish unconditional obedience in the minds of the new entrants -In the SS, the members had to carry out tasks, however distasteful, illegal or human.

-"One who passionately believes in the principles must himself subject himself voluntarily to obligation to obey" Stanley Milgrams's obedience experiments are also relevant in this respect. The subject was a teacher who was supposed to give electric shocks to a student (the co-subjects) for every wrong answer. The intensity of electric shocks was increased with each wrong answer. An astonishing 60-70% of the subjects chose to administer shock to their co-subjects. The study shows that a substantial proportion of people subdue their conscience to the command of a legitimated authority.