Making A Decision As A Manager: Who Will You Promote The Dep

Making A Decision As A Manager Who Will You Promote The Department M

Making a decision as a manager. Who will you promote? The department manager below you has retired. You have the responsibility of choosing the next manager. Four candidates from outside the department were considered along with two from inside the department.

Upper management has urged you to make an “inside” hire if there is someone qualified, because business is currently tight and profit margins are very narrow. The company is wanting to trim the workforce through retirement and those who leave for other reasons and try to avoid laying off workers. Since the two candidates inside the department are both qualified, you believe you can work within those preferred guidelines. Here is a partial description of the two candidates. One candidate is an older worker who has been with the company for close to thirty-five years and would be retiring in another five years.

She has a good employment record, other employees like her, and you believe she would be compatible with the rest of the work force. However, she is the less qualified candidate of the two candidates as far as education. She has no college degree. Also, in recent projects in the department, she has not played a leading role. However, she has served on some of the committees.

The other candidate is in his late 20s, only having been with the company for about four years. He has a college degree in engineering and has already been the team leader in several projects in the department. His working relationship with other employees is also quite good. He is anxious to move up into higher management. You are aware that another company recently showed interest in trying to hire him away.

You believe either individual would do a good job as a leader. Which one would you choose as the new department manager? On what basis? Post your discussion remarks using the "reply" button as you have done in previous ethics case studies. Remember to use and cite at least one reference source.

Study/research suggestions: Look at the following article in Wikipedia and read the section on “Human Resource Management," especially where it talks about promotions. This will not settle the issue for you, but it will give you some food for thought. The second link is a web site that has a template to guide businesses toward fair job promotion practices. It will give you some good ideas for your discussion post also. (Links to an external site.)

Paper For Above instruction

The decision of selecting a new department manager is a critical one that requires balancing multiple factors, including qualifications, experience, organizational needs, and ethical considerations. In this scenario, the manager must choose between two internal candidates with distinct profiles, amid pressures to prioritize internal promotions due to financial constraints and company policies favoring internal hires when possible.

The first candidate is an older employee with nearly 35 years of service, approaching retirement in five years. Her long tenure suggests institutional knowledge, loyalty, and generally positive relationships with colleagues, which are invaluable assets for leadership stability and team cohesion. She maintains a good employment record and has been well-liked by her peers. However, her educational qualifications are limited, as she lacks a college degree, and her recent project involvement has not positioned her as a leader. This could imply limited strategic or managerial skills necessary for higher management roles, although her experience and seniority are substantial.

In contrast, the second candidate is a younger professional in his late 20s, with about four years at the company. He holds a college degree in engineering and has already demonstrated leadership by serving as a team leader on several projects. His good working relationships and ambition to ascend into higher management make him a compelling candidate. Furthermore, the interest from another company indicates his value in the job market, which could be a risk if he leaves prematurely. Nonetheless, his relatively brief tenure raises questions about his deep understanding of the company's culture and long-term commitment, which are crucial for leadership roles involving strategic oversight.

From an ethical and organizational perspective, promoting internally aligns with practices that reward loyalty and institutional knowledge, and supports employee morale and retention. According to human resource management principles, fair promotion practices should be based on merit, experience, and potential impact, taking into account both tangible qualifications and intangible qualities such as interpersonal skills and organizational fit (Snape & Redman, 2014). Favoring internal candidates when qualified is also consistent with fairness and staff motivation, especially during times of financial austerity and workforce optimization.

Choosing the younger candidate with higher qualifications and leadership experience might seem a logical decision given his potential for immediate impact, skill set, and motivation for advancement. However, the risk of turnover and the company's emphasis on internal promotion suggest that the older employee might be the better choice, provided she meets minimum requirements and demonstrates capacity for leadership. Her institutional knowledge and relationships could facilitate a smoother transition and help maintain stability, especially during challenging economic times.

In conclusion, the decision hinges on balancing short-term organizational needs with long-term employee development and ethical considerations. If the older employee can demonstrate some capacity for leadership and adaptation, her promotion could serve the company's strategic imperative to promote internal talent and foster morale. Conversely, if immediate high-level skills and goal-oriented leadership are paramount, the younger candidate’s profile makes him a strong choice. Ultimately, a transparent and competency-based promotion process, consistent with fair HR practices, should guide this decision to ensure organizational integrity and fairness.

References

• Snape, E., & Redman, T. (2014). Human Resource Management. Pearson Education.
• Dessler, G. (2019). Human Resource Management (15th ed.). Pearson.
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). (2020). Guide to Effective Promotion Practices. SHRM.org.
• Boxall, P., & Purcell, J. (2016). Strategy and Human Resource Management (4th ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.
• Pfeffer, J. (1998). The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Gupta, N. (2019). Fairness in Employee Promotions: Practices and Ethical Considerations. Journal of Business Ethics, 157(4), 1167–1179.
• Cascio, W.F., & Boudreau, J.W. (2016). The Search for Global Competence: From International HR to Talent Management. Journal of World Business, 51(1), 103–114.
• Armstrong, M. (2017). Armstrong's Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. Kogan Page.
• Werner, S., & DeSimone, R. (2016). Human Resource Management: An Experiential Approach. Cengage Learning.
• Ulrich, D., Brockbank, W., Johnson, D., Sandholtz, K., & Younger, J. (2012). HR Competencies: Mastery at the Intersection of People and Business. Society for Human Resource Management.