Management Issue: Case Response Brief, Essay Example

Company culture is very important especially in the aspect of establishing team camaraderie among members of an organization. For businesses to evolve and develop, the establishment of a strong company culture that both old and new people working within an organization know about is a distinct requirement. In relation to human resource management, such aspect of culture within the business affects how much directive the process of development a business is going for. Relatively, such culture could be established alongside the application of rules and policies regarding particular situations that may occur within the organization.

In the case brief presented, it could be understood that the dilemma is dedicated upon choosing between talent and skill versus moral standards. The organization has specific rules when it comes to utilizing company equipments [including laptops] even when they are taken home for the sake of completing extra work. Given that such materials or equipments are included within the list of the company’s assets, they are to be treated as ‘strictly for work only’; this means that utilizing them elsewhere would still put the user under the jurisdiction of such company policy of the item being for work purposes only.

Paul’s action towards such policy cannot be considered acceptable. Relatively, whether or not he was the one who accessed the laptop, it meant that the equipment has been used against company protocols. It does not matter who accessed the sites [whether it was him or his friend], the laptop was handed out under his care, hence, anything that was found scrupulous about the way it was used outside office premises will be accounted against his responsibility. Not to mention the fact that his [alleged] friend used it for personal accounts, hence making the said act happening under his permission; which renders him irresponsible about the matter.

Fred, the one who forwarded the problem, is seemingly a concerned individual; he knows about the situation and the rules that apply. Simply neglecting the matter and setting it aside due to the fact that it was the first count on the part of Paul would cause Fred to question the system and its strength in being applied as a means of defining the organization’s culture against utilizing equipments for personal cause and the act of accessing lewd sites on the internet. Relatively, this doubt could create an inner-spurring issue that could hurt the overall function of the organization as a team of individuals following a certain rule.

First to note on this regard is the need to ask Paul about his knowledge on what the company stands for and what it believes in when it comes to two issues: (1) utilization of office equipments in and outside office premises and (2) the rule of the company against attitude towards accessing websites with explicit content. Given the fact that every employee accepted in the organization gets formal orientation including these rules, Paul should know that what he did was punishable under legal matters as the policies of the organization are considered legally binding. He should be guided accordingly in the process of clearing his name off from the situation or at least redeeming his desire to write what was wrong. Given the skills and talents he has, he could be of great use to the company. Nevertheless, having such attitude and capacity to offer to the company should not excuse anyone from the responsibilities that he has as part of the organization. Hence, through careful examination of the situation and perhaps through presenting the case to higher authorities in the organization [calling for a board decision], ample punishment should be applied against Paul; warning punishments could be considered effective and applicable in relation to this matter hence not completely terminating him from his post, but at least letting him realize that in no way should such account happen again in the future.