GS4
Prakash and Meena were a married couple living in Gurgaon, Haryana. Both Prakash and Meena were corporate executives, working in XYZ retail and ABC enterprises respectively. The two were leading a rewarding professional life. However, as both worked in different companies and often had different office timings, their personal lives were getting affected. Due to their busy schedules and official commitments, they were unable to find sufficient time for each other. Things came to such a pass that the two could not spend their last anniversary together. While Prakash was working on an important project, Meena was busy with the launch of a new product. Though the two understood the importance of professional commitments, the lack of quality time with each-other was increasingly becoming a cause for concern and frustration. One day Prakash informed Meena about a vacancy in his company for the post of regional manager. Prakash, who himself was working at the same position, knew that this post was an ideal opportunity for Meena professionally. While Meena's work in her company was well appreciated and her prospects for growth were sound, she was still willing to grab the present opportunity. This would have enabled the two of them to work in a common office space, with relatively more coherence in their office timings. Consequently, she applied for the vacancy in Prakash's company. As Meena was reasonably qualified for the job and had good experience, she was hired by Prakash's company. The two were very happy about the prospects of working together. Besides working from a common office space, Prakash and Meena were able to go to and return from work together. The two were, resultantly, very happy about this positive change in their lives. Meena quickly adjusted to the new office environment and began her work in the same department as that of Prakash. Meena's positive work came into the notice of her superiors. She was frequently appreciated for her diligence and sincerity. XYZ retail was in the process of preparing a presentation for a potential government contract. While Prakash was expecting that he would be chosen for preparation, the branch head of XYZ retail entrusted Meena with this strategically important task. Prakash was visibly disappointed with this, as he had been preparing for this task for a long time. Meena could also sense Prakash's dejection, as he not only didn't congratulate Meena but also pointed out how it should have been him doing the job. Meena, as was her nature, worked hard on the report, and successfully made the presentation to the client. As the report was made and presented in an efficient manner, XYZ retail gained a big contract from the government. While the entire office was congratulating Meena for her success, Prakash remained indifferent towards Meena's achievement. Meena was visibly hurt by Prakash's behaviour. Meena's success with the government contract earned her a promotion, and she was made the head of her department. This further enraged Prakash, as now he was supposed to report to Meena. Moreover, Prakash's behaviour at the workplace changed significantly. He started misbehaving with his juniors over small things. He became careless in his work, often leading to mistakes and errors. Prakash's behaviour at the workplace had a spill-over effect on Prakash and Meena's personal lives. One day he slapped an office peon for entering his cabin without knocking. After an enquiry about the incident, Meena recommended suspension of Prakash. While the two had continuously quarrelled over trivial things since her promotion, this time Prakash's career was at stake leading to a huge fight. Earlier Prakash and Meena tried to spend time together whenever possible, now the two despised being together at home and office. While Meena could not comprehend Prakash's behaviour, Prakash was jealous of Meena's success. Meena began to re-evaluate her decision to join XYZ retail.
Answered by 1 topper · CSE 2024
Syllabus: Case Studies on above issues.
How toppers approached it
From 0 of the 1 answers.
Opening
Not measured yet.
Body
Not measured yet.
Close
Not measured yet.
The toppers’ answers
More on Conflict of Interest
A private interest bearing on a public duty, and the disclosure or recusal that answers it.
- Ensuring that government decisions are not influenced by public officials' private interests is a growing concern. Discuss in the context of India. Also enumerate the core principles reflected by OECD guidelines for managing conflict of interest in the public sector.19 answers
- While civil servants have the legal right to undertake post-retirement jobs, it raises key ethical issues. Comment.16 answers
- You are working as a District Magistrate in an aspirational district where women literacy and sex ratio is one of the lowest in the country. It is brought to your notice that a woman who has been elected as 'Sarpanch' on a seat reserved for women candidates in a panchayat in your district is head 'only on the paper'. All the work related to the panchayat is actually carried out by her husband. Even the flag hoisting ceremony on Independence Day is carried out by her husband. However, her husband happens to be a good administrator as indicated by that panchayat's performance on various developmental parameters as compared to other panchayats in the district. Also, her husband enjoys the support of the local people. Given the situation, answer the following: (a) Identify the stakeholders and issues involved in this case? (b) What options are available to you as the District Magistrate in such a scenario? Also, evaluate each option and indicate what option will you choose.15 answers
- You are posted as a District Magistrate in a district, where many large factories and commercial establishments are located. One such factory is owned by one of your close friends. You visit each other's home frequently and are often seen in public together. Recently, media reported about poor working conditions in your friend's factory. Upon enquiry with the labor office, you come to know that the factory has witnessed frequent labour unrests in the past as well. However, the labour officer told you that he was hesitating to take any action due to your proximity with the owner of the factory. With reference to the facts of the case, answer the following questions: (a) Identifying the stakeholders and public cause, discuss the ethical issues involved in the case. (b) As the District Magistrate, what appropriate course of action will you take? Give reasons for the same.13 answers
- You, a manager in one of the top IT firms in the country, are tasked with hiring new recruits for an upcoming project. You find that the company has given tacit instructions of not hiring female candidates in view of the new maternity law passed by the Government. You find this highly objectionable and lodge a protest with people in the higher management but they are firm as they want to cut down all the unnecessary costs. Based on this information, answer the following questions: (a) Identify the stakeholders and their interests in the situation. (b) What are the dilemmas that a recruiting manager may face in such a scenario? (c) What are the different options available to you? Which one will you pursue and why?10 answers