Ann Hopkins at PWC: Case Analysis
Ann Hopkins Case Analysis
1. What ethical problems do you see with the Price Waterhouse partnership evaluation system?
The Price Waterhouse partnership evaluation system has the ethical problems that the sex discrimination. The Price Waterhouse most concerned about the interpersonal skill, therefore, Hopkins had been given advices to change her "direct" style and personal appearance.
For example, before Hipkins started working at Price Waterhouse, one partner told her that the firm prohibited hiring the employer who was married to the other partner or had a close relationship with the other partner in a national accounting firm. This is a ethical problem, but can not be the legal policy for a firm. The firm should evaluate one employer by his management skills, not the relationship with the competitors.
Moreover, one of partner, a consultant, stated that Hopkins was "direct, abrupt, sometimes insensitive. And demeaning at times", and another partner, Timothy
Coffey,
described her as "unorganized", "There is a risk that she may abuse
authority" and "may have overcompensated for being a woman"; yet these were people who had had very little contact with Hopkins and take sex discrimination with
Hopkins.
However, there is some positive responses to Hopkins, who is the female senior manager said that "very directed at getting good results", "Hopkins taught her about
1
self-confidence, how to apply her knowledge and skills without self-doubt". From this response, it will be seen that different gender uses different angle of view to analyze one person. It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer. According to the term of law, the Price Waterhouse fails to hire any individual by discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
2. Why was Ann Hopkins denied admission to
1. What ethical problems do you see with the Price Waterhouse partnership evaluation system?
The Price Waterhouse partnership evaluation system has the ethical problems that the sex discrimination. The Price Waterhouse most concerned about the interpersonal skill, therefore, Hopkins had been given advices to change her "direct" style and personal appearance.
For example, before Hipkins started working at Price Waterhouse, one partner told her that the firm prohibited hiring the employer who was married to the other partner or had a close relationship with the other partner in a national accounting firm. This is a ethical problem, but can not be the legal policy for a firm. The firm should evaluate one employer by his management skills, not the relationship with the competitors.
Moreover, one of partner, a consultant, stated that Hopkins was "direct, abrupt, sometimes insensitive. And demeaning at times", and another partner, Timothy
Coffey,
described her as "unorganized", "There is a risk that she may abuse
authority" and "may have overcompensated for being a woman"; yet these were people who had had very little contact with Hopkins and take sex discrimination with
Hopkins.
However, there is some positive responses to Hopkins, who is the female senior manager said that "very directed at getting good results", "Hopkins taught her about
1
self-confidence, how to apply her knowledge and skills without self-doubt". From this response, it will be seen that different gender uses different angle of view to analyze one person. It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer. According to the term of law, the Price Waterhouse fails to hire any individual by discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
2. Why was Ann Hopkins denied admission to