Professional Workplace Dilemma
In my profession as a music retail store proprietor and a music trainer, I was in a regular conflict between store sales and moral teaching methods. In order to illustrate the experience, some background details are necessary. As the sole owner, I had an accord with a good buddy of mine that after all operating expenses are paid; he would be entitled to half of the profits for his services as a manager. Consequently, the people involved were me, my partner (I’ll call him Fred), and my music learners/learners.
My ethical concern was the capability to sell more books to the students though I was feeling that they were not prepared for additional books (Rachel Zupek 2007). Fred (my manager) kept telling me that I was required to sell additional books to my students and I told him that my students were not ready. With my background as affirmed above, I give my argument on why this kind of scenario brought about an ethical dilemma on my part. It was January of 2005, when I bought a small sized music retail store that I felt would realize my career objective of being a business proprietor, musician and also a teacher.
My associate and I bought the store with funds that we had saved from gigs. For approximately one year, we did not make use any money from gigs apart from repairs and equipment. With a $6000 deposit (down payment) and a $500 a month mortgage, Fred and I became the proud new owners of a Music Retail Store (Ravi, 2007), As the manager, Fred spent most of his time learning on purchasing and inventory, and we both agreed to use all the profits to update and increase the inventory.
Fred’s job included managing the daily store business and my job consisted of bookkeeping, instrument repairs, and teaching. As the business grew, my teaching program consumed a big deal of my time and the store though still in the red, was glowing on its way to profit making. Fred as the manager thought that he should persuade me to increase sales through selling books to my students. In some instances, I agreed and would increase the student’s repertoire to take in the purchase of new books.
As time went on, Fred kept on telling me to sell an accessory or book to my students. My dilemma: as the proprietor of the store, from a business point of view, I knew he was correct, but as a teacher, I knew this was unethical even though technically, I did not get any commission from my student’s purchases (Birchall, John, 2006). As suggested by (Rachel Zupek 2007)”some stores promote (maybe require) teachers to use the inventory in their cause of teaching, but many instructors resist being used in such a way and believe it is not their job to sell equipments for traders.
” Though, Rachel also brings up one more point in favor of the teachers selling books. (Rachel Zupek 2007) states, “instructors/teachers should also encourage students to purchase music books rather than writing songs for the students, and necessitate that they purchase black harmony charts and manuscript instead of killing time drawing boxes and lines on blank pages,” (Ravi, 2007). According to (Birchall, John 2006), it is not unlawful for music teachers to get a commission from sales if the student is informed about the commission.
In an effort to strike a balance between a retailer and a teacher, I came to an agreement. I designed my lessons to include a series of books that took in a lesson book, a repertoire book and a chord book. For every new student, I gave a beginner’s package that included three picks, a music stand, a strap, and a tuner. As affirmed by (Ravi, 2007), “vendors must inform teachers on the available tools, and invite them to encourage inventory in terms of stocking on the students needs.
Retail and lessons equivalent to more as a whole than the total of their parts. ” while I was experiencing the ethical dilemma as described above, I was not sure how to lever the wearing of both the music instructor’s hat and vendor’s hat without forfeiting the integrity of the music education industry. Another very significant issue was capability of enhancing and contributing to the support of the music business.
Through creating a package of music for my students, and choosing a complete series of chord, lesson, and repertoire books for my apprentices, I had thrived in enhancing the quality of my students’ musical experience and lessons, and I agreed on the retail sales that were essential to operate a successful business (Birchall, John 2006). References Rachel Zupek (2007), Professional Workplace Dilemma, Retrieved on 29th November 2008, from http://www. helium.
com/items/264757-professional-workplace-dilemmas? page=2 Ravi (2006), Professional Workplace Dilemma, Retrieved on 29th November 2008, from http://www. lotsofessays. com/viewpaper/1712292. html Birchall, John (2006),Professional Workplace Dilemma, Retrieved on 29th November 2008, from http://www. careerbuilder. ca/Article/CB-235-Workplace-Issues-Five-Common-Workplace-Dilemmas/? ArticleID=235&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=ddc8f7f45e3e45718e7d89a72b8d285c-281253620-JK-5&ns_siteid=ns_xx_g_Professional_Workplac_
Sample Essay of Eduzaurus.com