MGMT 535 - Week 4 Reflections

 I hate to say it but I'm an intellectual snob. Not that I think education is the end all to be all, but it does point to a level of exposure and experience. Every time I come across someone whether in my professional environment or personal environment, I find myself going to Linked In and/or Googling them. After retiring, I've noticed that honesty and integrity as expressed in the military isn't so cut and dry in the "world". When looking for my co-workers online, it is interesting to see who does have a Linked In profile and who doesn't. My unofficial observation is that those who know what the heck they are talking about in any given context have the profiles online and their credentials. I also find myself doing this when I run across people who are appointed to boards or have some title and job and I ask them what their qualifications are for holding the position. For instance, I was applying to a program through a service provider for veterans. I asked the person assisting me, was she a veteran. The answer was no. I asked did she have any military experience, again...a no. She finally admitted she was a former postal employee. I was done! She had no reason or ability to actually help veterans transition into civilian employment and business enterprises. I find this situation to be more common than not in the outside world. No qualification, skillset or expertise but representing themselves as the "expert". 

I have not found anyone or no of anyone who is expressing an untruth on any hiring or networking platforms. I will say the fact that digital media enables a quick means of fact checking makes lying (no matter how prevalent) a liability at any given point. I think the Jan 6, insurrection at the capital is a perfect example of how communications and media can and are being used to "out" those who seek to alter the truth.

In answering the question, "In what ways has virtual communication and social networking contributed to or dissuaded unethical behaviors?" I don't believe anything has really changed in terms of folks doing more or less lying. I think what has changed is the ability to fact check and the speed of being able to do so, for folks who do lie. What would normally be accepted as truth can now be checked. Look at what DNA technology has done for law enforcement. 

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