The Presidential election is an
exciting time for Americans. We are given the choice to vote for a President
that we believe in and whom will lead our country for the next four years. For Americans, we have the freedom to decide our future.
Unfortunately, some of those in power take advantage of others and try to control their votes. In the 2012 Presidential election, this type of coercive power was
seen by David Siegel, CEO of Westgate Resorts. CNN reports in an article, CEO Emails 7,000 Employees: Defeat Obama or Else that David Siegel sent out a company wide email threatening to lay off employees if Obama was re-elected. The article’s author Chris Isidore reported that the email contained the following quotes:
"The economy doesn't currently pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is another 4 years of the same Presidential administration...If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, as our current President plans, I will have no choice but to reduce the size of this company.Rather than grow this company I will be forced to cut back. This means fewer jobs, less benefits and certainly less opportunity for everyone." 
CEO Siegel didn't mention Romney's name anywhere in the e-mail, and he writes he "certainly wouldn't interfere with your right to vote for whomever you choose." Although this email does not outright threaten employees with layoffs if they vote for Obama, it is surely implied. Siegel abused his positional power as CEO of Westgate Resorts. His centrality to the company’s employees is monumental to the company’s success but he abused that power by sending out company-wide emails threatening layoffs if the election did not go his way. It is unethical to threaten his employees or to try to control their vote in one direction.
The influence strategy he used here is retribution, implementing both coercion and intimidation to his employees. By threatening their jobs, Siegel is pressuring his employees to vote for Romney. It is clearly unethical for anyone to impede on their employee’s right to vote.
The CEO is definitely pushing his workforce to vote against Obama. Although he does not explicitly tell his staff to vote for Mitt Romney, he does imply it. Most Americans can not afford to lose their jobs and these employees feel the pressure of being unemployed. Do you know if the CEO was fined?
ReplyDeleteI think that it is wrong that the CEO did this. It would be very interesting to find out whether he was fined or not. Using that sort of tactics in order to further his career is wrong. Ethics is very important in the world of business. Have you ever come across a situation where you felt that unethical behavior was being used?
DeleteThe CEO was not fined for his actions. I just felt it is wrong and its definetly not the tatics he should use to futher his carrer. I never really came across an unethical behavior that was used.
DeleteObviously the CEO is unethical by trying to influence his employee’s voting decisions. I am just curious, is this kind of activities legal? Do you think his employees will sue him for threatening them if they don’t make the “smart” voting decision, they might lose their jobs? I also want to know what the reaction from the Obama side is too! Do Americans have laws to prevent this kind of things happen?
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DeleteAgree with everyone. I personally think this kind of mind should not be running a company. Like you, I am also curious if his action was legal or not. For me, I think it is illegal to threaten anyone in any form of speech or body language. It is sad to see this kind of people is running the economy.
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