Description
Book SynopsisWe live in a world where CEOs give themselves million dollar bonuses even as their companies go bankrupt and ordinary workers are laid off; where athletes make millions while teachers struggle to survive; a world, in short, where rewards are often unfairly meted out. In The Ajax Dilemma, Paul Woodruff examines one of today''s most pressing moral issues: how to distribute rewards and public recognition without damaging the social fabric. How should we honor those whose behavior and achievement is essential to our overall success? Is it fair or right to lavish rewards on the superstar at the expense of the hardworking rank-and-file? How do we distinguish an impartial fairness from what is truly just? Woodruff builds his answer to these questions around the ancient conflict between Ajax and Odysseus over the armor of the slain warrior Achilles. King Agamemnon arranges a speech contest to decide the issue. Ajax, the loyal workhorse, loses the contest, and the priceless armor, to Odysseus,
Trade ReviewThe timing is excellent for The Ajax Dilemma: Justice, Fairness and Rewards...this little book makes a worthy contribution to the issue of how to distribute rewards in both government and business. In this age, the story of Ajax is sure to resonate with many. * Nancy F. Koehn, The New York Times *
Table of ContentsPart One Introductory ; Ajax ; What's at Stake: Rewards, Booty, and Incentives ; Part Two The Story of Ajax ; Part Three Learning from the Ajax Story ; A New Approach to Justice and Compassion ; The Myth ; Caring About Ajax ; The Storytellers ; The Contest: What Went Wrong ; Part Four Justice as Human Wisdom ; Bad Losers ; Compassion ; Fairness ; The Fairness Trap ; Good Things and their Doubles ; Justice ; Anger: Justice in the Soul ; Honor and Respect ; Wisdom ; Leadership ; The Answer: How to Survive the Dilemma ; Afterword ; Ajax and Odysseus: From Battlefield to Boardroom, by C. Cale McDowell
