NASA’s Love Triangle Approach

In the body of work, consensual personalized activities of individuals unendingly affect the works relationship in undesirable ways. Often well-read relationships between co-workers emit advantageous treatment at its best and discriminatory acts at its worst. Although Title VII does not decl be refer relationships in the workplace as an immoral, unethical and distasteful act, enough room for discrimination often prove a resultant effect when persons are disadvantaged due to a preferential treatment of another. in that respect is a potential for hostility when widespread favoritism exists between male and female employees. In a professional working relationship, the workplace would be ideally free from intimate relationships to prohibit favoritism and thereby banning nepotism. Office romances though are not illegal and discriminatory disposed the increased essence of time spent together by co-workers giving value to their work. However, work is a serious barter and managem ent requires workers to act rationally while doing their job. This phenomenon should be a cause for c at a timern when personal issues deputise with work-related issues. The three-way love trilateral situation between Lisa Nowak, Bill Oefelein and Corlean Shipman threaten the traditional ideas of anti-nepotism and non-fraternization in the workplace.NASA capitalizes on its human workforce to proffer its interests. Although its governing code of conduct according to NASAs Shana Dale upon query (Orlando Sentinel, 2007) do not necessarily insisted regulations that guard and meddle on astronauts and other federal employees personal lives.No matter how we try to goodify this explanation for NASAs lapses I continue to insist that American companies have a natural desire to keep personal relationships at bay in the workplace in the face of corporate dilemmas over discrimination and bedevilments. Often management sees that relationships within the company touch to a conflict of intere sts and inefficiency resulting from spending time and energy on non-work related activities (Avelenda, 1998 691). Under the guise of defend employees from claims of sexual harassment, policies would often widen to informally restrict fraternization and intra-organizational intimate interaction.It was therefore a blow to learn how NASA completely missed the personal lives of its employees. Astronauts are usually subjected to stringent rules and equally invasive aesculapian procedures. Nowak no doubt had undergone extensive medical and psychological examinations if protocols were followed prior and after(prenominal) her July 4, 2006 on the STS-121 mission which include a trip to the International Space Station according to NASA (2006).Her NASA bio declared her as a escape valve engineer with a rank of captain who logged almost 13 days in space and garnered the applaud as the first Italian American in space. Her confrontation with a fellow NASA employee who was reportedly a riva l for the affections of another space hoot pilot definitely exhibits her gullibility to submit to effects of an unrestrained strain that is aggravated by strained relationships.NASAs lapses in the face of the current situation involving the triangle love affair of their employees indicated the organizations past disinterest over interpersonal issues involving their confess working family. NASA has forgotten that Nowak at the age 43 and likely at the prime of her life after her shuttle trip last summer may have felt a bleak end to her life history as an astronaut whose second and third spaceflights would be tough to get after space shuttles are scheduled for retirement in 2010(Orlando Sentinel, Feb.,2007).Bouts of depression are also not uncommon to astronauts who come kin and are considered as heroes and overachievers. To recall, Edwin Buzz Aldrin as the second man to step on the moon after Neil Armstrong had alcohol problems after their successful return from their mission. N ASA has therefore dismissed the complexities of an unpredictable human ablaze repartee in the face of scientific calculable predictability.In response to Nowaks arrest NASA should review the procedures tangled in their psychological evaluations. The military have been instrumental in submitting their force-out particularly pilots for psychological disturbance following extraordinary stress like divorce or deaths in the family (Christian acquirement Monitor September, 2004). NASA may not have been helpful on this aspect.They may have forgotten how catastrophic consequences are brought around by a human element of error. It would therefore be beneficial for NASA and its employees to understand the stress of working in the space program and at least delegate focus on the personal relationships among its astronauts. Mccurdy (1999) once said that astronauts, like police officers, treat their profession as a way of life, not just a job. Despite any self-discipline, astronauts are e njoined to focus on their goals and keep on pursuing such goals which was seen in Nowaks single-minded pursuit against a foe.It would help NASA if it should also establish protocols and policies that treat the grievances of their own personnel. A professional independent body that provides proper psychological help and stimulated assistance and advise for its personnel should be made available for its employees. This bodys aim is for the recognition of possible emotional and psychological trauma experience by its key personnel without being used to leverage employment standing in the organization.Any official implyment into the diagnosis and treatment would alert and divert employee-patients forth from the program. Secondly, NASA must also work to regulate workplace fraternizing relationships through a less authoritative censure of intra-organizational romance. This would be properly implemented when put into writing for NASA to be able to eliminate its involvement in the futu re as an employer liability. Further, when inter-organizational romance and sexual relationships are frowned upon naturally, the well-discipline NASA astronauts would be consistent in their efforts to give over from intimate relationships with their co-workers. Another alternative also is for NASA to require employees to report any consensual relationships within its initiation and race through the proper human relations body.In the face of the current scenario between Lisa Nowak, Bill Oefelein and Corlean Shipman, given the organizations growing exposure and in conjunction with being held liable for its apparent disregard for the well-being of its employees I feel that NASA has an ethical and moral responsibility to support Nowak through her misdemeanor and refrain from painting her faults and deviant behavior. After all, Bill Oefelein seemingly exercised his dominion by maintaining two romantic relationships at the same time with two different women in the same organization ther eby causing rile for both.To restrict this trend, it would serve NASA if Oefelein should face a temporary suspension as well. Corlean Shipman is entirely the innocent political party and ould not benefit any organizing body to involve her in any internal disciplinary whole step that Oefelien shall face. Lisa Nowak is already facing criminal charges and yet, NASA is duty-bound to support her through this ordeal after all it has been creaky in its duties towards its employees and the whole scientific community and the public.Society must therefore scrutinize the various policies involve in National scientific and military organizations and regulate the intimate relationships of employees within their organization. This is to ensure that employees are not placed in an unnecessary position that requires them to choose between duty and relationship to enhance productivity and protect them from any emotional turmoil.Title VII may not be so express feelings on fraternization within o fficial work and duty but somehow this has provided an avenue for harassment and discrimination in the past (Avelenda, 693). NASA as a healthy organization geared towards training personnel for space excellence must also recognize the full potential of allowing people to deal with their emotional problems with the assistance and help of independent human relations services that provide psychological evaluation, treatment and focussing for personnel particularly the ones who are involved in missions.Works CitedWilloughby, Mariano, Cabbage, M., Lundy, S. and Hunt, A. (2007).The Orlando Sentinel. February 7.Avelenda, Saily M. (1998).Comment Love and Marriage in the American Workplace Why No-Spouse Policies Dont Work. PA. J. LAB. EMP. 691, 693 .United States. NASA. (2006) Astronaut Biography Lisa Nowak.Accessed 04 April, 2007http//www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/nowak.htmlEditorial. (2004). Anyone Ever Prepared To Kill? Christian Science Monitor Magazine, September 29.McCurdy, Howard. (1999). Space and the American Imagination, new ed. Smithsonian.