The American Economy-Attitudes and Opinions

An extensive memorandum (dated May 8, 1951) was prepared for the group discussions. This memorandum was used in the organization of the discussion groups, and furnished to the organizer, the leader, and all the members of each group.It was intended, first, to explain briefly the purposes of the whole study of which the group discussion project was a major part and to sketch briefly the methods to be used; then, more fully, to describe the plan proposed for the group discussions.The plan as described in the memorandum included (1) suggestions as to the membership of the several types of discussion group contemplated; (2) suggestions as to organization, meetings, and reports; and (3) suggestions, in ample detail, of questions relevant to the purpose of the project. It was not expected that all the questions would be covered in the discussions of each group; but actually most of the groups gave serious consideration to some phases of all the eight major topics -- the time and the emphasis and the outcomes varying, as the quotations from the reports in the preceding chapters have indicated.The memorandum as sent to the discussion groups, with the multitude of questions it includes on the relation of ethics to economic life, is reproduced on the following pages. It is hoped that other groups may find among these questions useful material for their own discussions, as in the reports they may find evidence of the value of such use of the discussion process in a democratic society.

1.	To examine and describe the incentives and aims which motivate people to work at a particular occupation, business, or profession. To find out what this work means to the individual, especially its relation to personal status and security.
2.	To find out what moral standards people use in their work.
3.	To find out the kind of moral problems and emotional conflicts which people face in their work. The problems and conflicts which arise from attempts to use moral standards in which the person believes are of special interest.

-182-