Ethical Issues in a Business

Paper Type:  Business plan
Pages:  8
Wordcount:  1953 Words
Date:  2022-12-14

These are situations in a working environment that requires addressing. They may be behavioral issues, integrity, management, health, and safety as well as technology and privacy. Such issues put the performance of an industry at jeopardy hence require to be addressed as soon as they are identified (Chell et al., 2016). There are several ways to deal with ethical issues in business, and the first method should be determining the problem as it represents itself. An ethics officer is then required to collect the relevant information regarding the challenge to help them understand the problem as it presents itself and the causes as well. The business rules should then be applied to determine if the issues relate to the set business laws and how the law stipulates them to be solved. At this point, an ethics officer can identify who got the capacity to solve the problem based on the business law, chain of command (Davies 2016). However, an ethics officer is not supposed to present the issue to the commanding officer without seeking clarification from other colleagues regarding how one can handle such kind of situations. This can come in the form of ideas as well as information regarding such type of problems. The ethics officer later compiles a list of possible solutions regarding the problem and how they will positively or negatively come to effect (Ferrell et al., 2015). Finally, the ethics officer is supposed to come up with a backup plan of how he can defend his decisions if he faces a backlash of events and eventually manifests his solutions regarding the issue to the business for implementation.

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Ethical Leadership

These are the possible ethical considerations that shape business leadership. The leadership is propagated by respect of ethics and rights in a business that comes in the form of honesty, fairness, respect as well as privacy (Chell et al., 2016). The first ethical consideration that should be effected to ensure good leadership is by providing that a business has guiding moral principles that govern the business environment (Bell et al., 2018). This way everyone can follow suit in making sure that everybody respects the set principles. There should be a code of conduct as well to ensure everyone toes the line without anyone having to force them into submission. It is essential to effect training on individuals regarding ethical practices to ensure that they have sufficient knowledge as well as understand why it is crucial to have these practices effected in a business environment. Lastly, with everyone having enough knowledge regarding ethical practices in a situation, compliance is expected. With everyone adhering to the rules, good leadership effected with no force used as stated by (Shaw & Barry, 2015)

Employment Issues in Business

This is the ethical principles that an employee is expected to follow and respect while at work. They include personal integrity whereby employees are expected to carry out themselves in a respectable manner to themselves as well as colleagues. Respect among employees is paramount as well. An employee is supposed to be loyal to the business they work in by carrying out their responsibilities in a way that does not hurt the company. This can be achieved through honesty and transparency in their duties according to (Crane & Matten, 2016). Finally, an employee should be caring towards colleagues by avoiding doing things that may hurt them as well as abide by the law whether national law or business environment stipulations.

Environmental Concerns in Business

The form of interaction between people and the environment they work in. In a working environment, people should be aware of the repercussions of activities such as dumping of waste which is an environmental hazard - environmental ethics of a business portrayed by the businesses ability to protect the environment operation. Employees should be made aware of the consequences of mishandling the environment by setting rules and measures that should adhere to while handling the situation (Shaw & Barry, 2015). A business culture should be established whereby every worker understands the importance of environmental conservation. Environmental morals in business can only be affected where awareness and rule set.

International Business

Ethical issues have affected all businesses around the globe with many factors such as culture and beliefs coming into effects regarding the code of ethics set. Morals stand to rule standards of business ethics. International business ethics reflected through good or bad deeds, the extent at which justice served as well as personal virtues in a business (Crane & Matten, 2016). They are governed by principles such as integrity, respect, justice, fairness as well as the respect of both colleagues and the rule of law that dictates a particular nation. These traits ensure that business ethics adhered to.

Ethical Programs

I have been working in a marketing firm in my neighborhood for the past six years as a senior human resource officer until recently when I was appointed as the top ethics officer as an additional role. The company has got a high value attached to the ethical practices in the business since sales depend on the ethical practices carried out in the firm, and at this moment it is my responsibility to make sure that those ethical practices come into effect. I aim to ensure first that all employees are aware of the role each has to play in providing that all the ethical practices come to effect without a glitch. Secondly, I will put all employees under a training program that aims to inculcate knowledge and learn the importance of having an ethically professional business working environment. With the help of the human resource manager, I have developed an annual program whereby all employees will be attending to update their ethical skills. Every application will be dedicated to learning certain aspects of ethics with this year's program directed at creating awareness on the employees regarding their right and responsibilities at their workplace as well as the obligation an employer has towards their employees. With this program, I aim at reducing cases of ethical malpractices in the company through awareness.

Rights and Responsibilities of Employees

The company has a very high value for our employees since they are part and parcel of the company. The company is deemed to fail without their services; hence the company reciprocates to them by providing them a safe and working environment. We have set measures that ensure employees are safe and happy and in case of complaints, we have suggestion boxes as well as representatives of their own choice who air the predicaments. Our offices are secure with light facilities such as clean washrooms with security guards manning the premises. We also provide free parking space for those who drive with mirage allowance in the line of duty allocated where the situations call for it. For the non-driving, we have company vans to see them ran the companies duties and responsibilities. Secondly, we have amicable working hours set in favor of everyone regardless of how far they live. Employees report to work at 9.00 a.m. Monday to Friday with the exclusion of public holidays. This has ensured a healthy work-life for them as portrayed by the results we get. Lastly, we give equal opportunities to both men and women with no special considerations for anyone. When there is an open chance in the firm, we always notify the employees first for those who feel capable of presenting themselves for the opportunity. Consequently, employees are expected to follow these rules and respect them since they have been set to favor them the most.

Ethical Responsibilities of the Employer

A lot is expected from us, and therefore we acknowledge first that it is our responsibility to safeguard the integrity of the firm by painting an excellent picture to the public and also safeguard the welfare of our able employees. We keep in touch with our employees and provide better avenues to reach us without having to breach their privacy or making them feel on edge. We acknowledge that not all staff members are comfortable talking directly to us and so we give them a chance to speak to us indirectly as well as raise concerns about factors that call for a change. We have as well made security a priority to our staff not only to their wellbeing but to their privacy as well. From Biometric doors to internet firewalls and antiviruses, the safety of both personal and company data assured. CCTV cameras are manning the premises at twenty-four-hour schedule and trained security guards in place.

Ethical Business Dilemma

An employee's ability to stand with the company is of high essence. I have had very high expectations with the old employees especially since they have been attending programs based on ethics for a long time now. Recently, this was put to the test when staff from the distribution department came up to me seeking to know what they should do to a colleague who was transpiring to use the company's channel and get clients for another recently opened company from our firm since we have already grown in the business. Apparently, the said employee had approached by a senior member of the rival company, paid and even promised a top position in the company if at all he assists then in channeling our customers to the rival firm. The employee was very professional and could request to know what should be done to an employee who puts the integrity of the company at risk.

Evaluation Of The Dilemma Based On the Utilitarian And Relativistic Perspective

Utilitarian evaluation bases an argument on the most convenient course of action that should be effected from the dilemma while relativistic is based on decision making that is morally and ethically right. On a utilitarian point of view based on the dilemma, the employee putting the company at risk should be fired because he has already broken one of the critical ethics of the company that is loyalty (Bell et al., 2018). Trading the company's information is risky and non-excusable. However, the relativistic aspect of it argues that the employee should be given a chance to redeem himself regardless of his disloyalty to the firm. He may prove valuable to the firm hence deserves a second chance and more still firing him is against his well-being as a human being with bills and responsibilities to cater.

Ethical Decisions Reflecting Corporate Ethics and Responsibilities

One of the main ethical decisions that face an employee during work is using the time set for work to handle personal issues (Chell et al., 2016). In a case scenario where ladies were sent for a marketing job outside the work premises but decided to use the time to get their hair done. This earned them one month of suspension for not being able to make the ethical decision to work as required. Secondly, employees are tempted to use the company's resources for their benefit. A staff who used to carry his laptop home despite there being a rule not to take the firm's property outside the premises unless the official lost his machine during a robbery and fined for that.

Ethical Dilemma and How an Individual Might Justify Unethical Behavior

Work time is essential to the firm especially since that is the time we expect the employees to fulfill their mandate which we hired them. In the first scenario, the two ladies justified themselves to have completed their duties on time and since time for closing work was almost, they figured out that they had enough for the day and nothing would be required for them to do. In the second instance, the employee argues that he had a lot of uncompleted work assignment and the only way he could make it was working at home (Bell et al., 2018). According to the company's policies...

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Ethical Issues in a Business. (2022, Dec 14). Retrieved from https://proessays.net/essays/ethical-issues-in-a-business

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