Business ethics at workplace and ethical Issues affecting community and organization - Essay Example

Business Ethics Business Ethics at workplace and Ethical Issues affecting community and organization Student's Name: ______________ Grade Course: ___________ Dated: 21-05-2009 Business ethics refer to those ethical and moral values, that any business adopts while dealing with the internal or external environment. Ethics are a set of principles that when applied to meet the social standards of any organization, take on the role of leaders and managers in devising and executing ethical programs.

Business ethics have a profound impact on customer as well as employee and therefore, helps in creating a robust culture, aligned with the strategic management to conform discipline, even under tremendous pressures. The best manner to deploy ethical behavior within and outside organization is to define strict values that works in a manner that prevent corruption. Business ethics require effective leadership, not limited by making decisions, but making appropriate development of ethical character that hires employees by analyzing if they possess natural inclination to serve.

Organizations and individuals work within a framework, within which they are supposed to abide by various pressures. These pressures are created in order to deploy 'disciplined' code of conduct for the employees. This stresses upon the morality of individuals to adopt ethical behavior while accepting the business norms which by adopting the ethical code of conduct demonstrates a positive attitude towards its customers and employees, corporate behavior of the firm while negotiation, and social and environment responsibility at the same time.

Business ethics limits the employer and employee to follow standards and guidelines that escort the actions and decisions of employees and determine if they are 'good' or 'bad' morally. Ethical behavior, pertains individual not only to be adhered to the dictates of law but also to a broader moral code common to society as a whole. Ethical dilemmas are common in the workplace which confuses the employee as to whether or not to do something that though benefits the individual and employer, may be considered unethical.

Managers are usually encountered by such dilemmas in their working relationships with either their superiors or subordinates, or their customers. Common issues underlying the dilemmas in today's business environment involve the concern over being honest while signing contracts, give and take of favors, sexual harassment, pricing practices, and employee terminations without appropriate justification. The three issues morally affecting community and organization are: Marketing an illegal or unsafe product A manager who intentionally markets an unsafe product is subject to criminal and personal liability (Sims, 1994, p. 104). Besides penalty, the outcomes in which society is affected is the concern over reputation of the organization in which he works.

He is also affected by putting at stake not only the ethical reputation of the organization, but also his career, because after being guilty, the firm will not hesitate to terminate him for the reason he has violated ethical and professional norms. Employee Wrongful Termination Wrongful-termination claims usually correlates with the way employees feel they are treated at the time of termination and with their expected winnings from such a claim. Employee layoffs without prior notice and justification, on the basis of discrimination, retaliation, defamation or breach of contract are all unethical means of termination which affects not only our local community but also brings defamation to the organization in many ways.

It hits the society economically whereas wrongful termination lawsuits entail sky-high costs that often become an onus to small organizations. Sexual Harassment at Workplace Sexual harassment is a form of gender discrimination which is a common but serious problem and since HRM are now more concerned to take preventive measures against it, it does not indicate that such unethical issue has been resolved, rather most of the harassment cases goes unreported (WSH, 2009). From an ethical perspective, it destabilizes the morality of employer as well as employee, and helps increasing gender discrimination at the workplace.

References Sims R, Ronald (1994) Ethics and Organizational Decision Making: A Call for Renewal: Quorum Books: Westport, CT. WSH, 2009 accessed from