Business Ethics - Like Nailing Jell-O to the Wall - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2073 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Essay any type Did you like this example? Business Ethics Like Nailing Jell-O to the Wall What are ethics? A simple definition for ethics is those standards or morals a person sets for himself or herself regarding what is good and bad and right and wrong. If something is ethical, it does not necessarily mean that it is legal, and vice-versa. This is partially because ethics are subjective à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" that is, each persons ethics are unique to that individual. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Business Ethics Like Nailing Jell-O to the Wall" essay for you Create order For example, Sally, who works at Beckers, may give a carton of milk to a young mother with a baby who has no money for food. Though Sally believes this action is ethical, it is not legal. Another employee may not see Sallys action as ethical. Where do ethics come from? The most common factors that form a persons individual ethics are: Family Influences. People tend to develop beliefs about ethics and morals from their parents, brothers, and sisters based on observing their behaviour, and punishment for doing things that the family perceives as unethical. Peer Influences. Classmates and others in a persons social network can shape ethics. Peer pressure, for example, can help determine how much a person is willing to engage in questionable activities like shoplifting, lying, etc. Past Experiences. Often, the consequences of previous behaviour condition a person to feel comfortable with certain ethical standards. For instance, if a sales person lies to a customer to make a sale and then is reprimanded by the manager, he or she would likely perceive lying as undesirable behaviour and unethical. On the other hand, if the person makes the sale, and is rewarded by the manager, lying may become perceived as a desirable and ethical behaviour. Religious Affiliation. Generally, a persons religious affiliation (if one exists), will shape what that person perceives as right and wrong. Situational Factors. People adjust their ethics to suit certain circumstances. For instance, Sally in the example above, would probably have changed her behaviour if the customer had been a well-dressed parent who drove up in a BMW. Business ethics Business managers face ethical dilemmas (ethical questions) almost every day. Ethical dilemmas occur when a manager is faced with two or more conflicting ethical issues, and has to make a choice. Business to Employee. A business has a responsibility to act ethically towards its employees. Most importantly, employers must hire and fire people in ethical ways. Wages and working conditions are a second ethical issue. Businesses must ensure that employees are paid a fair wage, and that working conditions are reasonable. For instance, paying a worker $1 per day is considered unethical. The same could be said of having an employee work in a room filled with toxic fumes that would cause illness. Privacy is the final ethical issue with respect to employees. This includes random drug testing; and listening to employee telephone calls. Employee to Business. Employees have ethical responsibilities towards their employers. Some of importances include taking a part-time job with a competitor; leaking company secrets; wasting company time; and theft from the employer. Business to External Environment. Because businesses exist within a community from which they take resources, some ethicists believe that businesses have ethical responsibilities to the community. This obligation to protect and enhance the society is called Social Responsibility. This also includes responsibilities to the customers from which they earn profits. The main areas of Social Responsibility are: Ecology and environmental quality preventing and cleaning pollution, noise control, recycling, preserving land. Consumerism truth in advertising, warranties, control of harmful products. Community needs helping charities, aid with health care and urban renewal. Governmental relations elimination of bribery of officials and lobbying, following laws. Minorities and disadvantaged persons providing training and opportunities for these groups. Labour relations permitting unions, negotiating fairly, providing fair working conditions and compensation. Arguments Against Business Ethics Ultimately, businesses exist to make a profit for their owners and shareholders. In most cases, ethical behaviour adds expenses to the business, reducing profits. Profits are a good thing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" they ensure that people have jobs. The smaller the profits, the fewer income tax dollars are paid, which would hurt government programs. The government takes care of ensuring that businesses do things in an ethical way. No other forms of business ethics are required. Arguments for business ethics Business, like government, is a system that affects not only its managers and employees, but all members of the community. Many business decisions affect the lives of people in important ways. If businesses operate in unethical ways, this can contribute to people getting sick (as a result of pollution or defective products); or consumers could get taken advantage of (through false advertising). The Harvard Business Review suggests that well over three-quarters of businesses are trying to build ethics into their organizations. Many business managers believe that, though more costly in the short run, ethical behaviour is profitable in the long run as customers and government regulators will appreciate it. This will ultimately result in higher profits. Businesses earn huge profits from members of the community à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" they owe it to the communities to put something back through donating to charities. For example, the major banks earn $2 $3 billion dollars a year each. A small portion of that should go back to the communities from which it came. Ethical Frameworks An ethical framework is a system that a person can use to help make a decision when faced with a moral dilemma. Here, two frameworks will be described: deontology, and utilitarianism. Deontology is the belief that there are some things that a person should do (right), and others a person should not do (wrong). People should do the right things (such as being honest), and refrain from doing the wrong things (such as stealing), regardless of what the consequences are. This can cause problems, if doing the right thing has a negative consequence. For example, if you are honest about the whereabouts of someone being sought by the police and wrongly accused of crime, the consequence is that an innocent person will be arrested. Another problem with deontology is that no clear method exists classify behaviours and actions as absolutely right and absolutely wrong. Deontological arguments are based on adhering to sets of rules. Utilitarianism suggests that you choose the behaviour or action that will result in the greatest good for the greatest number of people. It does not matter if the actual behaviour is right or wrong, the result is key. Utilitarian arguments are based on meeting a specific goal, and not on following rules. Discussion Questions Some business ethicists argue that acting ethical in order to increase profits in the long run is unethical à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" that businesses should be ethical because they want to contribute to the community. How do you feel about that statement? Why do you think the title of this article is Business Ethics Like Nailing Jell-O to a Wall? Do you agree that the government should regulate aspects of a business to ensure they operate ethically? If so, what sorts of things should be regulated? No corporation is truly ethical unless it has banished all forms of external motivation for employees. What do you think this statement means? Reconsider the story discussed earlier about Sally the convenience store owner who gave a carton of milk to the poor mother. What would a deontologist say about Sallys action? What would a utilitarian say? Do you prefer deontology or utilitarianism? Why? Business Ethics Case Worksheet Name: ____________________________ Case Name: _____________________________ Role: _____________________________ Instructions Two members of your group must choose to play managers, two play ethicists. Each group will receive a case envelope. Everyone in the group must reads the case articles sheets in your envelope. Each person answers the questions on this sheet (to be handed in at the time you present). Your group will have class time to prepare a presentation (maximum 10 minutes long). The instructions are shown below. Make sure that you read your peer evaluation sheet so you know what is expected of you. The presentation should include: An introduction in which the background of the case is described to the class. A role play in which all members of the group participate, and argue their sides using an ethical framework. A conclusion, where you reflect upon the role play, and discuss the ethical issues involved and how they could be resolved in real life. Questions: 1. Describe the ethical dilemma you will be faced with. What are the main issues? What facts do you have? 2. Will you use a deontological argument, or a utilitarian argument in your presentation? Why? 3. Describe what information you plan to communicate in your argument to the other side. 4. How do you think the other side will respond to your argument? 5. With your group, write up an outline to describe your role play. Explain which members will be doing the introduction, which will be doing the conclusion, and what information you plan to communicate. Business Ethics Self Reflection Worksheet Your Name: ____________________________ Case Name: _____________________________ Members of your group: ___________________________________________________________ To be completed after you have presented your role play. Think about the level of effort each member put forth toward your presentation. You have 10 marks to divide up among your group. If you feel all members put in equal amounts of effort, allocate 2.5 marks to each of the four members. If you give all 10 marks to one person, everyone else would have 0. Name Mark/10 Total 10 In the space below, write a personal reflection on this activity. In it, describe your personal feelings about the case and related issues that you presented. Comment on how effectively you feel you argued your part, and what you would do differently if you were to repeat the exercise. Business Ethics Peer Evaluation Sheet Your Name: ____________________________ Case Name: _____________________________ Names of presenters: _____________________________________________________________ Item Consider These Things Mark (circle one) Clarity of Presentation Appropriateness of language Preparedness of group All members participated 12345 Role Play Clear introduction Good interaction among members Realistic positions 12345 Arguments Sound, realistic, and clear arguments made Use of ethical frameworks (deontology, utilitarianism) 12345 Conclusion Conclusion made sense given the case Reasonable possibilities for solutions offered 12345 Group Mark Add up all the numbers you circled to determine the mark. /20 Business Ethics Peer Evaluation Sheet Your Name: ____________________________ Case Name: _____________________________ Names of presenters: _____________________________________________________________ Item Consider These Things Mark (circle one) Clarity of Presentation Appropriateness of language Preparedness of group All members participated 12345 Role Play Clear introduction Good interaction among members Realistic positions 12345 Arguments Sound, realistic, and clear arguments made Use of ethical frameworks (deontology, utilitarianism) 12345 Conclusion Conclusion made sense given the case Reasonable possibilities for solutions offered 12345 Group Mark Add up all the numbers you circled to determine the mark. /20 Business Ethics Lesson Plan and Teacher Instructions Objectives By the end of the activity, students will: Knowledge: understand and define the concept of business ethics identify current ethical issues in business Skills apply various ethical frameworks in order to solve ethical dilemmas create and perform a role play that demonstrates an understanding of ethics and of contemporary ethic issues that relate to business Attitudes: appreciate societal and personal needs for business ethics in modern commerce Materials Needed One copy of Business Ethics à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Like Nailing Jello to the Wall per person. Six Business Ethics case envelopes each containing: 4 copies of a common case study; 2 copies each of confidential notes for managers and confidential notes for ethicists. Each envelope contains a separate topic: Employee Monitoring Harmful Product #1 (Milk and Agricultural Hormones) Harmful Product #2 (Tobacco in Developing Countries) Child Labour Customer Privacy Kids and Classrooms. One Case Worksheet per person. One Self-Reflection Worksheet per person. Five Peer Evaluation Sheets per person. Development Strategy First Class: Distribute Business Ethics à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Like Nailing Jello to the Wall. Go through key concepts with students. The delivery should be informal, and students should have the opportunity to contribute, creating a discussion atmosphere. Students will respond to the discussion questions in class. The teacher will explain the forthcoming assignment to students, and form groups. The packages will be distributed to students; they are expected to complete the required reading for homework. Second Class: Students will have time to work on formulating their role plays within their groups. The teacher will be present to assist with difficulties, and ensure students critically evaluate their positions. Third Class: Students will present their role plays. Specific instructions and expectations appear on the attached student handouts. Peer evaluation will take place. Students will complete the Self-Reflection Worksheet as homework. Business Ethics Harmful Product #2 L. Pinto, Teaching Business Ethics

Classification Definition With Examples

In rhetoric and composition, classification is a method of paragraph or essay development in which a writer arranges people, objects, or ideas with shared characteristics into classes or groups. A classification essay often includes examples and other supporting details that are organized according to types, kinds, segments, categories, or parts of a whole. Observations on Classification The primary support in classification consists of the categories that serve the purpose of the classification...The categories in classification are the piles into which the writer sorts a topic (the items to be classified). These categories will become the topic sentences for the body paragraphs of the essay...The supporting details in classification are examples or explanations of what is in each category. The examples in classification are the various items that fall within each category. These are important because readers may not be familiar with your categories.—From Real Essays With Readings by Susan Anker Using Classification in an Introductory Paragraph Americans can be divided into three groups—smokers, nonsmokers and that expanding pack of us who have quit. Those who have never smoked dont know what theyre missing, but former smokers, ex-smokers, reformed smokers can never forget. We are veterans of a personal war, linked by that watershed experience of ceasing to smoke and by the temptation to have just one more cigarette. For almost all of us ex-smokers, smoking continues to play an important role in our lives. And now that it is being restricted in restaurants around the country and will be banned in almost all indoor public places in New York State starting next month, it is vital that everyone understand the different emotional states cessation of smoking can cause. I have observed four of them; and in the interest of science I have classified them as those of the zealot, the evangelist, the elect and the serene. Each day, each category gains new recruits.—From Confessions of an Ex-Smoker by Franklin Zimring Using Classification to Establish Place Each of Jamaicas four great gardens, although established along similar principles, has acquired its own distinctive aura. Hope Gardens, in the heart of Kingston, evokes postcard pictures from the 1950s of public parks, gracious and vaguely suburban and filled with familiar favorites—lantana and marigolds—as well as exotics. Bath has retained its Old World character; it is the easiest to conjure as it must have looked in Blighs time. Cinchona of the clouds is otherworldly. And Castleton, the garden established to replace Bath, fleetingly evokes that golden age of Jamaican tourism, when visitors arrived in their own yachts—the era of Ian Fleming and Noel Coward, before commercial air travel unloaded ordinary mortals all over the island.—From Captain Blighs Cursed Breadfruit by Caroline Alexander Using Classification to Establish Character: Example 1 Local TV interviewers come in two varieties. One is a bulimic blond person with a deviated septum and a severe cognitive disorder who went into broadcasting because he or she was too emotionally disturbed for telephone sales work. The other variety is suave, sagacious, grossly overqualified for the job, and too depressed to talk to you. Good local TV people are always depressed because their field is so crowded.—From Book Tour by P.J. ORourke Using Classification to Establish Character: Example 2 The English-speaking world may be divided into (1) those who neither know nor care what a split infinitive is; (2) those who do not know, but care very much; (3) those who know and condemn; (4) those who know and approve; (5) those who know and distinguish.—From A Dictionary of Modern Usage by H.W. Fowler and Ernest Gowers Famous Classification Paragraphs and Essays for Study Conversation by Samuel JohnsonHere is New York by E.B. WhiteGive Her a Pattern by D.H. LawrenceThe Man Who Interrupts by Bill NyeOf Studies by Francis BaconOn Various Kinds of Thinking by James Harvey RobinsonThe Pleasure of Quarreling by H.G. WellsShaking Hands by Edward Everett Sources Anker, Susan. Real Essays With Readings, Third Edition. Bedford/St. Martins. 2009Zimring, Franklin. Confessions of an Ex-Smoker. Newsweek. April 20, 1987Alexander, Caroline. Captain Blighs Cursed Breadfruit. The Smithsonian. September 2009ORourke, P.J. Book Tour, in Age and Guile, Beat Youth, Innocence, and a Bad Haircut. Atlantic Monthly Press. 1995Fowler, H.W.; Gowers, Ernest. A Dictionary of Modern English Usage, Second Edition. Oxford University Press. 1965

Analysis Of Oedipus The King - 1250 Words

Jason Balut Professor Williams English 102, W09 7 June 2015 Oedipus the King Oedipus is a complex character who possesses attributes that many of us can identify with. He is an intelligent, prideful, arrogant man with a relentless, stubborn determination to find the truth. It is this arrogance and stubborn determination that ultimately leads to his demise. Oedipus’ intellect is evident even before the play begins. He became king of Thebes by solving the riddle of the Sphinx. The Sphinx stopped people on the road to Thebes and posed them a riddle. If they answered incorrectly, they died. The riddle posed by the Sphinx was â€Å"What goes on four feet in the morning, two feet at noon, and three feet in the evening?† Oedipus correctly answered that it was man, who crawls on four feet in the morning, walks on two feet as an adult in the afternoon and, in the evening of his life when he is old, walks with a cane on three feet. The Sphinx was so upset that Oedipus answered correctly that she killed herself (Kennedy, Gioia 1206). Oedipus’ pride and arrogance are obvious from the very beginning of the play when he says â€Å"I, Oedipus, who bear the famous name (Oedipus Prologue. Lines 5-10).† It’s easy to understand why he possesses these traits. After all, he did solve the riddle of the Sphinx and now the residents of Thebes worshiped him and looked to him to save their city. It’s easy for any of us to allow that kind of power to go to our head. When people constantly tellShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Oedipus The King 1127 Words   |  5 Pages For A Life Of Regrets Oedipus the King is a play written by Sophocles. Oedipus is the main figure and legend of Sophocles play. After Oedipus birth into the world, his father King Laius of Thebes heard from a prophet that his own child was destined to kill him. Sophocles play begins from past to present and starts to unravel the journeys Oedipus goes through. Oedipus isn t an evil character as one would think while reading the story. He neverRead MoreAnalysis Of Oedipus Oedipus The King 1152 Words   |  5 Pagesreading Oedipus the King. The number of times the words â€Å"see† or â€Å"blind† are in the play make it make it undeniably obvious that they are significant. The theme is developed throughout the dialogue, through characters such as Tiresias and Oedipus, and also directly in the irony of the play. It is important in a play about the truth because almost every character was â€Å"blind† to the truth. All of the characters, except one, can physically see, bu t mentally cannot see the truth. Oedipus seems toRead MoreCritical Analysis Of Oedipus The King1025 Words   |  5 PagesCritical Analysis: Oedipus the King Oedipus the King is a tragic play showing a shift from the belief of fate to freedom of choice. 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Ethics in CSR-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignementhelp.com

Questions: 1.Are there any links or references to GRI and UN Global Compact (UNGC)? Briefly outline these references. What implication and impacts does that have on the sustainability of PUMA? 2.Using the GRI table, identify the social and environmental issues disclosed for PUMA that could be improved on. Which ones suggested by the GRI are not identified? Answers: 1.Links between GRI and UN Global Compact (UNGC) There are indeed certain links between the GRI and the UN Global Compact (UNGC). The companies who participate in the Global Compact commit themselves to some of the universal principles that have to be abided by mandatorily. These areas are human rights, labor, social environment and anti-corruption. The Global Compact has made some particular levels of commitment levels in their COPs. They have some minimum GC Active level in which the Chief Executive of the particular company has to make sure about how they have been committed in commitment to the facts that have been mentioned in the GRI (Fernandez-Feijoo, Romero and Ruiz 2014). The companies must include the ten principles that are important for securing the Strategies and Operations of the company in those chosen areas. The companies must have to take action in the cases where the rules are breached and they have to strict so that they can be supportive towards the broader objectives taken up by the United Nations. In this way the corporate governance and leadership will be feeling an impact with its sustainability (Benn, Dunphy and Griffiths 2014). A company like Puma will have deep implications because of this Global Compact. They have to maintain those guidelines for achieving the sustainability (About.puma.com 2017) The core values they focus on are the social, economical and environmental developments. They will be looking forward to serve the society more with their charity works which they think is part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (Schneider and Schmidpeter 2012). The sustainability strategy they follow is based on more than 20 years of Code of Conduct policies. 2.Social and Environmental issues in Puma Puma has been focusing on various social and environmental issues and the social issues according to the GRI table contain the materials, energy, water, biodiversity, emission, effluents and waste, products and services, compliance, transport and environmental assessment. These factors are characterized by G4-DMA, G4-EN2, G4-EN3, G4-EN5, G4-EN6, G4-EN7, G4-EN11, G4-EN12 and many others. Their main aspect of industrial experience belongs to the products and services which is characterized by G4-DMA and G4-EN27 that tells about Extent of impact mitigation of environmental impacts of products and services (Fernandez-Feijoo, Romero and Ruiz 2014) The social factors that are described in GRI table are employment, occupational health and safety, training and education, diversity and equal opportunity, supplier assessment for labor practices and labor practices grievance mechanisms. These factors are characterized by G4-DMA, G4-LA1, G-4 LA6, G4-LA9, G4-LA10, G4-LA11 and many others. Puma ha ve abided by the guidelines that they should not engage any child labor in their production process, they have assured the freedom of association and collective bargaining, security practices, proper investment on the products and non-discrimination between their employees (Benn, Dunphy and Griffiths 2014). Puma could be improving on various factors like biodiversity of their products, they have opined that their environmental sustainability is based on the Precautionary Principle (About.puma.com 2017). They focus on preventing their customers, employees and entire society from any harm so that they can maintain the international health and safety standards. They have also enforced upon being a corporate citizen and they look to contribute to the society in positive. Still they have to look to improve on the facts of antic-corruption policies and transport problems of delivering their goods (Schneider and Schmidpeter 2012). References About.puma.com. (2017). PUMA This is Puma. [online] Available at: https://about.puma.com/en/this-is-puma [Accessed 15 Jun. 2017]. Benn, S., Dunphy, D. and Griffiths, A., 2014.Organizational change for corporate sustainability. Routledge. Fernandez-Feijoo, B., Romero, S. and Ruiz, S., 2014. Effect of stakeholders pressure on transparency of sustainability reports within the GRI framework.Journal of Business Ethics,122(1), pp.53-63. Schneider, A. and Schmidpeter, R., 2012. Corporate social responsibility.Verantwortliche Unternehmensfhrung in der Praxis, Berlin ua.