Business Ethics Analysis, Essay Example

Descriptive Analysis

Johnny’s Sport Bar follows a code of ethics consistent with the goals, mission and vision of the organization. Employees are hired based on their willingness to abide by the values and standards set forth by management. The stated mission statement is ‘to create a profitable restaurant where people can enjoy themselves with great food, excellent service and an exciting atmosphere, maintaining a safe, ethical, moral and healthy workplace for employees.’

Conducting business ethically is a major component of the philosophy of Johnny’s Sports Bar. Ethical management through a direct code of ethics summarizes the company’s beliefs and values. This is vital as a guide in new employee training. Values and a code of ethics should be an ingrained part of the organizational culture and climate. Johnny’s Sport Bar thrives to maintain a code of ethics which is articulated to all new employees. Continual training for employees based on the code of ethics is conducted semiannually. Refreshing the code of ethics during training is helpful in keeping employees compliant.

Serving the public is a profession like no other and requires patience, cleanliness and dedication. Hiring the correct individuals is important to the company’s value commitment. Robert Audi summarizes this in the statement:

“Suppose that I hire the wrong person for a task, say because I think her bright. Later, asked why I hired someone with so little experience, I might say I was impressed by a letter from Donald . . . If I do not want to conclude that I decided incompetently” (137)

Management must also follow a close code of ethics and values and hire personnel appropriately, based on the best candidate for the position.

The value commitment of Johnny’s Sports Bar is dedicated to the noble profession of serving quality food in a dignified manner. This should be accomplished using sound judgment and practice ethical and moral philosophies for success and growth. The owners and investors remain actively involved in the commitment to the values this organization strives to achieve and maintain.

The culture of Johnny’s Sport Bar supports the method for meeting the values and code of ethics implemented. The employees are treated fairly and compensated appropriately. If the employees are not involved in the culture of the business there is a greater chance for failure. The culture is the “sum of the company’s beliefs, values and attitudes . . . it is all pervasive and all-inclusive” (Quantified Marketing Group, 2009). The culture of Johnny’s Sports Bar is directly correlated to the effectiveness of the company and its history of organizational health.

Mechanisms used by the ownership at Johnny’s Sports Bar to bring about employee support include goal setting with employee empowerment. Maintaining authority to preserve a code of ethics requires effective leadership with respect for management and staff. Information sharing is essential to the organization; for staff and stakeholders.  Communication avenues for staff must be timely and accurate.  Funneling critical information to all staff must be a priority.

Perspective Analysis

The Box Seat, a new sports bar restaurant is a small sports bar which will use Johnny’s Sports Bar model to determine the code of ethics and mechanisms to devise strong business ethics. The organization will need to develop the culture for the direction the business is to grow. The value system should include respect for the employees and patrons foremost.  Reason, judgment and values are a central theme for virtue (Audi, 6).

The Box Seat will have a mission of ‘a place for great food and service, a place to relax and enjoy life . . . a place to support ethical and moral standards for all employees.’  In order to sustain a mission statement an organization must reach a socially responsible approach to business. Robert Audi in Business Ethics and Ethical Business introduces several ethical theories to support the need for developing and maintaining a strong moral fiber within the organization (2008).

Business ethics in internal management is a vital component of supporting the ethical corporate culture. This new restaurant will benefit from benchmarking other restaurants for success and failure history and causes. Tools to support the organizational structure should resemble the ones used by Johnny’s Sports Bar. Employee training cannot be emphasized enough. Patrons who come to the restaurant expect to be waited on promptly and effectively.  Employees with high morals and ethics and understand the organization’s philosophy will be able to develop and exhibit the attitudes and work ethics of the organization to meet the patrons expectations.

Decision frameworks for business ethics is an essential tool for an organization to develop and implement. Audi describes the importance of using a set of principles which comprise such a model to be able to effective conduct ethical business practices (2008).  Having a set of principles lays the foundation for staying in compliance with the values, goals and code of ethics an organization adopts.  Doing ‘what is right’ is not only favorable for the business and employees but also provides positive financial returns for the organization.

Admirable business principles include being trustworthy and always meeting obligations. The organization should maintain clear documentation and sustain accounting controls. Being respectful and having an involvement in the community is helpful in maintain relationships and being about to grow and sustain relationships. The importance of business ethics is one of the most valuable tools available for a restaurant.  High morals and ethics along with a solid theme of high business ethics with clear strategies and policies are significant in demonstrating to the community and customers the heart of the organization.

Robert Audi is an American philosopher known for his work with business ethics and epistemology; nature and limitations of knowledge. This is basically the ‘what, how, who and when” of theory knowledge. Audi applies this to his ethical theories to analyze tools for developing and implementing values and codes of ethics for organizations to build the corporate culture. One example is how Audi details in Business Ethics and Ethical Business the philosophy of Aristotle’s virtue ethics and the belief that epistemology follows that each science has a given degree of certainly and demonstration (2008).

The Box Seat can improve the code of ethics by comparing conformity or compliance models and selecting the one best suited for the organizational culture they wish to create. One of the best practices the organization can adopt is articulation of ethical practices to the employees. It should be mandatory for each employee to administer to the code of ethics.  Reprimands should be articulated and documented for unethical behavior.

Equality of employees is also a value the organization should adopt and follow all human rights issues and equal employment laws. The organization should develop a code of ethics to include employee rights. It should include fair treatment, honesty, and avenues for grievance reporting. Any unfair or deceptive practices should be avoided at all times by management and staff. Employees should be rewarded for calling attention to undesirable and unethical behaviors in staff, management or patrons. The creation of an ethics committee could be considered to handle the policies and document preparation. This committee would also handle any grievance reporting.

A new improved ethical system for the Box Seat should adopt the philosophy of going the right thing for the patrons when they may not see or know the difference. If the system implemented can be described to the employees such that they are serving their family or best friend with each patron it will help keep the values in their behaviors. Virtues are taught by parents and families and the symbolism for the staff will help them see strangers in a more familiar way.

The organizational structure should follow the typical restaurant with servers, cooks, etc. However, each person should be cross trained to at least understand the importance of each job. It is always ethically correct to respect each other and this is a way to foster a cohesive and considerate team. It takes each person and each position to create success. Employees understanding fully the ramifications of what each person does go a long way in fostering team building.

Organizations face many trials and tribulations concerning ethics. Staffing, marketing, and advertising are a few examples. A code of ethics and solid value system are the foundation for any obstacle a business will face. The role of society on a business is a topic Audi discusses and believes to be important to the organizational culture. Leadership is also a valuable component of instilling ethical standards. A good leader, teacher and mentor provide employees a lot in terms of grounded value systems.

Competition will always be an obstacle for organizations. However, good relations with community restaurants are important; remembering that ethical behavior rises above competition. Working in the community as a team player develops a network for connecting in times of trouble. Leadership does not have to stop at each organization, but rather can become a community position.

The Box Seat has every advantage to become a business with high morals, a dedicated code of ethics and a strong value system. The owners, management and staff play a role in the professional development of systems to create an honest and trustworthy company. Patrons will recognize the philosophy through the employee behaviors and quality of service.

Works Cited

Audi, Robert. Business Ethics and Ethical Business. 2008. New York: Oxford University Press: Print.

Audi, Robert. Moral Knowledge and Ethical Character. 1997. New York: Oxford University Press: Print.

Quantified Marketing Group. Company Culture. 2009. Web. December 3, 2009.