Personal and Organizational Ethics, Essay Example

Life often seems as if it presents an endless series of ethical dilemmas, or at least situations and circumstances that could be seen as or could become dilemmas if an individual is unsure about how to respond to or react to them. The “dilemma” only arises if an individual is faced with making choices or decisions and does not have a clear sense of how to proceed. As an example, I have on more than one occasions come across property –such as a wallet or a cell phone- that was obviously misplaced by its owner In these instances I have had the ability to determine how to contact the owners of this property and return the items (in the case of the cell phone I was able to contact the service provider and arrange for a return that way; on the several occasions I have come across lost wallets I was able to locate the owners through the driver’s licenses or other forms of ID contained therein). While I may have fleetingly been tempted to keep this property, I did not choose to do so.

Ethical dilemmas in organizations can be more challenging to deal with, because they typically involve the decisions or ethical stances of other individuals. I once worked in a sales position in which the sales manager encouraged the sales staff to avoid discussing some of the negatives associated with the product line; I was not told to completely misrepresent the truth, but I was encouraged to steer potential customers away from discussing some information that could make a purchase less appealing. In one of my earliest jobs working at a restaurant I became aware that the bartender was pouring well liquor instead of call brands, a practice that was unethical and dishonest.

The five steps provided by Philip Lewis serve as a good example of how I approached making decisions about returning lost property. In fact, I did not have to get eyond step one, “look at the problem from the position of the other person(s) affected by the decision,” which is more or lss a retirement of the Golden Rule. If I lost my wallet, cell phone, or other property, I would hope the person who found it would return it to me.

In the case of the sales manager who encouraged me to avoid discussing certain information, an applicable ethical test would be the “purified idea” test. This manager all but insisted that it was acceptable to engage in this conduct, but I recognized that it was not. I did not remain at that job for very long.

The dichotomy between duty and consequence is a significant component of the fundamental nature of ethics, and it is difficult to say with certainty whether one is absolutely more important than the other. The nature of ethics, and of ethical debates and dilemmas, is that no one rule always applied to every circumstance. Making a decision about an ethical dilemma on a deontological basis –for example, a manager who decides to be forthright about something that he or she could have kept secret- may have negative consequences for employees, customers, or other stakeholders. By contrast, a teleological-based decision may serve the interests of the greatest number of stakeholders, but may still be considered to be morally wrong. This demonstrates the inherent challenges involved in making ethical decisions and choices.

Servant leadership demands that a leader first works to serve the interests of those he or she is leading. This seems like a solid foundation on which to build other leadership qualities. It may not always be practical or even possible to make every decision based on this ethical framework, but it does provide a good starting point. Other components of ethical leadership would include treating all employees fairly, keeping the interests of all other stakeholders in mind when making decisions, taking responsibility for my own decisions instead of blaming subordinates when things go wrong, and setting an ethical example for employees to follow.

As I see it, codes of conduct are appropriate and even necessary in most organizational contexts. It could be argued that codes of conduct tend to emphasize legalistic compliance as opposed to a truly ethical organizational culture, of that they even “squeeze out” ethics altogether. Rigid conduct codes can limit responsive, flexible problem-solving in situations involving ethical decisions or dilemmas.

At the same time, however, the current legal and legislative environment demands that some sort of codes of conduct be codified for employees. Studies have shown that the behavior of management has the strongest influence on the ethical behavior of employees. This necessitates that management live up to the demands and expectations of conduct codes, and that such codes be written to balance legalistic requirements with the ethical expectations of the organization. Codes of conduct are absolutely necessary for organizations, but it is also necessary to recognize their limitations.

There is no question that business ethics should be taught in business schools. The subject of ethics is an important component of the human experience, and great philosophers and others throughout history have contributed to the body of literature devoted to this area of interest. Students in business schools can gain invaluable knowledge by studying business ethics. This will help students consider ethical issues from a variety of different perspectives and provide a firm basis for developing personal ethical frameworks that will be incorporated into the roles of managers and leaders in the business world.

The best practices for improving an organization’s ethical climate involve a combination of practical, tangible components and components that are more ideological and intangible. Written codes of conduct, for example, are a fundamental starting point as they delineate expectations and goals for the organization. Such codes must be backed up by systems that provide mechanisms for effective decision making, whistle blowing, training, and other organizational structures and mechanisms. These specific elements must be matched by the “moral management” of organizational leaders who do not just offer such codes and mechanisms, but also serve as examples by adhering to and living up to them. Other components and steps to bring about organizational change in the ethical climate include effective oversight, audits, and discipline for violators. As the figure in Chapter 8 makes clear, these elements cannot be easily ranked in an hierarchical manner, as they overlap with, interact with, and support each other. The focal point of an ethical organizational climate begins with management, but extends outward to everyone in the organization.