I am writing a paper on ethics development that examines one's personal ethical system and ground rules, including its origins and development. I
Incorporating the following ETHICAL TERMS
Character: Moral actions based on duty-driven ethical principles. These include trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship (Josephson Institute, 2009).
Ethical Business Behavior: "Behavior that is consistent with the principles, norms, and standards of business practice that have been agreed upon by society" (Treviño & Nelson, 2007, p. 19)
Ethical Dilemma: "Situations concerning right and wrong where values are in conflict" either for the individual or for the organization (Treviño & Nelson, 2007, p. 3)
Ethical System: Underlying ethical principles, which a person uses to make decisions
Ethics: "The principles, norms, and standards of conduct governing an individual or organization" (Treviño & Nelson, 2007, p. 13); ethics form the basis for determining the correct action, or moral behavior, in a particular situation.
Morals: Actions based on one's underlying ethical principles
Values: Those things or actions upon which the individual or organization spends time and money
Duty-based: A moral obligation or commitment to act in a certain manner, with clear right and wrong being determined by an outside authority
Entitlement-based: Moral decisions are based entirely on what is in the best interest of the individual, regardless of relationships, the needs of others, or business.
Goal-based: Focuses on the outcome or final purpose, which may be localized, as in business, or universal, as in feeding all the hungry children in the world
Humanistic (secular humanism or human nature ethics): Beliefs based on the extremes of human behavior, both good and bad, without the direction of an outside authority
Relativistic: Relativism often uses the personalized approach to ethics. It is subjective and focuses on personal experience as a form of judgment, and many different factors play a role in determining how a person uses this system. There are no absolutes within this type of ethical approach.
Rights-based: Certain things are acceptable in a community because the majority of people in the community agree the behavior is acceptable. Consider laws and civil rights.
Josephson Institute (2009). Six Pillars of Character. Retrieved October 2, 2009, from Josephson Institute Web site: http://josephsoninstitute.org/sixpillars.html
ANSWERING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS...Please list any references
1. Focus on the developmental aspect of one's ethics rather than on a particular position on any issue.
2. Define a persons underlying ethical system, its primary principles, the sources that helped shape one's ethics?such as people, institutions, events, and so forth?and the criteria and decision-making factors used to revise them.
3. Discuss the potential effect of one's ethics on performance or use of them in a workplace using a specific example.
4. Explain why ethics are needed in an organization and how ethics are integrated into the organization to achieve its direction and goals. What effect does the application of these ethics have on individuals, organizations, and society?