Business_Ethics_Reflection

I was faced with an ethical dilemma at Wal-Mart by an employee that was a dear friend of mine. The relationship among virtue, values, and moral concepts in this dilemma was what I believed in and the morals that I have acquired and have believed in my entire life. The things I have learned throughout my life in church, from my family, and growing up to becoming an adult. What is right and wrong when faced with such a dilemma, and what to do that was righteous. One day while working at Wal-Mart, a friend of mine called me at work. This is a girl with many financial problems and she also has three children that she is raising by herself. When I answered her phone call she asked me if I would do her a favor. She was in trouble for missing so much work and was subject to lose her job if she missed one more day. She asked me if I could possibly clock her in so that she would not be counted absent and that she would get there as soon as possible. Knowing her situation still brought many different thoughts to my head, should I clock her in and was it the right thing to do or do I go with my values and morals and do the right thing by not clocking her in. While battling this dilemma in my head all I could think of was if I do this I am not doing right by the company, myself, and the other employees. I struggled with this for at least an hour because I knew that I would lose a friend and possibly even my job if I did this for her. My friend knew that I was a straight shooter and that I do not do what I feel is wrong because I will have to answer for it in my heart. Maybe this is why she called me because she knew how I felt about her and her children and possibly I would think of them first. In contemplating the dilemma I had a bad feeling go over me about what would this do to the company if we all did this and that it could possibly become a habit for her. Still battling my own thoughts, I did not feel as if I should do this. Hours later I still had not clocked her in and she called me to see if I had. I had to tell her that I could not do this for her because I did not feel that I would be doing the right thing and that I would be subjecting the entire company for losing money, putting our other co-workers in jeopardy, and degrading myself. I had a family to feed and I was in need of my job too and besides my beliefs would not allow me to complete this act. Stealing from the company would have been morally wrong, even though I am a righteous person I still have values that are worthwhile in having and by completing this horrible act would have gone against everything I have believed in my whole life. I do believe in doing unto others as I would have others do unto me, but this was asking for me to break all of these things that I believe in so firmly. In examining the external social pressures that influence business ethics in this situation is that the extra money that is being paid out to employees for cheating on their time cards could be used to purchase more items for the consumer at lower prices that would keep this company in business and being profitable. This could keep all of us employed and by not committing such acts it would prevent the company from having to prosecute the immoral people working within the company. Being faced with this same dilemma today I would have to say that I would still do the same thing that I did the first time because I have morals, virtues, and values that will continue to follow me throughout my life. If I feel that something is not the right thing to do then more than likely it isn’t. I feel that a person should do what is right no matter what the circumstances are and if we are all honest this world would be a much better place to live in. In conclusion of facing ethical dilemmas, using your values, virtue, and moral concepts that you have acquired, been taught, and grown up to believe in. This leads a person in the right direction and should be used in any dilemma that faces you in everyday life. References: Axia University of Phoenix. Retrieved March 9, 2010 from website http://www.ecampus.phoenix.edu