Ethical_Issues_Paper

Ethical Issues Paper Angela Weddle MGT/216 March 22, 2010 Steven Jessup Abstract This is a report that addresses the ethical issues of business; that people face in their life everyday at home, at work, even at work. Three ethical issues that people face in their everyday life that does not just in the people’s place of work but also in the community will be discussed. The three ethical issued that will be covered are: discrimination, employee layoffs, and sexual harassment. These three are only some ethical issues that people face in today’s workplace and in the environment on a day-to-day basis. Ethical Issues Paper Business Issues What is business ethics' According to wiseGEEK (2003-2010), “Is the behavior that a business adheres to in its daily dealings with the world.” (What is Business Ethics', para.1). The ethics of a certain business organization may be discrete. The ethics do not just apply to how this business communicates with rest of the world, but includes what the business’ one-on-one business relations with an individual client. A business organization may also be a type of enforced ethics that can analyze the morals, the problems, and the principles of ethics that can happen in a business organization and environment. This includes pressure from a business’ ethics application used through the representation of new enthusiasm and laws. The ethics of a business may require that the business organization take a closer look at a business in world around them. A business should consider the morality, the ethical reasoning, and the ethical applications. An example may be the manager of the business’ philosophy of morality, in the long run will affect the ethical beliefs of the said manager. The philosophy of morality pertains to the systems overall belief, that is behind a person’s knowledge of knowing the difference between right from wrong. According to Cuizon (2009), “It is important to be acquainted with moral philosophy, ethical reasoning, and especially the application of ethics to business and management.” The concepts and the theories of ethics are important, when resolving moral issues that are facing a business. And that managers and employees need to combine moral interests into their decision planning development. Issues of Ethics in a Business Discrimination There are many ethical issues in the workplace. One ethical issue in the workplace is discrimination. Discrimination takes place when one employee is treated unequal to another employee. The treatments of being unequal may occur in many types and forms, and is typically inopportune. An older employee may find themselves suddenly reporting to a much younger employee, and that may cause the older employee to feel resentful toward the younger employee, because the older employee may feel that the younger employee is not experienced enough to be their boss. The younger workers may be inclined to reject words of wisdom from the older workers, because the younger workers may think that the older employees are too experienced to do their jobs. With these feelings on age, this will likely be an increase of importance about age over the next ten years as people age. Other factors that need to be taken into consideration are ethnics, sexual stereotypes, religion, and racial that may affect the behavior of the well educated person. The U.S. alone has witnessed a growth in racial and ethics in the minorities group than any other groups. Why would discrimination be an issue of ethics' Because, ethics is the center of how an individual is treated in ones workplace. The ideas of being treated as equals are being integrated all over the world, what’s more the U.S. believes to be treated as equals is a right. The government of the United States has tried several times to establish justice and fairness; on all of the United States currency can be found the word trust. The United States pledge of Allegiance says “with liberty and justice for all”. The legal system of the United States even has the protection and justice for the rights of individuals as a building block. According to Trevino and Nelson (2007), “Most people expect fairness from organizations in general, but especially from their employers”. And according to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, discrimination of Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment is another ethical issue found in the workplace. Sexual harassment should not be prohibited in ones place of employment by anyone. Quid pro quo is a type of harassment in the place of employment and means “something for something”. An example of sexual harassment is when an employee is promised advancement in the company by their employer only if the employee goes out with the employer. Another type of sexual harassment is if the employer suggests that an employee will not get a promotion unless they sleep with the employer. Another type of harassment is a hostile working environment is felt by the employee; when this happens to a worker, this is usually done to create an uncomfortable working environment for the employee. According to Trevino and Nelson (2007), “The Equal Opportunity Commission now requires all organization with 15 or more employees to have a sexual harassment policy and to train employees in this issues”. Employee Layoffs The third ethical issue located in the workplace is employee layoffs and why this is an ethical issues. Because when looking to decide what the affects of what is right and well beings of who is involved a person is also faced with an issue of ethics. The reason an employer has for laying off a employee who is not only productive but loyal as well; may be because of a need to decrease the manpower, is an upsetting task for everyone who is involved. The worker who is getting let go will not only the loss of income, but may have mental issues as well. A manger may believe that when their company downsizes, that the company is put a compromise on things, giving a meaning to a workers livelihood. And causes a traumatic and deep experience for the people who losing their jobs, and not just because of being a reversal or mere of fortune. In conclusion the issues a business has ethically, that the business and individuals face in their everyday lives. Three ethical issues were discussed. And the fact that having good business ethics makes for a good place to work. References Cuizon, G. (2009). What is Business Ethics' Ethical Principles Practiced in Business Williams T. (2008). AT&T Loses Workplace Racial Discrimination Case. Retrieved March 20, 2010 from http://www.prweb.com/release/2008/08/preweb1230824.html wiseGEEK. (2003-2010). What is Business Ethics'. Retrieved March 19, 2010 from