Etnics_Responsibility

The Responsibility Project Good Vibrations ETH/316 – Ethics and Social Responsibility Good Vibrations In this paper, the intent is to explore the roles that external social pressures contribute to influencing organizational ethics. Determination of how these issues are relevant to organizational, personal decisions and the relationship between legal and ethical issues in the film “Good Vibrations” will be covered. Relative important issues depicted within the film “Good Vibrations” Good Vibrations is a story that details the importance of responsible communities and more importantly, the repercussions and costs of communities that have embraced complacency. Within the film, an office building is the stage, and we see one of the company’s employees gazing out a window and he observes construction work performed. This construction work he is watching performed upon the road is loosening the brick sidewalk, causing them to move. During this observation he witnesses multiple pedestrian’s misfortune as they trip and fall upon on the loosened brick sidewalk. During the time the employee witnesses the initial misfortunate pedestrian, another employee joins in the viewing out the window and laughs at the stumbling pedestrian who may have sustained injury. Both employees are not genuinely concerned until a bird gets trapped beneath the bricks and an elderly gentleman starts to approach the hazardous area of loosened bricks. The windows contain quite a gathering of employees, gawking and doing nothing. Finally after several incidents without preventative action, one employee decides to open the window and shout a warning of the danger to the oncoming elderly man. With this example the community’s obligation to protect others seemed to only apply after the employees decided that the old man could be in peril if they did not act to aid in the prevention of entering the area. Once alerted the elderly man took it upon himself to warn others by using his can to pull a barrier onto the dangerous area of the sidewalk to ward others to stay away. The office building is representative of a community failing in its responsibility to act swiftly to prevent harm to others. Role of external social pressures that influence organizational ethics External social pressure has proved to be the catalyst in handling business ethics. This holds true for the little guys within smaller communities as well as the large corporations. Many companies currently take into consideration the expectations of its surrounding communities in regard to involvement and environmental responsibility. The Internet and social media has had significant influence on companies because of the expeditiousness and global reach that thoughts and words regarding companies failing to comply with the social standards can be generated. One external social pressure that can influence organizational ethics is peer pressure, either by a group or an individual. Peer pressure can influence definitely or even change an organizational climate. Within In the film “good vibrations” peer pressure was a significant contributing factor. Early in the film the social climate watched others misfortune and became amused with it. No one took upon his or herself to warn others of the danger of the sidewalk. There have been many organizations subjected to facing social peer pressures that resulted in them performing in a manner to conform to the societal demands. Some examples could be Enron; Johnson and Johnson’s handling of their Tylenol issues and most recently Toyota with its mechanical recalls. Issues relevant to organizational and personal decisions Many Organizations may have detailed mission and value statements written to guide their employees on issues that can affect the company and the employee. Ultimately, an employee’s actions, decisions, or inactions are influenced by their personal value system. These issues may affect the way employee’s views and how she or he resolves issues. In the film there was moral issue rather than an ethical. The moral issue was assisting those in need. No one took the challenge do what was right. Legal and ethical issue relationships depicted in the film Legal issues draw their authority from clearly specified laws, by not complying with laws companies, individuals, and organizations will face legal consequences. Ethical issues do not specifically have the foundation of laws; they are more societally driven but can still be consequential for the parties involved. Ethical and Legal issues in themselves are different and separate entities, and do not depend upon the other. Laws are established and enforced by authority, ethics stem from philosophy that relies on determination of an act being moral. Therefore, something legal can be ethical, take for instance slavery within early history of the United States. The construction companies lack of cautionary warnings and setting up barriers to protect and warn the public, open them up for Legal litigation against them. References: Boylan, M. (2009). Basic ethics: Basic ethics in action (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. http://responsibility-project.libertymutual.com/films/good-vibrations