Assignment #1 - “How Personal Can Ethics Get?”

1. Discuss how personal differences and preference can impact organizational ethics.

Personal differences and preferences can impact organizational ethics by the perception of the individuals in high management and the employees working in the organization. All individuals have their own interpretation of what the rules are and the ethical climate of the organization. This thought process was first explained by Lawrence Kohlberg which define these ethical decision making process as the Stages of Moral Development. Kohlberg’s model of moral development is useful for exploring questions about how members of an organization regard ethical dilemmas, including how they determine what is right or wrong in a particular situation (Hellriegel 2009). For example, an individual in the obedience and punishment orientation will perceive things differently than an individual in the social contract stage. If a person in the lowest stage feels that there is no risk of being caught, the individual will be more likely to engage in unethical behavior, if it benefits them, as evidenced by Lionel Waters of Wesson. Depending on the level of authority the individual has in their organization, the effects of higher management influence can be great or small. Mr. Waters are in higher management and his personal impact is greater because it affects the whole company. Valerie faced this major dilemma because of her personal belief, but also because of his level in management. She was not sure if there were others in management that knew what was going.

2. Discuss how organizational policies and procedures can impact ethics.

Organizational policies and procedures are usually what guide a company. These policies and procedures communicate to all employees what is considered right and wrong. In many cases