...Businesses can choose to work in a way that profits only the owners or in ways that benefit the community. Working ethically means acting in ways that are both fair and honest. What is ethical behaviour? A big business has a lot of power, which it can either use responsibly or selfishly. Many firms operate to meet the needs of owners. Ethical firms also carefully consider the implications of what they are doing and the effect it might have on the community and the environment. Ethics is about doing the right thing. Ethical behaviour requires firms to act in ways that stakeholders consider to be both fair and honest. Managers making ethical decisions take into account: * Impact: who does my decision affect or harm? * Fairness: will my decision be considered fair by those affected? Children harvesting crops in a field in Bangladesh Many owners believe that acting ethically increases costs and so reduces profits. For example, a business can cut costs by hiring child labour at very low wages in developing countries. Paying below average wages lowers the firm's total costs. Other businesses such as the Fairtrade Foundation have built an ethical brand image, believing that customers are prepared to pay more for products that consider the environment and pay a reasonable wage. Higher sales compensate for higher costs. Profits from acting ethically are higher than firms that only consider their own narrow self-interest. Business activities that meet the requirements...
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...enough data to determine if that was the only reason. Based on the location of these stores, we would also need to know about competitors in the area that may have also affected Company Q’s loss of revenue. Company Q is acting fiscally responsible on behalf of its shareholders by ensuring that the stores that are successful remain intact and continue to increase revenue. However, by closing the two stores, Company Q is not acting socially responsible because the loss of jobs of community members in addition to the loss of local resources for the community has a large impact on the livelihood of those community members. Company Q has also demonstrated a lack of social responsibility due to their reluctance to listen to their community members and donate day-old products to the area’s food bank. Despite the fact that a donation plan could be determined to ensure the integrity of the process, Company Q has declined to support their local community and minimize their negative impact. By not connecting with the community Company Q could be risking business relationships with those individuals that support the business. Again, Company Q has shown that they are more concerned with fiscal versus social responsibility. Company Q did make a positive impact by responding to customer requests by offering health-conscience and organic...
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...masses. In an attempt to attain a wider and more diverse customer base, in recent years Walmart has adopted the new slogan: “Saving people money so they can live better lives.” While there’s no doubt about Walmart’s low prices, it’s questionable as to whether Walmart actually allows people to “live better lives.” Not only this, but the ethicality of Walmart’s business practices seem unsound to say the least. After watching the film “Walmart: the High Cost of Low Cost”, the ethicality of Walmart’s business practices and the impact the company has on the communities in which they expand into become apparent. While some argue that Walmart makes unethical decisions quite often that harm the communities they expand into, others assert that Walmart operates within the law and is simply doing business rather than acting unethically within such communities. Why is it ethical? The film focuses on making Walmart the target of the woes of several small communities, some of which have turned from once thriving downtown areas into ghost-towns. Throughout the film, the viewers are shown a pattern of destruction created by the economic and social turmoil which results when Walmart moves into their town. The common...
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...Introduction to the Study of Speech, stated “Language is the most massive and inclusive art we know, a mountainous and anonymous work of unconscious generations.” Every culture creates their own language, they find a way to clarify themselves amongst each group, whom is to say one language is better than the other. Negative connotations can be placed on the way one speaks due to their background, or ethnicity. If a minority person speaks “well”, along with these negative race connotations, the person is then seen as acting as though they are the “superior” race. Language can connect us, but it can also segregate our defined cultures. Language and behavior tend to be associated with race, class, and popularity. The connotations of language and race create the “acting white” phenomenon showing that basic stereotypes still exist unrealized or unnoticed, and not only affect social aspects of a person’s life but their overall health. What is Considered “Acting White”? “Acting White” is defined by situations where some minority adolescents ridicule their minority peers for engaging in behaviors perceived to be characteristic of whites. Why are their behaviors associated by one’s race? For example, when psychologist Angela Neal-Barnett in 1999 asked some focus-group students to identify...
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...a business is acting ethically by accurately reporting their financial credentials for use by creditors and investors. The business is also following government regulations and laws and not participating in acts that are illegal or frowned upon in the business community. In terms of human resources, businesses act ethically by giving everyone a fair chance. It is discriminatory for a company to hire someone based on race or gender. Acting ethically would mean a business is giving everyone a fair chance and an equal opportunity; gender and race do not play a part in the hiring process. The same goes for internal circumstances within HR. Promotions should not be based on gender or race or based on favoritism. Business ethics in the aspect of internal HR functions means that the person best fit for the position gets the promotion. Internally, business ethics involves acting in the company’s best interest and not having personal hidden agendas. Employees need to work together and respect other employees, not set others back in order to get ahead. Fair treatment and abiding by the law also apply to internal business ethics. The best way to describe business ethics is to play fairly, both internally and externally. Ethics is an important topic in the world of business today for many reasons. The main reason why ethics is important is because of the span of influence the decisions made within a company have. Unethical decisions can have a huge impact on stakeholders...
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...their direct stakeholders and unfortunately focus less on their indirect stakeholders who matter as much too. We are given a perfect example in the book of Patagonia. It poses a challenge to the companies to take ultimate accountability for their deeds in relations to each and every one of their stakeholders. Among the customers’ checklist, one of them is being progressively open about the social and environmental impact of what you make. The company should be transparent to ensure customer satisfaction and business success. They have to ensure its consumers trust them, and they will earn this only through transparency. One other item on the customers’ checklist is to make things that help the commons. The company should ensure their products are user-friendly, and anyone can use them with ease. It will widen the market for their goods. The community checklist also states ways to ensure local involvement of the business, for instance, establish a community service policy benchmark and measure performance. The company should be of good service to the community as a whole. The company is also supposed to be in partner with...
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...21st Century Leadership Skills - Defined January 14, 2008 by Jeff Brunson A 21st Century Leader understands that if you want engaged employees, you must develop the individual. It is this understanding that leads the 21st Century Leader to a focus on self. Not a selfish focus - but a focus on self for the benefit of others. The Brunson Level II Coaching Program and the Brunson Leadership Development Program for Groups focus on the following key skills for Leadership effectiveness and organizational impact: 7 Skills for Leadership Confidence Personal/Professional Growth Management Skills Personal study and professional application is a must for you as a Leader in the 21st Century. How well you self assess and act on that assessment determines the quality of the goals you set and the effectiveness of your action plans. The impact you deliver is dependent upon how you integrate Leadership behaviors and implement on your strategies. Communication and Connection Skills How skillful a Leader communicates is a major factor of credibility. You must consistently communicate well one-on-one and in group settings. As Leaders, it is imperative that our communication is consistent and credible. We must be able to consistently create safety for dialogue and confidently confront issues. You approach performance management and succession management as key areas for consistent communication. Messaging Skills You are the message. Your Brand is the succinct version of that message. It...
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...Section (Shirley Simmonds). 20 Conclusion (Natalie Rondon). 25 References. 26 Abstract This is a library research paper on the integrating values of Wal-Marts to sex discrimination and pay lawsuits that Wal-Mart has encountered over the years. The paper will discuss the legality of the situation and how Wal-Mart might be able to fix the issues that they are having. The paper will also discuss Utilitarian ethical analysis, Kantian ethical analysis and Socrates and the Socratic method. It will go into detail if Wal-Mart as a company has acted ethical or moral against its employees based on the ethical analysis just listed. Social Responsibility will also be discussed and will be given examples on if Wal-Mart gives back to the community or other organizations. Introduction Wal-Mart has seen lawsuits after lawsuits over the years. Why has this been occurring to them? Are they a bad company, immoral or unethical? Is Wal-Mart actually committing illegal crimes? This will be discussed...
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...has extensive operations in Africa, where 76% of its employees live. It is also a major employer in Europe. Its Tarmac aggregates and construction products business employs nearly 7,000 people in the UK. As a primary producer, Anglo American plays an important role in the world economy. Anglo American produces five main types of raw material. [pic] Mining operations can have a big impact on the environment and on the societies where they work. Since most mineral resources belong to nation states, mining companies largely depend upon a licence to operate from governments. This allows them to extract and process minerals in return for investment and the payment of taxes and royalties. Increasingly it is also important to get the consent of local communities to mining development – a ‘social licence’ to operate. Like all businesses, mining companies are under increasing scrutiny from pressure groups as well as the general public. Anglo American seeks to adopt fair and sound business practice. The company believes that it has an important role to play in building the capabilities of the communities where it works. Issues such as combating corruption and promoting revenue transparency are high on the company’s business agenda. This case study shows how Anglo American seeks to make ethical choices in its business practice. 2. What are business ethics? Business ethics are...
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...What would the world be like if there was no kindness? Would the world just continue on in one huge war? Would people only think about themselves? How would anyone go on without kindness? Kindness is acting on behalf of someone else and not expecting anything in return. Princess Diana once said, “Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” Princess Diana was an excellent example of a kind person. She spent much of her time helping different charities, but one charity that she devoted a lot of her time to help was for the AIDS patients. Diana raised a ton of money to help find a cure for the disease and she would visit the patients in hospitals, holding...
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...occupation. My first occupation was the economic development of minorities” (“Black Champions”). He was mainly motivated to uplift the community around him, inspired by the tough times that America faced, and this started with his time in the league. Jim Brown had many differences with his coaches. For one, despite the fact that his NFL coach, Paul Brown, pioneered the league in coaching black players, Jim Brown did not entirely approve of it and instead managed the politics of the team in his own hands, ensuring that all the African-American players were treated equally, a mission that was complicated since it occurred in the civil rights era. Brown stated this: “I was a politician, as well as a football player because I organized the black players so that we would be treated fairly and equal to anyone else, and of course that always caused you a problem because at that time, you know, you're talking about late 50s, early 60s, and whenever we talk, we have to understand that that was my era, and that was a revolutionary era.” ("Black Champions"). The goal of Jim Brown's work was to provide the descendants of the African-American community with courage, determination, and...
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...and most of the times artistic too. Taken to its deeper roots, even an ordinary structure does need someone to design and supervise the construction. So, it would have been difficult to think of any building, be it a home, office, school, church or anything else, without the help of an architect. Thus, the industry of architecture has been in existence since the time man thought of building a private hut (Bennett). And by the 21st century, it has flourished into a full-fledged business. An architect designs and sometimes supervises the construction of buildings. Anything from tunnels that run far beneath the ground, to skyscrapers that tower above it, architects have always had a hand in building these great structures (Front Cover). Architects have designed the greatest buildings in history, from the stoic World Trade Center in New York, to the graceful and natural Falling Waters house in Pennsylvania, building styles differ as much as the architects who build them. The Social Architect's task is to design and bring into being organizations and communities that serve both the marketplace and the soul of the people who live and work within them. Where the architect designs physical space, the social architect designs social space (Hewitt). The role of the Social Architect is to create service-oriented space (in business, organizations, governments, schools and communities) by...
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...Discuss how personal differences and preference can impact organizational ethics. Ethics, in broad terms, refers to the study of moral values, principles, and rules, including the determination of codes of conduct as they relate to individuals and an organization (Hellriegel, 2011). Basically, ethics relates to making the best choice, knowing right from wrong, and acting accordingly. To behave ethically is behaving in a manner that is generally considered to be right or moral by society. Personal differences and preferences affect making the “right” decision, in that everyone is not the same individually or from the same “society”. Many employees in the same company will have different religious, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. What may be “right” in one culture or society may not be “right” in another. Most of a person’s ethical development will occur long before they have come to an organization. Individuals are heavily influenced by their family, church, community, and school in determining their individual values. An organization deals with individuals whose values have already long since been established (Cowings, 2006). Organizations generally define what they think is right and wrong for their employees by having a “code of conduct”; however, a person’s own morals will directly affect decisions they make regarding an ethical dilemma (Cowings, 2006). Discuss how organizational policies and procedures can impact ethics. Generally speaking, most companies have a...
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...Greg Plitt: The Fitness Model Genera Purpose: Is to educate those who does not know about the fitness community and how Greg Plitt life changed after he made his decision to move forward with the community of Modeling. Specific Purpose: Greg Plitt legacy it was to impact those who doubt them self and had no self confidence what's so ever, In fact Greg Plitt his legacy was so big that he influence the world by his presence and word of wisdom about life lessons. I. Introduction A. Opening statement: Greg Plitt is known in the Fitness Industry but Greg has other roles that he played such as a motivational Speaker around the world and a Actor. B. Topic Introduction: Greg Plitt it's a Professional Fitness Model, who dedicate himself to fitness and health and to motivate others who have not found their way. C. Topic Relevance or Importance: Greg Plitt Fame came about after he got out of the military he was in the United State Military Academy and became a Ranger for five years. After that he took on Fitness Modeling and for 5 years straight he broke the record by being on a Fitness Magazine Cover every month! But not only he was a Fitness Model he was also a actor, entrepreneur, and Motivational Speaker. Adding to that he became America 1st Male Fitness Model. D. Thesis: We are going to be talking about how did Geg Plitt grew up with and where, how did he became a model and acting career, what was his achievements and how he recently died. II...
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...Leadership and ethics Name Professor Course Date Some of the ethical issues that management may need to address include corporate social responsibility. This refers to the operation of a business or organization in a manner that takes into consideration the environmental and social aspects created by enterprise. It implies the commitment to create policies that include responsible practices in the undertakings of the entity. Corporate social responsibility policies serve as self-regulatory measures for the organization in monitoring and ensuring that it complies with ethical standards, regulations and societal norms. This practice takes responsibility of the organizations actions to facilitate a positive impact of the organizations...
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