...Business Ethics Vol.1 No.1 2008 ESSAY: CONSUMER RIGHTS: A PART OF HUMAN RIGHTS Shaoping Gan Center for Applied Ethics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China Abstract: For many ordinary Chinese, assuming obligation and responsibility means almost the same as having ethics and morality. Therefore, when talking about consumer ethics, people first think about consumers’ obligation to strive for the virtue of frugality. However, in today’s world, especially after the opening up and reform of China’s economy, consumers have more courage to safeguard their rights as a result of rising consumer awareness. Consumers’ newfound courage showcases the change of people’s values. During a discussion of consumer ethics, we naturally take the protection of consumer interests as the starting point. The shift in research from the examination of frugality to consumer interests reflects the transformation of the Chinese moral mentality from obligation-orientation to right-orientation. Keywords: consumer rights, human rights, consumer ethics SAFEGUARDING CONSUMER RIGHTS, THE FIRST PRIORITY OF CONSUMER ETHICS For many conventional Chinese, assuming obligation and responsibility means almost the same as having ethics and morality. Possessing ethics and morality depends on people’s self-cultivation as they seek to develop virtues, find cause first in their own persons, and strengthen their characters. Such a mentality has a profound impact on the Chinese thinking on ethics. Therefore...
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...Business Ethics across Cultures Article Review Clarissa R. Hoover XMGT/216 August 4th, 2012 Dr. Frank Czarny, Ph.D. Business Ethics across Cultures Article Review Business ethics and perspectives play a major role in how every business operates on a daily basis. This essay will examine two articles of foreign countries business ethics and perspectives. In addition, the essay will provide a brief summary of the articles. Also, the essay will demonstrate the primary ethical perspectives of the two countries. In addition, the essay will discuss the contributions to understanding global ethical perspectives. Furthermore, the essay will illustrate how the business ethics of a foreign country compares to that of The United States of America. Even though, some business ethics and perspectives differ from country to country generally they are the same. It is very important to uphold an elevated level of ethical behavior when conducting business in a foreign country. There are four main ethical perspectives that one should empathize with which are: character, obligation, results, and equity (Bullard, 2009). When examining ones character individuals should establish their thoughts on what shall be perceived as good versus what is good to accomplish. Furthermore, each individual should realize everyone has a different perspective on how businesses work in a global market. Another ethical perspective one should examine is obligation. Obligation can be described as doing...
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...Foods Business ethics can be both a normative and a descriptive discipline. Ethical decision making is difficult, and philosophers had struggle for centuries to create ethic theories as assistant tool for ethical decision making. Theories focus on consequences, duties, obligations, principles and integrity. While there are certain values that are important when considering ethics, no one company will have the same code of ethics. A company’s ethical guideline may vary with the culture and value of each individual organization. Ethical practices have become a necessity in all environments and they should be implemented to help benefit employees, the customers, and the success of the company. Ethics is defined as a set of values that defines the difference between right and wrong. Ethics is applied when one is faced with making a decision that questions ones cultural values and morals. According to the article Ethics in the Workplace, the author takes a quote from Steven Cross, executive director of the Canadian Centre for Ethics and Corporate Policy. The quote states “organizations get a higher degree of employee loyalty, tending to attract better talent and retaining their employees longer”. (Sherren, 2005) Personal Values In many organization ethical values and ethical leadership are the glue that holds a company together. The Ethics Awareness Inventory was an exercise that helps one better understands their ethics versus character ratio. The Ethics Awareness Inventory...
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...Western ethics is vastly influenced by Christian law-based ethics, which in turn gathered its legal ethical code from Judaism. As a result, as society's values have changed, the effectiveness of transcendent entities as rulers within law-based ethics to provide ethical agents with an obligation to obey the moral law has been brought into question. This essay will focus on Christian ethics, where 'transcendent entities' will refer to the Christian God, and 'law-based ethics' is the divine law set down by God within Christian scripture. To prove that God is necessary to provide ethical agents with a duty to follow the divine law, this essay will discuss God and humanity's nature, agents' need for a transcendent law-giver, the role that religion...
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...BUSINESS ETHICS: COMPARE AND CONTRAST PAPER By: Karla Powell North Central University What is business ethics? The word business can mean different things, but in this context it means a commercial or industrial endeavor to make/sell products or services. The word ethics is defined as a set of principles of right conduct or a system of moral values. So what does business ethics mean? Used together it means for a commercial/industrial endeavor to form a set of principles or rules to follow while they are making or selling products or services. The word business ethics is frequently heard as it relates to social responsibility. According to the dictionary social responsibility is “an ethical ideology or theory that an entity, be it an organization or individual has an obligation to act to benefit society at large” (the freedictionary.com). Three notable management authorities: Patrick Murphy, Milton Friedman, and Peter Drucker, have different opinions on what business ethics and social responsibility are and what is should mean to the business world. According to Patrick Murphy (2009) responsibility is a key principle of business ethics which implies a moral obligation to act. The word act is used as a verb and means to “do something.” Murphy points out that one is to not only act but to act in a certain way based on the persons extent of the freedom they have, meaning the bigger the space of freedom the bigger the obligation or responsibility one has. So, the higher...
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...relationship to their fellow man, we all have been charged with civic and moral obligations to those in our inner most circles of friends and family, as well as to our employers. After living approximately a quarter of my life, I believe that I have discovered these duties and moral obligations. They can be found in my religion as a Christian as well as in the Boy Scout law. In attempts to find linearity between different ethical view points and my beliefs, Jane English’s theories about families, and Kant’s virtue ethics can be compared to my moral guidelines. Through the years, some friends choose to come and go as they please, where as others will stay by your side no matter what. Your family will stay with you for life; you did not ask for it, and perhaps they did not ask for you. No matter who you have by your side, it is to these people who you should have the most obligations to. To begin, looking to religion under the Ten Commandments, we see the first commandment instructing a moral obligation to our family: “Honor thy mother and thy father.” This first commandment allows for a number of different circumstances where it may be applicable. When referring to mothers and fathers, sometimes the real mother and father may not always be around due to deaths, adoptions, remarriages, etc. Therefore under this commandment the mother and father role may be extended to any primary care giver. This obligation of honor and respect should be enforced for as long as the caregivers...
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...In the late 1800s Florence Nightingale established the foundation of nursing ethics (?????). Making care of the patient the foremost important ethical duty of the patient (??????). As health care today has become more complex and challenging the fundamental principles of Florence Nightingale’s ethical principles are still in use today (??????). Over the years the adoption of more formal codes of ethics, the American Nurses Association and the International Council of Nurses, were established to guide nurses in everyday choices of care (BOOK>>>>). Understanding the fundamental necessity of professional codes of ethics in nursing is an essential skill. Therefore, this paper will discuss and compare the importance of the American Nurses Association...
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...Ethics Awareness Inventory . Ethics Awareness Inventory Ethics awareness inventory is an opportunity for individuals to learn about themselves as well as how others approach ethical decision making (The Williams Institute for Ethics and Management, 2012). “Ethics awareness inventory is designed to assist individuals with achieving specific objectives enabling an individual to understand and care about what is right or good, compare, and decide alternatives, form opinions about actions morally appropriate to take, and acquire the skills to justify decisions or ethical grounds” (The Williams Institute for Ethics and Management, 2012, p. 1). Understanding the importance of an individual’s own personal ethical perspective is an important area that individuals should be aware of and understand as well, the relationship between personal and professional ethics are also areas important to be aware of and understand. The ethics awareness inventory consists of four categories of ethical thoughts used to determine the profile of an individual, which should reflect the individual’s beliefs. After taking the multiple question inventories it is apparent that the ethical profile most closely aligned to is (O) obligation, and the ethical profile least closely aligned is (E) equity (The Williams Institute for Ethics and Management, 2012). The ethics perspective of (O) obligation, “individuals who most closely aligned with obligation tend to base his or her ethical perspectives on an...
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...Ethics Kellie Jackson Arthur Murphy Ethics Utilitarianism - Utilitarianism is the ethical doctrine that the moral worth of an action is solely determined by its contribution to overall utility. It is thus a form of consequentialism, meaning that the moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome—the ends justify the means. Utility — the good to be maximized — has been defined by various thinkers as happiness or pleasure (versus suffering or pain), though preference utilitarian’s like Peter Singer define it as the satisfaction of preferences. (David 2008) Deontology - Deontological ethics or deontology meaning 'obligation' or 'duty') is an approach to ethics that focuses on the rightness or wrongness of actions themselves, as opposed to the rightness or wrongness of the consequences of those actions. It is sometimes described as "duty" or "obligation" based ethics, because deontologists believe that ethical rules "bind you to your duty". (Kant 1785) Deontological ethics is commonly contrasted with consequentialist or teleological ethical theories, according to which the rightness of an action is determined by its consequences. Virtue Ethics - Virtue ethics is a branch of moral philosophy that emphasizes character, rather than rules or consequences, as the key element of ethical thinking. In the West virtue ethics was the prevailing approach to ethical thinking in the ancient and medieval periods. The tradition suffered an eclipse during the early modern period...
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...Comparing Ethics ETH/316 Comparing Ethics What exactly does it mean when one says that a decision is ethical? The answer to that question depends on that person’s perception of ethics. Ethics is a perception of a situation or culmination of situations, decision, and resultant factors. To answer the question fully, one would have to consider the ethical values of the person. Is the person basing the decision on virtue ethics, utilitarianism, or a deontological standpoint? A careful review of these three standpoints would reveal one’s situational perception of ethics. There are similarities within the three perspectives of virtue, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics. In virtue ethics, one would be making an ethical decision if that decision is aligned with an effort to strive for excellence. “It takes the viewpoint that in living your life you should try to cultivate excellence in all that you do and all that others do” (Boylan, 2009, p. 133). This is an obligation to personal development. Similarly, from the utilitarianism viewpoint, one would consider whether the decision would result in the best outcome for community or society. With deontological ethics, one would have to take into consideration the duties of that person and how one fulfills obligations to self and community. All three perspectives judge the ethical decision with consideration for whether or not the decision considers personal responsibilities...
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...Personal Values Paper Students at University of Phoenix were asked to complete the Williams Institute Ethics Awareness Inventory self-assessment. The students were then instructed to examine the Ethics Awareness Inventory and the ethical profile they are most closely aligned with and least closely aligned with. They were then asked to compare their personal values to the values of Kudler Fine Foods. Therefore, this paper will examine the Williams Institute Ethics Awareness Inventory self-assessment, the results of Tracey Adams, a University of Phoenix student, and how her values compare to the values of Kudler Fine Foods. People make decisions in their business and personal life and must rely on their values to make ethical decisions. How can ethics be categorized or defined? Ethics are defined by The Williams Institute as “a branch of philosophy, is concerned with morality, moral problems and moral judgments, dealing with such elusive terms as values, right and good. It deals with issues beyond the realm of traditional rules and customs and unconscious habits” (The Williams Institute for Ethics and Management, 2008). The Ethics Awareness Inventory provides test takers with two ethical perspectives: one they are most aligned with and one they are least aligned with. These perspectives make up the acronym CORE (Character, Obligation, Results, and Equity). The character perspective focuses on what it is good to be rather than what it is good to do. The individual’s character...
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... Ethical Awareness Inventory I have re-taken my Ethics Awareness Inventory because the one prior focused on Character but I felt this to be a little confusing for me. There were options that I felt I wanted to choose instead of just one but I understood the concept of this Inventory. There is no right or wrong answer with the Ethics Awareness Inventory. The more I continue to increase the level of response, I will get different results. My results concluded in having Obligation to be more chosen than Character. I can see why this makes sense. I feel my obligation and anyone’s obligation is to be ethical and make the right decisions. I also base my ethical perspective on an individual’s duty or obligation to do what is morally right. I can definitely agree with this because on a personal level, for example, when I am riding the subway in the mornings or at night. There are times where I see a pregnant woman or a woman with a small child on the train and I see who will be nice enough to give up their seat. I can feel that this is an individual’s obligation to give up their seat for a mother and child. This can be considered morally right and it shows the kind of person they are. And then there are other people who just pretend they are not there and I want to say something to them. But I do not because I will not cause a dispute over that. On a professional setting, an individual’s obligation would be considered following company policies and ethical standards...
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...analyzing ethical dilemmas (Hughes, Ginnett, & Curphy, 2012, pp. 164-165). The self-reflection needed to identify one’s fundamental nature, and to understand the morals, ethics and values one uses to make decisions are critical to becoming an authentic leader who is a moral manager that serves the people that follow him or her (Hughes, et.al, pp. 152-153). Ethical Self Reflection What is right? Morals define personal character related to the ideas of both right and wrong. Ethics, while inherently linked to morals and one’s moral obligations, is a set of moral principles used in a social system in which those morals are applied. In other words, ethics point to standards or codes of behavior expected by the group to which the individual belongs. These standards could be national ethics, social ethics, company ethics, professional ethics, or even family ethics. So while a person’s moral code is usually unchanging, the ethics he or she practices can be dependent on exogenous factors not controlled by the individual or the group to which the individual belongs. Care-based thinking describes what is commonly referred to as the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you want others to do to you”, of conduct and is most closely aligned with Aristotle’s writings concerning happiness. Aristotle writes in Nichomachean Ethics that, “If happiness is activity in accordance with virtue, it is reasonable that it should be in accordance with the highest virtue; and this will be that of the best thing...
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...neighborhood which includes his brother’s property. The announcement will take place in one month. ABC Company has asked Luke to keep information regarding the commencement of construction of the store confidential until the announcement. Once the announcement is made, Owen’s house will lose value and Owen might lose the offer he has on the house. 2. Issue Luke, like most people, has multiple sets of obligations to different parties. ABC Company expects Luke to maintain the confidentiality of the project. However, Owen is Luke’s brother and Luke most likely wants the best for him. Luke must decide whether to maintain loyalty to ABC Company or inform Owen of the upcoming events to save him money. 3. Analysis 4.1 Universal Ethics This concept suggests that any action taken should be able to be applied as a universal law, subject to repetition by any and all. If Luke breaches confidentiality and informs his brother Owen of the planned construction then, under universal ethics, anyone could breach confidentiality in favor of other obligations. Obviously, this would not be acceptable and would lead to a chaotic outcome. However, Luke must consider whether it is acceptable to always maintain allegiance to contract over yourself. Luke has the desire to tell his brother about the upcoming project, but reason ties him to the company and his contract for confidentiality. A major...
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...Everyone agrees that business managers must understand finance and marketing. But is it necessary for them to study ethics? Managers who answer in the negative generally base their thinking on one of three rationales. They may simply say that they have no reason to be ethical. They see why they should make a profit, and most agree they should do so legally. But why should they be concerned about ethics, as long as they are making money and staying out of jail? Other managers recognize that they should be ethical but identify their ethical duty with making a legal profit for the firm. They see no need to be ethical in any further sense, and therefore no need for any background beyond business and law. A third group of managers grant that ethical duty goes further than what is required by law. But they still insist that there is no point in studying ethics. Character is formed in childhood, not while reading a college text or sitting in class. These arguments are confused and mistaken on several levels. To see why, it is best to start with the question raised by the first one: why should business people be ethical? Why Should One Be Ethical? There is already something odd about this question. It is like asking, “Why are bachelors unmarried?” They are unmarried by definition. If they were married, they would not be bachelors. It is the same with ethics. To say that one should do something is another way of saying it is ethical. If it is not ethical, then one should...
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