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How Personal Can Ethics Get?

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How Personal Can Ethics Get?

Abstract
This paper will discuss the ethical dilemma that Valarie Young faces as she discovers that her boss, Mr. Waters, has been involved in unethical behavior. It will provide an overview of how personal differences and preferences impact organizational ethics, how organizational policies and procedures can impact ethics and provide a recommendation for the actions that Valarie should take.

How Personal Can Ethics Get?
Valerie Young is a non-U.S. citizen working under a special work visa for a fragrance company Wisson in Chicago. She has discovered that her boss, Mr. Lionel Waters, is involved in kickback activities with the two fragrance companies that Wisson works with. Valerie is in the difficult situation of having to decide if she should report this or keep this information secret because of the possible personal costs to herself.
Kohlberg’s model of moral development held that people develop morally, much as they do physically, from early childhood to adulthood. Individuals evolve, ranging from the lowest stage (obedience and punishment orientation) to the highest stage (universal ethical principles). Kohlberg also states that what defines a person’s stage of moral development is not the specific ethical choice, but the person’s ethical reasoning used to justify that choice (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011, p.34).
Ethics are the values and principles that distinguish right from wrong (Hellrigel & Slocum, 2011, p.10). Every day individuals are faced with decisions of right or wrong. Generally the answer is clear and the decision is easy to make. Sometimes a situation will occur where there is no clear right or wrong answer. An ethical dilemma occurs when a decision must be made that involves multiple values (p.10).

Discuss how personal differences and preferences can impact organizational ethics.

Personal

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