...COVER SHEET Vee, C. and Skitmore, R.M. (2003) Professional ethics in the construction industry. Engineering Construction and Architectural Management 10(2):pp. 117-127. Copyright 2003 Emerald. Accessed from: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/archive/00004119 PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Charles Vee and Martin Skitmore School of Construction Management and Property Queensland University of Technology Gardens Point Brisbane Q4001 Australia For Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management Corresponding Author: Professor Martin Skitmore School of Construction Management and Property Queensland University of Technology Gardens Point Brisbane Q4001 Australia 14 June 2002 (version 2) PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ABSTRACT The results are provided of a small, but reprersentative, questionnaire survey of typical project managers, architects and building contractors concerning their views and experiences on a range of ethical issues surrounding construction industry activities. Most (90%) subscribed to a professional Code of Ethics and many (45%) had an Ethical Code of Conduct in their employing organisations, with the majority (84%) considering good ethical practice to be an important organisational goal. 93% of the respondents agreed that “Business Ethics” should be driven or governed by “Personal Ethics”, with 84% of respondents stating that a balance of both the requirements of the client and the impact on the public should...
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...Main author: Sean Francis McCarthy General name: code of construction ethics Publishing year: 2005 summary professional ethics professional Ethics is defined as a system of moral principles, by which human actions and proposals may be judged good or bad, or right or wrong. Internal Ethics 1. Honesty - act with honesty and avoid conduct likely to result, directly or indirectly, in the deception of others. 2. Fairness - do not seek to obtain a benefit which arises directly or indirectly from the unfair treatment of other people. 3. Fair reward - avoid acts which are likely to result in another party being deprived of a fair reward for their work. 4. Reliability - maintain up to date skills and provide services only within your area of competence. 5. Integrity - have regard for the interests of the public, particularly people who will make use of or obtain an interest in the project in the future. 6. Objectivity - identify any potential conflicts of interest and disclose the conflict to any person who would be adversely affected by it. 7. Accountability - provide information and warning of matters within your knowledge which are of potential detriment to others who may be adversely affected by them. Warning must be given in sufficient time to allow the taking of effective action to avoid detriment. Implementation 1. Act with honesty and without deception. 2. Act fairly so as not to obtain advantage. 3. Act with...
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...Ethics and the Food Industry By: Diana Rhyne and John Hanley In early 2009, Peanut Corp. of America was discovered to have allowed Salmonella tainted peanuts to be distributed across the United States causing an outbreak that resulted illnesses in 714 people across 46 states with nine resulting in deaths ("Department of Health and Human Services; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention", 2009). In this paper, we will explore the concept of corporate social responsibility and some of the current ethical dilemmas many corporations in the food industry face today. We will further discuss the many arguments (in favor of and in opposition to) these ethical dilemmas, or why these issues pose an ethical dilemma. Finally, we will examine the consequences of unethical behavior in the food industry and how consumer demand/behavior affects corporate decision-making. In the food industry, a corporation’s actions/inactions are often far reaching. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is not a new concept. The idea that a business (or business person) should behave in an ethical and socially responsible manner has roots in Biblical times with the advent of usury laws. During the 1700s, Benjamin Franklin was an early advocate for business ethics, going so far as to form a club for young businessmen, tradesmen, and merchants to come together to discuss business philosophies and further their careers (Finamore, 2005: 35-38). CSR is generally based on the idea that companies...
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...Ethics in the Public Relations Industry There are a wide range of complex definitions applied to the practice of ‘Public Relations’, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for example has a full page statement outlining the profession (PRSA website1), as well as the definition formally adopted during the PRSA 1982 National Assembly “Public Relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other” (PRSA website2). For the purposes of this discussion however I plan to use the definition as outlined in the PRINZ Constitution and Rules (PRINZ Constitution): “Public relations practice shall be defined as the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding and excellent communications between an organisation and its publics” With this in mind it would appear that upholding principals such as honesty, independence and fairness to be a simple task; however when financial or employment pressures change the practice from “establish and maintain mutual understanding” to more selfish ‘profit driven’ and organisation centric views, ethical challengers arise. The modern business environment is fertile ground for unethical behaviour. There is an overwhelming emphasis on profit among many (certainly not all) large organisations. Looking at the prevalence of this ethos, particularly when combined with the short-term rewards that one may gain through less ethical actions, it is certainly not hard to understand how many...
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...Works Cited Amer, Suzie. "Here comes trouble." Restaurant Business 101.10 (2002): 14-16, 18, 23-8, 30, 32. Business Full Text. Web. 22 May 2010. Calkins, Martin. "How Casuistry and Virtue Ethics Might Break the Ideological Stalemate Troubling Agricultural Biotechnology." Business Ethics Quarterly 12.3 (2002): 305-30. Business Full Text. Web. 22 May 2010. Cebrzynski, Gregg. "Improving food safety by increasing inspector ranks needs to be a top priority for the USDA." Nation's Restaurant News 42.13 (2008): 23. Business Full Text. Web. 22 May 2010. Elan, Elissa. "Industry's beef with meat recall centers on USDA inability to enforce regulations." Nation's Restaurant News 42.10 (2008): 4, 67. Business Full Text. Web. 22 May 2010. Finamore, Catherine. "Common Good, Common Sense." The Internal Auditor 62.4 (2005): 35-8. Business Full Text. Web. 22 May 2010. Fishman, Charles. "The Anarchist's Cookbook." Fast Company July 2004: 70-8. Business Full Text. Web. 22 May 2010. Garber, Amy. "McD seeks less cruel way to kill chickens." Nation's Restaurant News 39.4 (2005): 1, 43. Business Full Text. Web. 22 May 2010. "Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms ." Human Genome Project Information. genomics.energy.gov, 05 Nov 2008. Web. 25 Jun 2010. <http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml>. “Investigation Update: Outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium Infections, 2008–2009." Department of Health and Human Services; Centers for Disease Control...
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...contrasted, a presentation of socially responsible strategic alternative(s) will follow, and finally possible impact(s) of said strategic alternative(s) to stakeholders highlighted. Identification of both contextual and evolutionary issues is needed to form a comprehensive picture of the situation, linking questionable business performance(s) to Applied Ethics standards. This will assist to adequately categorize the issue and develop a socially responsible strategic alternative(s) to remedy the damages caused, and determine their possible impact(s) to stakeholders. Two generic determinants influence the outcome of either proactive or reactive business ethics practices, the internal and external perceptions of a corporation; in conjunction these two determinants create a generic conceptual framework and also contribute to underpin the sources of proactive and reactive business ethics performance (Svensson & Wood, 2004). Business ethical norms reflect the norms of each historical period, as time passes norms evolve, causing accepted behaviors to become objectionable, these too evolve with time (Business Ethics, n.d.). Business ethics is rooted in the concepts of the philosophical...
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...Examining the Application Business Ethics and Laws in the Tobacco Industry Abstract “Ethics is not something exterior to the economy…rather, ethics is and interior principle of the economy itself, which cannot function if it does not take account of the human values of solidarity and reciprocal responsibility.” (Pope Benedict XVI) I agree with Pope Benedict. Ethics deals with values that relate to the nature of human conduct and values associated with that conduct. In today’s business environment it is critical to understand the relationship between ethics and business law as ethical behavior and corporate responsibility are more important than ever. It has been argued that good ethics within an organization equate to good business, although good ethics are not required to be successful in business. This examination will put a spotlight on the role of ethics in the business environment, with a particular look at the application of ethics in the tobacco industry. Keywords: ethics, business ethics, natural law, tobacco Examining the Application Business Ethics and Laws in the Tobacco Industry “Business transactions are completed through a combination on values of the parties and the laws that reflect those values and the importance of ones word in business.” (Twomey & Jennings, 2014, p. 33) Business ethics examine an organizations ethical principles and potential moral and ethical dilemmas. In a general sense, business ethics is the application of moral and...
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...! ! ! Group Project: Ethics of the Mining Industry Group 4 Business Ethics 04-71-300-02 Professor Singh Date submitted: March 19th, 2014 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !1 Executive Summary This report assesses the global mining industry from a business perspective. Firstly, it begins with the history of mining across the globe and the structure of the mining industry. It then analyzes the impacts of the mining industry globally. Lastly, it addresses the issues surrounding our land—the Canadian mining industry. The research shows that the history of mining goes as far as the Neolithic era. The mining value chain presented demonstrates the formation of a mining company to the extraction of the natural resources. Further investigation shows that the mining structure is an oligopoly. Methods of analysis include an environmental analysis using PEST and a stakeholder map, which focus on the performance of a world-renowned mining company TransAlta. The finding is that management’s role is to have efficiency and productivity while maintaining ethical practices. Ethical theories are then used to look at the social, environmental and economical impacts of the Canadian industry. It is concluded that each ethical theory presents a favorable solution to each impact. Social corporate responsibility is evaluated in the last ten years in Canada and around the globe. It is found that the industry has become one of the most safety-conscious industries within Canada. The companies still...
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...Ethics problems in cosmetics industry St. Thomas University MAN 510 Management Ethics Professor Raúl Fernández-Calienes 3/05/2014 Rong Li Abstract A cosmetics industry is called “beauty economy’, which includes the make-up, skincare and hair production and so on. Due to the beauty of nature, there is a huge demand for the cosmetics in the economic market. The corporations of cosmetics are the main supplies of the beauty products. As the blooming development of cosmetics industries, some phenomenon is involved in argument, which have exert an harm on people and the society even though they do not violate the current law. In this research paper, three main ethics problem will be discussed. This paper will give a brief background on each phenomenon, and then give the arguments and problems of it by using the ethics theories and case. Finally, some suggestions and measurement will be given to each problem. Key words: ethics, animal-test, advertising manipulate, double standard, Corporate social responsibility Introduction Cosmetics industry is called “the beauty economy”, devoted to develop the products of skincare and make-up both for woman and man. Due to the pressure from employment and mating (lipstick effect), people, especially woman most likely tend to spend their money on buying cosmetics, in order to enhance their beauty on their appearance and body. Consumers in America spend $45 Billion on cosmetics and beauty...
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...in which they engage. The primary sector deals with the extraction and harvesting of natural resources. They then perform rudimentary processing of the products for sale directly to consumers (although rare) and to industries in the secondary sector. Primary sector industries include mining, agriculture, fishing, and the timber industry (Goodwin et al. 2014). The secondary sector then converts the outputs of the industry sector into products deemed suitable for consumption. Industries in the secondary sector include manufacturing industries (such as car manufactures, steel rollers and pharmaceutical industries) and processing industries (such as wine companies, soft drink companies and milling companies) (Goodwin et al. 2014). Then there is the tertiary sector that provides services to the primary and secondary sectors. Such services include marketing services, transport, consulting, education, finance and administration to mention just but a few (Goodwin et al. 2014). The management of physical and human resources differ from sector to sector and from industry to industry. Industries in the same sector may have similar or closely similar resource requirements. However, resource requirements largely depend on the activities of the business. The agriculture industry (generally the primary sector) is largely labour intensive (The World Bank 2003). This means that the sector is mainly dependent on human resource for its success. This is one of the reasons why developed countries...
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...quick ramp-up times and prompt responses to customer needs. One of the most trusted and respected providers in the industry, Capital Communications is known for our uncompromising work ethic and exceptional customer service. Providing the highest quality engineering and technical services to industries that expect and demand nothing less than 100% availability, we are equipped and positioned to provide that same level of high quality and reliability to industries and markets that demand the same. Government Government agencies rely on communications heavily in daily operations and especially during any disaster challenges; natural or otherwise. Homeland security requires a higher level of network solutions and applications that are civic centered. Capital Communications can help with safety, transport, utilities, planning and security concepts aiding with effective responses to many crises. Homeland Security Homeland Security is an industry covering a variety of transportation across borders, different utilities and public spaces in need of protection from the possibility of national threats. To keep critical infrastructures secure against challenges whether they are natural or not is imperative to keeping structure. For this reason government agencies rely heavily on telecommunications including HD video surveillance. Education The educational industry is paramount to the future in a multitude of ways. Creating an environment where students and faculty can safely...
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...Corporate Social Responsibility across Industries: When can who do well by doing good? Andreas G. F. Hoepnerab, Pei-Shan Yua* & John Fergusonc School of Management, University of St. Andrews, The Gateway, North Haugh, St. Andrews, KY16 9SS, UK Academic Fellow, Principles for Responsible Investment, PRI Secretariat, c/o UN Global Compact, DC2-612, United Nations, New York, NY 10017, US c Department of Accounting & Finance, University of Strathclyde, 100 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, G4 0LN, UK b a This version (3.0): March, 2010 First version (1.0): October, 2008 ___________________________________________________________________________ Abstract: While much of the previous literature considers whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) pays, we take a more nuanced perspective, theoretically and empirically, by investigating when CSR pays and for whom? Theoretically, we develop two contingency perspectives. First, we extend previous work to argue that CSR’s impacts on corporate financial performance (CFP) are moderated by five factors: CSR form, firm characteristics, time, national framework and industrial characteristics. Focusing on industrial characteristics, we theorise that differences in industries’ dependency on certain stakeholder groups, their proximity to the end consumer, their potential for social and environmental damages and their level of product / service differentiation moderate CSR’s value relevance. Our second contingency perspective considers for whom CSR might...
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...Group Assignment Organizational Ethics, Values and the Law-MOL 606 05/30/2009 Business Cycles and Employment Practices in a Domestic Garment Company Executive Summary A domestic garment company is a privately held apparel company whose marketing mix is primarily focused on product and place (U.S operations vs. foreign countries) rather than price. The company is projecting $150 million in sales next year which is a 50% increase than last years’ sales. Their target market has been consumers who will pay more for fashionable styles due to the speed and flexibility of their operations. Therefore, price is not important as there are some psychological influences within an individual and the market motivating their actions (needs, wants, desires). Since poor working conditions are common in the apparel industry, the company’s philosophy is to be profitable without exploiting workers, but by treating employees as valued partners. The company has invested several thousand dollars in training for newly skilled workers to meet the increased production demands. Apparent Problem The principle dilemma presented in the case study, ‘Business Cycles and Employment Practices in a Domestic Garment Company ’, finds the management team of a US based, privately held garment manufacturing factory, facing the difficult responsibility of deciding how to balance and manage the task’s of keeping up with the pace...
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...casting of carbon steel, stainless steel, refractory and alloy, gray and nodular iron, super alloys and non-ferrous materials for the manufacture of parts and accessories cast, with rough or machined delivery in our workshops, covering a wide range of needs for all types of melted products industry. DELTA INDUSTRIAL S.A. Currently has a modern fusion system that allows us to produce with efficiency and competitiveness, both pieces of very few kilos, as well as finished pieces up to 3,000 kg. Achieving satisfy all the requirements of our customers. We have a select team of metallurgists and mechanical engineers that efficiently target different areas of the company. In addition to technical and trained and committed, within a modern organizational structure, experienced workers in the industry. MISSION "To offer innovative solutions in parts fused to all industries, applying best practices for the benefit of our employees, customers and shareholders, while respecting the environment" VISION "Become the best choice on the market of cast parts and its applications, being recognized in terms of innovation, best practices of management and financial results" VALUES * Constant growth * Ethics * Care for the environment * Quality of our products and services * Team work * Professionalism * Innovation and creativity * Continuous improvement of processes * Corporate social responsibility PROCESSES * Molding * Melting and casting * Heat treatment...
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...civil aviation In the early 20th century, monopoly organization is mainly in the sectors of heavy industry such as coal, steel and oil. However, today has expanded the scope of the monopoly rules to light industry, transportation, commerce, agriculture and various service sectors and other fields. Monopoly is an industry controlled by who is the only producer of a good that has no close substitutes. Monopolistic industry in general are related to most people and the industry which closely related to public utilities, such as telecommunications, postal services, water, electricity, gas, railways and aviation. These industries penetrate into all aspects of society, therefore, their prices high and low cost that concerns society as a whole. The overall efficiency of these industries directly related to other industry's ability to compete internationally. This report will first indicate and analyses the case, then it will use the knowledge to resolute the special fact of monopoly and competition in the United State. People can set postal services, sounds like a joke, but in the United States, there are not only private postal, but also the private prison. Companies which in the United States are generally known for high efficiency and good service, but the postal service is an exception. One of the reason is that lacking of competition and state subsidies in this industry, secondly, employees usually holding this work, which is easy to cause low efficiency and poor service...
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