...May 12, 2014 The Media and its Responsibilities The media should follow certain ethical standards for the information they present to the public. Most people get their information from watching the news, the internet, listening to the radio and other forms of media. The reporters and journalists providing the information through media outlets have a responsibility to provide neutral and honest information to the general population. The media must remain accountable for producing information that can be verified with records. They must also be liable for the consequences of reporting their stories. If the story that is being reported is not done appropriately it could lead to negative consequences. Media outlets need to follow sets of ethical guidelines to ensure that they are providing accurate and valuable stories. The media needs to provide information that is ethically sound so that people are able to receive the news in a non-biased, factual way. This includes opinions on political stances, as well as reports on current events in our communities. If the media reports a story in a way that could sway the viewer, or misrepresent the facts, it could affect how the public reacts to this event. Misrepresenting the facts in a story can lead to pretty severe problems for the people. The people could be angered or panicked from the news they hear, or it could lead to false reports about an innocent person among many other potential negative impacts. A solid way to analyze...
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...Applying Ethical Theories to the Media and its Responsibilities Danielle Carter SOC 120 Introduction to Ethics & Social Responsibility (ACG1417K) Professor Ravenelle May 11, 2014 Applying Ethical Theories to the Media and its Responsibilities Media is best defined as a means of communication that reaches and could possibly influence people widely through radio, television, newspapers, magazines, and most recently the internet (media, n.d.). Malcom X stated it best when he said, “The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses” (Malcom X, n.d.). No matter if you are young or old, rich or poor, or what race you are, media can influence a person both positively and negatively. The media has the ability to make a person that no one knew one day to the most talked about person in a country and they are also capable of running a person’s life in the matter of seconds. The main responsibility the media has is to present unbiased, fair, and accurate information to the public. The media typically reports on local weather, local traffic and traffic related accidents, local, nationwide, and sometimes worldwide crime, sports news and scores, government issues and news, entertainment news, and anything that would be of high public interest or controversies. Many ethical theories such as utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics...
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...How Ethical is the Media? In today’s day in age media has become such an important part of many people’s lives, this is because of how quickly one can become up to date on the issues of the day. The media is not only used to inform individuals of devastating or serious events; the media has become a source for anything that interests the nation’s and/or world’s population. The news can be anything from entertainment to sports or politics to environmentalism, there is really no subject that cannot be discussed now and days. A big issue with today’s media world is an ethical one, many of us ask ourselves, “Does the media go a little too far at times?” Now and days it seems like no subject is too risqué to touch up on, but should there be a line which should not be crossed? Are there some ethical perspectives that are being set aside? How far will the media go in order to keep people informed? The media keeps us informed of everything that is going on in the world around us which aids the public into being prepared when any serious event takes or will take place. Media is an extremely competitive field because all the networks want to be the first to present the news to the public. The main responsibilities the media has are to be the representative of society in order to best inform the people, to help the different fragments of society come together by providing them with a source of communication no matter the rift that differentiates them from each other, and...
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...as in press conferences or untimely news of crisis, disasters and conflicts. Even though the reporting objectives are vast, and the journalists are expected to perform their duties without any fear or bias, it is the responsibility of the journalists to observe certain ethical considerations. At times, what journalists consider their responsibility may prove to be harmful for others. The policy of embedded journalism is debated mainly because, it compromises the military’s safety, security and strategy, through its bias and unethical reports; the presence of embedded journalists should not be allowed alongside fighting forces. Ethics of Journalism and War Reporting The question whether something is ethical or not, is gaining worldwide scrutiny these days. With the advent of social media, people have access to so much detail regarding the circumstances of the world. The journalists who are active through social media seem to provide all the minor details to their followers notwithstanding the ethical aspect of such information. The line between what is professional journalism and what is not is getting thinner every day with unnecessary reports being presented to the media consumers. Journalists seem to forget the ethical aspects of journalism when they report about someone’s personal issue. There are many websites, which provides real time news, and most of those are run by credible organizations with genuine news sources...
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...Robert Brown ETH/316 May 7, 2014 Richard Sorrentino Abstract This essay will research a a global organization and cultural issue that affects the organization's interactions outside the United States. It will also define the cultural issue within the global organization as well as provide an analysis of the ethical and social responsibility issues that the organization must deal with as a result of being a global organization. The analysis will identify ethical perspectives in the global organization and it will compare these ethical perspectives across cultures involved in the global organization. Ethical Perspectives Paper Due to many strict regulations placed on corporations by the United States, a lot of them have moved their factories overseas as a way of escaping the strict regulations. South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and China are examples of various Third World countries that have a readily available and abundant cheap labor source. These companies take it vantage of this cheap labor as a means of fulfilling the consumer’s needs while at the same time cutting costs production. Many of these organizations have been noted by the media as abusing these forms of cheap labor and are highly criticized because of their organizational culture. The use of child labor or work conditions in the labor force are some of the malpractices these organizations are noted as using on both the local and international level. Although these organizations have been reported...
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...and perspectives with any person whom enters their country. In today's economy we have the Internet, and the use of digital information to help focus on globalization. The updated technology helps create a well-planned business strategy for merging with organizations in different organizations. Creating a business transaction with organizations is difficult because most countries have different religious beliefs, they eat different foods, and speak a different language, and this becomes a difficult task to accommodate to what people of other countries are wanting from the business transaction. Organizations that choose to work with companies in other countries make take caution in how they communicate with one another. Through time organizations doing business with other countries have begun taking all steps necessary to make business transactions with international businesses. Many large corporations have begun doing successful transactions with other large corporations, and governments of various countries have begun working together to help better businesses throughout the world. If two international businesses choose to combine practices to better both parties involved, and failure to properly communicate with each other, the businesses will face ethical dilemmas that are quickly brought to global attention by various media sources. The intentions of this paper are to showcase the different ethical perspectives of Mexico and China compared to the ethical perspectives of America...
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...The purpose of this research paper is to investigate whether Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is becoming a common standard in the Caribbean corporate financial community and the associated benefits as it relates to the business strategy and financial performance. Historically, corporations were expected to serve some public purpose as justification for the benefits and privileges they receive. However, since the 1970s, the view has become widespread that corporations exist solely to maximize profits and to increase shareholder’s wealth and for no other purpose Bartlett (2015). In a capitalist society it is rare to hear that one has gone into business for reasons other than to make as much money as possible. Based on this capitalistic...
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...Ethics Reflection Alicia Zisumbo STR/581 September 23, 2014 Shad Slaughter Ethics Reflection A strategic plan is an important part of business development because it defines the organization’s strategy, decision-making and the path the company takes in order to succeed. The social responsibility an organization has on the community is how it accomplishes its business while it meets its obligations to society and the environment. Ethics plays a strong role in a company’s strategic plan because the public persona will determine if the company is successful or not. Corporations must remember that the decisions made not only affect the company and its employees, but also the stakeholders and the communities that drive the business. A business has an ethical responsibility to uphold the commonly held beliefs of society because it is society that ultimately makes or breaks a business. A perfect example of this is currently being played out in the media regarding the image of the National Football League (NFL) and its stance on domestic violence. The NFL brings in millions of dollars a year from ticket sales, merchandise, sponsorships, and TV ads. It is a very prosperous business to say the least. The NFL has a code of conduct policy that must be followed by its employees (players, coaches, etc.). The Ray Rice scandal is currently marring the image of model behavior in the NFL. As an avid NFL fan, I have been watching this scandal unfold with the start of a new football...
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...Introduction to Ethics The media instrumental to today’s society media has taken society to unforeseen places that have expanded its networking and influences to other regions of the country and around the globe. Media is the oldest form of communication. It affects the way some individuals examine society. It also has strength the way of communication. Media is instrumental to today’s society with an overwhelming responsibility. With the impact as big as the one media plays in our everyday lives we need to be aware of the values, beliefs, and the decisions we hold near and dear to us as a society. Everyone depends on information and communication to keep their lives moving. The media is responsible for the information that we gather. We trust the media authority to number one to educate us; two entertain us, and three to inform us. With the rapids growth that the media has on society and individuals there needs to be a healthy balances in the way in which the media depict situations to our society. The media is able to share public opinions it is also responsible for feeding and sharing the innocent and young minds of our children. These effects are viewed as being strong and direct to society as a whole. The media has obviously become a bigger influence in our society, but is this change for the best? With that kind of influence what level of responsibility do the media holds to our society. Traditional the media attempted to balance ethical, accuracy with reporting information...
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...morality? Provide an example of morality and one of ethics in your explanation. DQ # 2- Select two major ethical theories covered in your readings for Week One. What are the major differences between these two theories? Which one of these theories is most aligned to your personal beliefs? Explain. DQ # 3- What are examples of virtues, values, and moral concepts? How does each of these relate to one another? In what ways are they separate and in what ways are they connected? DQ # 4- In Ch. 6 of Basic Ethics, the author discusses the relationship of religion as it relates to morality and ethics. Using your own personal experiences as a resource, what, if any, relationship exists between religion, morality, and ethics? Explain your answer. Assignment (Individual)- Ethics Essay WEEK 2 DQ # 1- What are potential results if members of a community accept their community’s benefits, such as emergency services or school systems, but decline to contribute to the community beyond paying taxes? Explain. DQ # 2- Provide an example of a socially responsible effort within your community. In what ways does this influence the community? How do these efforts affect the individuals within the community. DQ # 3- Consider the community in which you live. What is your responsibility within your own community? Explain and provide examples of what you consider your responsibilities. DQ # 4- According to Ch. 2 of Basic Ethics, "It is inconsistent on one hand to accept the assistance...
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...LECTURE OUTLINE I. Stakeholders Define Ethical Issues in Business A. Stakeholders In a business context, customers, investors and shareholders, employees, suppliers, government agencies, communities, and others who have a “stake” or claim in some aspect of a company’s products, operations, markets, industry, and outcomes are known as stakeholders. 1. Stakeholders are influenced by business, but they also have the ability to affect businesses. 2. They apply their values and standards to many diverse issues—for example, working conditions, consumer rights, environmental conservation, product safety, and proper information disclosure—which may or may not directly affect an individual stakeholder’s own welfare. 3. They provide both tangible and intangible resources that are more or less critical to a firm’s long-term success. 4. Individual stakeholders that share similar expectations about desirable business conduct may choose to establish or join formal communities to advocate their values and expectations. 5. Stakeholders’ ability to withdraw—or to threaten to withdraw—valuable needed resources gives them power over businesses. B. Identifying Stakeholders 1. Stakeholders can be divided into two categories. a) Primary stakeholders are those whose continued association is absolutely necessary for a firm’s survival; these include employees, customers, investors, and stockholders, as well as the governments...
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...that are ethical in nature. Such decisions reflect a range of ethical dilemmas between, for example, truth vs. loyalty, justice vs. mercy, short-term vs. long-term consequences, and the individual vs. the collective (Kidder 1995, p. 18; Stacks & Wright 1989, pp. 53-67). Public relations practitioners, by nature of their position and job responsibilities, are often in a crossroad of a range of competing interests. Often, the tension may be between the practitioner’s own values and the culture of the organization. In other cases, it may be a conflict between the practitioner’s professional code of ethics and organizational norms and expectations. In yet other circumstances, they may be faced with competing interests between the organization and its various publics. At the very least, practitioners will frequently confront contradictions between business demands for economic performance and public expectations for ethical conduct. Concerns over these competing responsibilities and the ethical dilemmas they produce for public relations are the subject of this essay. In it, a range of challenges faced by public relations practitioners related to issues of ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are explored. It is argued that CSR has, in many respects, altered the expectations and demands placed on the profession. As a profession, public relations have a long and contested relationship with ethics and more recently with corporate social responsibility (McBride 1989...
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...Corporate Social Responsibility and Accounting - A Literature Review Master thesis in Financial Accounting Fall semester 2012 Supervisor: Kristina Jonäll Author: Ulla-Christel Götherström Abstract Master Thesis in Financial Accounting, School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg, fall semester 2012 Author: Ulla-Christel Götherström Supervisor: Kristina Jonäll Title: Corporate Social Responsibility and Accounting - A literature review. Background and problem: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an area which has gained much attention the last 10-15 years. To satisfy various stakeholders, corporate social responsibility has increased its importance and often constitutes a substantial part of the firms´ financial reports, in spite of the fact that there are no legal requirements. However, to perform strategic CSR-reporting has become more or less compulsory for firms. The research question is: What research has been performed in the area of corporate social responsibility and accounting? Aim: The aim is to provide a structured overview of the literature in the area of corporate social responsibility and accounting regarding the years 2002-2012. The overview will provide a basis for future research and constitute a framework for focused research question. Delimitation: The focus of this study is on research published in scientific journals from 2002 until 2012. Method: A literature review was performed including peer-reviewed papers...
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...ever since the first traders and merchants sought out other countries to bring back uniquely different food and goods, countries have been sharing their culture and perspectives with those they visit or those that come to their borders. Today, with the widespread use of Internet, digital information, and focus on international business, the positive effect of globalization is much more apparent as well as the challenges it presents to countries with different ethical cultures. While most would assume that people in another land speaking a different language, following a different religion, and eating different food would more than likely perceive and behave differently from than our own; the truth is that even though these differences may be perceived, very little is done to actually understand them appropriately unless it is deemed necessary. However, what is quickly becoming equally apparent, for international businesses and corporations to deal successfully with a foreign contractor, business, or even government; the proper measures must be taken to understand the differences in ethical perception and to work to accommodate those differences. Failure to do so leave many of these companies and businesses vulnerable for international ethical dilemmas that are quickly brought to global attention by international media sources; where the wide-spread use of the Internet and digital communication have helped companies grow internationally, now any unaddressed unethical practice or...
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...Ethics Reflection Paper Crystal Davis STR/581 September 9, 2014 Pamela Scale Ethics Reflection Ethics and social responsibility occupy an important place in our personal value system. Customer confidence in how business operates has been severely shaken by recent corporate scandals and collapses, such as Enron and bank failures. To be their most successful, companies must consider ethics and social responsibility as critical parts, inherent components of strategic plan. Ethical and social responsibility should be considered as part of the strategic process in profit decisions in order to receive the maximum benefit, of corporate profits. This paper analyzes what ethics and social responsibility are, how each applies to a company’s strategic planning, and the overall impact on stakeholders when ethics and social responsibility is considered in strategic planning. The Role of Ethics in Strategic Planning Reflecting critically and actively on ethical issues is an obligation of every professional. Ethics guarantee that an organization accomplishes its mission, vision, goals, and objectives in a manner that will give a business a sense of direction and framework. Ethics ensure guidelines are created that bind the entire organization into one common thread, govern the action of the organizational employees, and avoid deviation from the desired strategic path. Ethics ensure that strategic plan is prepared as per the best interest of all a company’s stakeholders...
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