Understanding the Dilemma of Ethical Decision Making

Understanding ethics and utilizing ethical business practices are key to the success in modern business. Traditional business organizations must take into consideration many more aspects of business today, than in the past when the focus was primarily on profits and making money for the shareholders. These ethical principles also influence non-profit and government organizations as well, taking into account the same ethical considerations that for profit organizations deal with. The modern concept of ethical organizations takes into account many issues, some of which include:
• corporate social responsibility
• the triple bottom line (economic, social and environmental)
• ethical management and leadership
• globalization
• sustainability
This list is not all inclusive. Ethics and ethical behaviors cover a wide range of factors and situations. Throughout the world there are many different definitions. With cultural, regional and society based interpretations of the concept. As such there are no world wide set of rules and no set standards of what is ethical. With the growing importance of ethics in the modern world, the fact that there are no set rules is fascinating. This begs the question, what is ethical? To understand this concept we must look deeper than the common definition of what an ethical organization is. There are so many factors that influence and affect an organizations ability to operate within ethically accepted standards. This paper will not tell you what is ethical and what is not ethical. Hopefully this paper will allow people to determine through their own understanding of the subject what is ethical and what is unethical. What is ethical anyway? The short answer is that there is no clear cut answer. There is no absolute rule or guideline that tells you what is