Business Ethics Reflection

I was faced with an ethical dilemma at Wal-Mart by an employee that was a dear friend of mine. The relationship among virtue, values, and moral concepts in this dilemma was what I believed in and the morals that I have acquired and have believed in my entire life. The things I have learned throughout my life in church, from my family, and growing up to becoming an adult. What is right and wrong when faced with such a dilemma, and what to do that was righteous.

    One day while working at Wal-Mart, a friend of mine called me at work. This is a girl with many financial problems and she also has three children that she is raising by herself. When I answered her phone call she asked me if I would do her a favor. She was in trouble for missing so much work and was subject to lose her job if she missed one more day. She asked me if I could possibly clock her in so that she would not be counted absent and that she would get there as soon as possible. Knowing her situation still brought many different thoughts to my head, should I clock her in and was it the right thing to do or do I go with my values and morals and do the right thing by not clocking her in. While battling this dilemma in my head all I could think of was if I do this I am not doing right by the company, myself, and the other employees. I struggled with this for at least an hour because I knew that I would lose a friend and possibly even my job if I did this for her.

    My friend knew that I was a straight shooter and that I do not do what I feel is wrong because I will have to answer for it in my heart. Maybe this is why she called me because she knew how I felt about her and her children and possibly I would think of them first. In contemplating the dilemma I had a bad feeling go over me about what would this do to the company if we all did this and that it could possibly become a habit for her. Still battling my own thoughts, I did not feel as if I should do this.

    Hours later I still...