Ethics

Ethics Reflection
Don Hudson
March 8, 2010
University of Phoenix STR581

Ethics in the workplace, whether it is a for-profit or non-profit organization, is an important consideration. A sound corporate social responsible organization can be both profitable for its shareholders and rewarding for its customers and society in which it operates.
Ethical discussions abound in corporate America today. A news day rarely goes by without something related to the ethical or unethical actions of one organization or another. The leadership of today’s businesses should closely consider the behaviors of their organizations and at the very least guide them to act as ethically as their customer base wishes them to act. Keeping ethics as an integral part of the organization’s strategic planning process can help cement the values and beliefs the leadership considers important for the business to thrive and survive. “Ethical responsibilities reflect the company’s notion of right and proper business behavior”
(Pearce and Robinson, 2009, p. 58).
Acting ethically is not necessarily needed for the organization to act legally and the view of what is ethics can change from culture to culture and from place to place. Many people would consider selling birth control pills and devices unethical, but there is nothing illegal about this activity in the United States. The sell of these items are considered unethical and illegal in other countries. A business operates to be profitable for its stakeholders and shareholders. Understanding what comprises the ethical view of a business’s markets is a very important of part of meeting the profitability goals and staying viable for the future.
The act of addressing ethics in strategic planning has in today’s world become a legal requirement. “Each company is required to disclose whether they have adopted a code of ethics for its senior financial officers. If not, the company must explain the reasons. Any change or waiver of the code of...