Custom «Business Ethics Issues» Essay Paper Sample

Defining Business Ethics

When it comes to business ethics many people do not understand the true meaning. Business ethics involves the application of ethical principles to the business world (Robert & Golembiewski, 2000). Business ethics applies to all business organization and even to individuals in the organization. Business ethics determines how individuals and organization behaves to the external environment and even within the internal environment. Business managers are faced with ethical dilemmas whereby they will need to make decisions that are to the best interest of the organization and that these decisions are supposed to be ethical.

Many of the organization and companies conceit themselves as being ingenious in there rules of ethical behaviors; though our world today has become competitive and many of the organization are constraining practicing ethics. Moreover, here are two major factors that will help to enhance business success. One of these is for each company or business to completely understand the meaning of business ethics, and how it affects each individual within the workplace. The second major factor is for each organization or business is supposed to know how to deal with heretical behaviors in the most thriving, but productive method (Trevino & Nelson, 2006). Both these keys will help each business strive to do their very best. For example, if a business was to know how to deal with these weird behaviors well they may prevent issues before they arise.

Bateman & Snell, (2009) affirmed that business ethics "includes the standard and moral principles that direct in the world of business". In the business world today, all businesses have legal obligations they must obey. They must follow all regulations and regulation, including all local, state, federal, and international laws as well. These organizations also have many more responsibilities and duties they must follow, such as ethical responsibilities. These ethical responsibilities are not only social expectations of behavior, but also ethical codes of conduct. Further, these organizations also have a cooperate obligation to fill which is "the obligation toward society assumed by business. The socially responsible business maximizes the positive effects on society and minimizes the unenthusiastic effects, (Laurinda & Harman, 2000). Below are some of the business ethical issues that impact today's world environment and the community in general.

Human Resource ethical Issues

Many of the business holders have a hard time in managing and supervising their employees. Many companies lack to see that there employees are the base of their success or failure. Trevino & Nelson, (2006) stated that "65% of ethical issues encountered by the managers interviewed involved managing human resources or internal organizational ethics or conformity hotlines, regularly information that the majority or hotline calls from employees involved human resource issues" (Robert & Golembiewski,2000). In addition to this, many employees feel like they are undervalued for the work they do, which can lead to many issues in the human resource department.

For instance, an employee, who knows that the work they do is appreciated, will be more willing to work longer and harder with a high level of creativity. According to (Trevino & Nelson, 2006), "Productively, which is at the very vital element of competitiveness, can exist only when employees feel respected by management and when employees are encouraged to respect one another when they are engaged." Many people may probably ask how important are affianced or engaged employees? Well to be sincere, the major important difference is whether the company will fail or succeed. Companies that tend to encourage their employees will make more money. Ethical issues occur in all division of a company. Some ethical predicament in human resource Department may comprise of sexual harassment, and of course conflicts of interest.

Harassment ethical issues

Another extensively known ethical issue is harassment weather it is sexual or otherwise. According to (Trevino & Nelson, 2006), Harassment (sexual or otherwise) is considered an ethical issue as it "unfairly focuses on job satisfaction, advancement, or retention on a factor other than the ability to do the job." Harassment is one of the main ethical issues that have been a constant challenge for many years. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has taken many steps to control this issue. For instance, if a company has more than 17 employees they must hand out Harassment procedures or policies, and offer training courses as well. Many issues that are addressed as sexual harassment have nothing to do with relationships or romance, but have all to do with fairness and power (Noel, Tichy & McGill, 2003).

Therefore, if an employee feels like they have been a victim of sexual harassment, they have the ability to: 1) File a complaint with his or her manager. 2) Once a complaint has been filed, an investigation will be conducted on the incident reported. Also any and all disciplinary actions will be handed out to the victim's harasser. 3) The employer has the obligation and the power to notify to the victim that there will be no punitive action that will be held against them for reporting the occurrence. Management also has the obligation to let the victim know the outcome of the investigation. "Over 75% of all the complaint that are dealt by (EEOC), are sexual harassment claims" (Trevino & Nelson, 2006). Harassment is only one of the many ethical issues in the work environment, another is known as customer confidence.

Customer Confidence ethical Issues

The other ethical issue that has been adversely been recognized in modern business world is the disclosure of customer's personal information. Now days, in small businesses and other organizations, protecting client's personal information is a priority. Business holders have nowadays recognized how vital it is in ensuring there is security and privacy of the customers information. For instance, here are some examples of some of the personal information that may need to be protected: bank accounts, credit card numbers, and of course social security numbers. When companies do not protect their customer's information, they become liable for any fraud against their customers. This in turn could lead them to exclusive lawsuits. For instance, a few months ago, an employee who used to work for a major corporation sold clients' information. Violation such as these can mess up the company's reputations and diminish his or her customer's self-belief toward the company. Conceivably even so much that people will not want to do business with those companies anymore. Therefore, to be successful organizations must have very competent and hardworking employees with outstanding sense of ethics (Laurinda & Harman, 2000).

Conclusion

Human Resource, customer resource and harassment issues are all examples of ethical issues that every individual will come across all the way through his or her career or life. The affirmative news is that many issues within the business environment are all predicable; therefore, having an understanding what ethics are and things about these issues before they occur may increase the possibility of being able to prevent them before hand. Even though this may not describe every employee, many act more ethical than others, administration teams should teach the ethics values in their organization and businesses. If companies and communities were to grip this knowledge, they could have a chance to save themselves from having to address these issues in future.