Ethics and social responsibility are integral components in developing a strategic plan while considering stakeholder needs. As such, ethics and social responsibility should be deemed as an essential strategic concern within all organizations. Ethics and social responsibility has the capacity to make or break an organization; the success of an organization’s strategic plan is dependent upon it. This paper will explain the role of ethics and social responsibility in developing a strategic plan while considering stakeholder needs. Lastly, this paper will elaborate as to how my ethical perspective has evolved throughout the program.
An organization needs to adhere to ethics in order to effectively implement its mission, vision, and objectives in a way in which offers a solid foundation to management and their subordinates to properly develop and implement its strategies. By doing so, the organization as a whole is essentially subscribing to one commonality that directs all of the actions of the employees of the organization. Additionally, it assists in preventing such employees from divergence in regard to the proposed strategic guideline. Ethics additionally ensures that a strategic plan is developed in accordance to the interests of the appropriate stakeholders of the organization, both internal and external (Jin & Drozdenko, 2010). Likewise, corporate governance that stems from various regulatory parties makes it necessary for organizations to maintain a high degree of ethical standards; this is done by incorporating ethics within the organization’s strategic plan so as to foster a positive corporate image for the stakeholders and general public (Min-Dong Paul, 2009).
When an organization places emphasis on its ethical pr...
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...rder to not only be successful, but to merely survive.
Ethical View Perspective
While going through my academic program, I have learned the importance of organizations having to integrate strategic planning in accordance with ethics and social responsibility practices; it is necessary for an organization’s survival. As such, an organization needs to implement its mission, strategy, and vision while considering the stakeholders and general public. My academic program has brought me to this realization and provided me with a means to effectively associate the implications of an organization’s ethics and social responsibility from a strategic perspective. When integrated effectively, establishing these components within the organization’s strategic plan has the capacity to largely benefit the organization's daily operations, which in turn, affect overall profit.
When a company decides to execute a strategic decision, the decision will concern its stakeholders, either through the making of the decision itself or through implementation of the decision. Although strategic decisions are generally made "to attain superior performance" (Hill, Charles) improving the welfare of the internal stakeholders, the attainment of this goal may cause the entity to disregard their notion of right and wrong moral principles in order to achieve that goal.
For a company to be successful ethically, it must go beyond the notion of simple legal compliance and adopt a values-based organizational culture. A corporate code of ethics can be a very valuable and integral part of a company’s culture but I believe that it is not strong enough to stand alone. Thought and care must go into constructing the code of ethics and the implementation of it. Companies need to infuse ethics and integrity throughout their corporate culture as well as into their definition of success. To be successfully ethical, companies must go beyond the notion of simple legal compliance and adopt a values-based organizational culture.
Whilst many firms’ Corporate Responsibility efforts prove to be counterproductive, pitting business against society and pressuring companies to think of generic CSR responses, addressing social issues by creating shared value for both society and the firm can ultimately increase profitability and operational sustainability (Kramer, 2006). In the case of Cameco, the corporation’s 5 pillar strategy demonstrates a strategic ethics policy (Moroz et al, 2015), its focus on creating shared-value enhancing the overall effectiveness of business operations in terms of increased worker productivity through improved working and living environments, and increased revenue due to more efficient operations. As measures of stakeholder power, strategic posture, and economic performance are significantly linked to levels of corporate social disclosure (Roberts, 1992), it is evident that adopting wholesome ethical processes in business practices can aid U92 in the achievement of business
Ciulla, J. B., Martin, C. W., & Solomon, R. C. (2007). Is "The Social Responsibility of Business... to Increase Its Profits"? Social Responsibility and Stakeholder Theory. Honest work: a business ethics reader (pp. 217-253). New York: Oxford University Press.
From reading this case, we realize the company did not apply the managing ethics competency in building its goals and structure. Managing ethics competency involves the o...
Ethics in business is a highly important concept, as it can affect a company’s profits, salaries paid to employees and CEOs, and public opinion, among many other aspects of a business. Ethics can be enforced by company policies and guidelines, set a precedent when a company is faced with an important decision, and are also evolving thanks to new technology and situations that arise due to technology usage. Businesses have a duty to maintain their ethical responsibilities and also to help their employees enforce these responsibilities in and out of the workplace. However, ethics and the foundation for them are not always black and white. There are many different ethical theories, however Utilitarianism, Kant’s Deontological ethics, and Virtue ethics are three of the most well known theories in existence. Each theory is distinct in that it has a different quality used to determine ethicality and allows for a person to choose which system of ethics works best with both the situation and his or her personal ethical preferences.
Introduction The aim of this paper is to discuss the challenges of values-based decision-making ethics in the current marketplace. This discussion will include the research findings on the four markets for potential expansion and an assessment of the current social and political climate of each. A recommendation will offer three best fits based on a comparison of company values, and will include a detailed rationale for these choices. Content and Analysis Background According to Ferrell (2004), “Organizations create ethical or unethical corporate cultures based on leadership and the commitment to values that stress the importance of stakeholder relationships.
In today’s global society, a Code of Ethics policy is used to label established, acceptable behaviors among that industry’s business associates, potential investors, and the corporation’s executive officers and employees, and most important, the consumer (Ethics Resource Center, 2003). In an attempt to promote an increased efficiency and productivity potential level, among employees and prospective clients, a corporation’s standard Code of Ethics should guide its members toward a more in-depth examination of their personal moral activity, and how these actions affect the people or acquaintances they encounter. A company should utilize this strategy as a model for the professional behaviors and responsibilities of its constituents, and proves the occupational advancement of that business. Ethics are important in every level of a corporation, but specifically in the day-to-day actions of its members, and the image the company broadcasts to its associates is fundamental in building a stable business foundation. These pledges are a vital communication tool used to covey the firm’s standards for business operations, and predominantly, its relationships with the surrounding communities (Ethics Resource Center, 2003).
The problem to be investigated is the ethical role that the corporation has when balancing internal strategies with external responsibilities. Dr. Novak explains various responsibilities a business has in his article “Business Ethics and the Role of the Corporation”.
Ethics must begin at the top of every organization. It is a leadership issue and the CEO must set the example – Edward Hennessey
The frequency of scandals within the business world has given rise to corporate trends and buzzwords such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) and professional responsibility. Peruse any company website to learn about its CSR policies and professional responsibility initiatives as tangible demonstrations of their commitment. Moreover, attention to ethics and code of conduct has also increased. “Questionable business practices obligate leaders to emphasize ethics and develop programs that prevent future misbehavior” (Valentine & Fleischman, 2008, p.657). Implementing said programs strengthens the ethical performance of organizations. According to the Ethics Research Center (ERC), companies with effective
Business ethics are a set of moral rules that govern how a business operates, how people should be treated within an organization, and how business decisions are made. They are a crucial part of employment and in managing a sustainable business, mainly because of the serious consequences that can result from decisions made with a lack of regard to ethics. Even if you don’t believe that good ethics don’t contribute to profit levels, you should realize those poor ethics have a negative effect on your bottom line in the long-run. Every business in every industry has certain guidelines to which its employees must stick to, and regularly outline such aspects in employee handbooks.
In today’s fast paced business world many managers face tough decisions when walking the thin line between what’s legal and what’s socially unacceptable. It is becoming more and more important for organisations to consider many more factors, especially ethically, other than maximising profits in order to be more competitive or even survive in today’s business arena. The first part of this essay will discuss managerial ethics[1] and the relevant concepts and theories that affect ethical decision making, such as the Utilitarian, Individualism, Moral rights approach theories, the social responsibility of organisations to stakeholders and their responses to social demands, with specific reference to a case study presenting an ethical dilemma[2], where Mobil halts product sales to a garage, forcing the garage owner to stop selling solvents to young people. The second section of this essay will focus on advice that should be given to any manager in a similar position to the garage owner with relevance to the organisational strategic management, the corporate objective and the evaluation of corporate social performance by measuring economic, legal, ethical and discretionary responsibilities. It will address whom to think of as stakeholders and why the different aspect could cost more than a manager or an organisation could have imagined.
The notion of ethics deals with people’s behaviors within a company. Social responsibility involves a company’s moral obligations and the manner in which the organization makes its decisions. Although ethics and social responsibility are similar on a conceptual basis, each has its own unique characteristics that express their differences and its independence of the other. Ethics and social responsibility have to be present and coincide with one another for a business to be ethically sound.
A company has an economic obligation. It must earn a favorable return for its stockholders in the restrictions of the law. But, corporate social responsibility means that organizations have also ethical and societal responsibilities that go past their economic responsibilities. CSR needs organizations to develop their documentations of their responsibilities to include other stakeholders such as workers, customers, suppliers, local societies, state governments, international organizations, etc. Ethics could be seen as a fundamental component of individual and group activities at the heart of organizations’ errands.