Ethics Audit Paper

Ethics Audit

Katherine Boyd

PHL/323

August 16, 2010

Nana Sabet

Ethics Audit

Erratic trends in today’s economy constrain businesses to operate with fewer resources, yet require them to remain competitive as opposition increases. At times, like the recent scandals in big business on Wall Street, individuals and companies resort to unethical means to reach their end goals. Even though recent studies have shown “…on-the-job misconduct is down, whistle-blowing is up, and ethical organizational cultures are stronger,” ethics audits remain needed even in respected companies (Krell, 2010, p. 1). Apple, Inc., the leading company in the consumer technology industry piloted by Steve Jobs, achieves its success by practicing strong ethics through formal and informal organizational systems.

Leadership

Apple’s charismatic CEO Steve Jobs know when to lead his employees and when to manage them. Leaders should motivate and empower their employees to “think outside the box” and be creative and innovative in their means of achieving tasks. In turn, employees, like those at Apple, exude more confidence and comfort as they work to reach their goals. Steve Jobs understands employees exist to bring his vision to fruition. Jobs states in an interview with George Ambler (2008), “When you hire really good people you have to give them a piece of the business and let them run with it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get to kibitz a lot.”...give them the reins to make great decisions (p. 1). Jobs is seen by a number of his employees as an enigma, charming and alluring. He has been considered an egomaniac, for his fanatical attention to detail, (Hensley, 2007). However, his employees and other stakeholders’ perception of Jobs’ integrity continues to rise in positive admiration. Jobs ensures that Apple and its employees conduct business honestly, ethically, and in compliance with the law, and therefore, assures his employees he cares “…about ethics at least as much...