Week 1

Fundamentals of Business Ethics

Brenda Hall

MGT/216 – Organizational Ethics and Social Responsibility

May 12, 2011 – Week 1

Geraldine Briceno

Ethics defines the basic concepts and fundamental principles of right human conducts with a study of universal values such as the essential quality of all men and women, human or natural rights, obedience to the law of the land, concerns for health, safety and the natural environment. Ethics provide a standards and guidelines on how people should behave. Morality describes beliefs about right and wrong and good and bad; rules that governs one activity; and the values that are embedded. No system of morality is accepted as universal; it differs from place to place, group to group, and from time to time. Morality deals with a person moral beliefs, judgment; and feelings; it covers all human actions, good or bad, just and unjust, fair and unfair, and so on. Both ethics and morality can overlap in some area; for example an action that is morally right could also be ethical wrong yet depending on the culture or environment they could accept or reject based on his or her beliefs and values embedded within.

Personal ethics and professional ethics are two aspects of the same realm because of our human values beliefs along with our daily interactions with others. Personal ethics mean ones conscience and the term professional ethics to mean obedience to a professional code. Typically, one tries separating their role as a professional from their role as an individual as quick fix to their problems. They follow a professional code of ethics when acting as a professional even though they may disagree. This is not restricted to a professional vs. personal role; every one of us is confronted with the actuality of rules or laws that we believe are unjust or immoral. We must strive to determine how to overcome the stress and pressure of being unethical and immorality cause. In essence, personal ethics is...