Chapter 3: Ethics Flashcards

1
Q

Ethics

A

Doing the right thing within a moral framework
- human nature is the most common impediment to ethical conduct

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2
Q

Human factors contribution to unethical behavior

A
  • perceived personal interest (greed, impatience, fear, ambition, need,…)
  • extenuating circumstances
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3
Q

Organizational factors contributing to unethical behavior

A
  • ethics not part of core values
  • Failing to adopt, deploy and enforce a corporate code of ethics
  • no positive example
  • putting employees in ‘ethical’ corners
  • unrealistic pressure
  • no rewards for ethical behavior
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4
Q

Guidelines for determining ethical behavoir

A
  • morning-after test
  • mirror test
  • role reversal test
  • common sense test
  • front-page test
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5
Q

Total quality and ethics

A
  • trust
  • responsibility
  • values
  • integrity
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6
Q

Trust and total quality

A
  • Ethical behavior builds trust and trust is an essential ingredient of total quality
  • trust can be built by being loyal to those not present, keeping promises, and sincerely apologizing when necessary
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7
Q

Elements of total quality that depend on trust

A
  1. interpersonal relation
  2. employee involvement and empowerment
  3. customer focus
  4. communication
  5. conflict management
  6. problem solving
  7. teamwork
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8
Q

Values and total quality

A
  • Values are those core beliefs that guide our behavior
  • Ethical behavior begins with values
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9
Q

Integrity and total quality

A
  • Integrity is a combo of honesty and dependability
  • people with integrity can be counted on to do the right thing, do it correctly, and do it on time
  • when an organization has integrity, ethical behavior automatically follows
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10
Q

Responsibility and total quality

A

accepting responsibility

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11
Q

Manager’s role in ethics

A
  • setting an example of ethical behavior
  • helping employees make ethical choices
  • helping employees follow through and behave ethically after making an ethical choice
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12
Q

Manager’s approaches to ethics

A
  1. Black-and-white approach:
    - right is right and wrong is wrong, conditions are irrelevant.
    - Difficult decisions are taken fair and impartial
  2. Best-ratio approach:
    - under the right circumstances, people will behave ethically. So managers should provide conditions for the ratio of good to bad choices to increase
    - hard decision is such a way that they are good for most people
  3. Full potential approach:
    - people are responsible for achieving their full potential within the confines of morality. Choices that do not infringe on the rights of others are considered to be ethical –> decisions are made based on how they will affect the ability of those involved to achieve their full potential
    - values of managers and organization determine this approach
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13
Q

Organization’s role in ethics

A
  • Setting a positive example
  • Creating an ethical environment: have a comprehensive ethics policy
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14
Q

Ethics training

A
  • Encourage two-way communication
  • make it practical
  • avoid dogmatic statements
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15
Q

Models for making ethical decisions

A
  1. Categorical imperative
    - black-and-white model
    - either right or wrong, no gray areas
  2. Golden rule
    - do unto others as you would have do unto you
    - stakeholder’s viewpoint
  3. Equal freedom
    - freedom to behave as they wish, unless actions infringe on the rights of the stakeholders
    - more confining than it looks at first
  4. Doctrine of the mean
    - moderation is ethical
    - extremes are likely not ethical
  5. Proportionality ethics
    - good should outweigh the bad when making decisions
    - assume world is too complex for actions to be only good or bad
  6. Professional ethics
    - decisions can be explained to the approval of a broad cross-section of professional peers
    - professional code of ethics
  7. Market ethics
    - any legal action that promotes profitability is ethical
    - framework of profit and loss
  8. Organizational ethics
    - Most ethical decision is the one that best serves the organization’s interest
    - loyalty - difficult to defend (unless guiding principles)
  9. Full disclosure
    - could the organization explain its actions to the satisfaction of a broad cross-section of stakeholders?
    - stakeholders’ viewpoint
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16
Q

Beliefs VS behavior: why?

A
  1. Self-interest and self-protection
  2. Conflicting values
  3. Intangible vs tangible
  4. Deferred vs immediate
17
Q

CSR

A

Corporate social responsibility

  • Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulating business model that helps a company be socially accountable to itself, its stakeholders, and the public