All Chapter In One Deck Flashcards
(72 cards)
WHAT IS BUSINESS ETHICS.
The term ‘ethics’ has been derived from the greek word ‘ethos’ which implies character,ideas and standards of behaviour practiced within a society. business ethics are the principles and values that guide ethical behavior in the business world, ensuring fairness, honesty, and responsibility towards stakeholders and society.
FEATURES OF BUSINESS ETHICS
- Code of Conduct: Establishing guidelines and standards for ethical behavior within the organization.
- Based on Moral and Social Values: Rooted in principles of morality, fairness, and societal norms.
- Protection to Social Groups: Ensuring the well-being and rights of various stakeholders, including employees, customers, and the community.
- Offers a Basic Framework: Providing a foundation for ethical decision-making and behavior in business practices.
- Voluntary: Though often encouraged or regulated, adherence to ethical standards is typically a voluntary commitment.
- Requires Education & Guidance: Necessitating training, education, and support to ensure understanding and implementation of ethical principles.
- Relative Term: Recognizing that ethical standards may vary across cultures, industries, and contexts.
- New Concept: While ethical principles have long been acknowledged, the formal integration of business ethics into organizational practices is a relatively newer development, gaining increasing importance in contemporary business environments.
PRINCIPLES/ NEEDS/ FEATURES OF BUSINESS ETHICS:
- Avoid Exploitation of Consumers − Do not cheat and exploit consumer
with measures such as artificial price rise and adulteration. - Avoid Profiteering − Unscrupulous business activities such as hoarding,
black-marketing, selling banned or harmful goods to earn exorbitant
profits must be avoided. - Encourage Healthy Competition − A healthy competitive atmosphere
that offers certain benefits to the consumers must be encouraged. - Ensure Accuracy − Accuracy in weighing, packaging and quality of
supplying goods to the consumers has to be followed. - Pay Taxes Regularly − Taxes and other duties to the government must
be honestly and regularly paid. - Get the Accounts Audited − Proper business records, accounts must be
managed. All authorized persons and authorities should have access to these details. - Fair Treatment to Employees − Fair wages or salaries, facilities and
incentives must be provided to the employees. - Keep the Investors Informed − The shareholders and investors must
know about the financial and other important decisions of the company. - Avoid Injustice and Discrimination − Avoid all types of injustice and
partiality to employees. Discrimination based on gender, race, religion,
language, nationality, etc. should be avoided. - No Bribe and Corruption − Do not give expensive gifts, commissions and
payoffs to people having influence. - Discourage Secret Agreement − Making secret agreements with other
business people to influence production, distribution, pricing etc. are
unethical. - Service before Profit − Accept the principle of “service first and profit
next.” - Practice Fair Business − Businesses should be fair, humane, efficient
and dynamic to offer certain benefits to consumers. - Avoid Monopoly − No private monopolies and concentration of economic
power should be practiced. - Fulfil Customers’ Expectations − Adjust your business activities as per
the demands, needs and expectations of the customers. - Respect Consumers Rights − Honor the basic rights of the consumers.
- Accept Social Responsibilities − Honor responsibilities towards the
society. - Satisfy Consumers’ Wants − Satisfy the wants of the consumers as the
main objective of the business is to satisfy the consumer’s wants. All
business operations must have this aim. - Service Motive − Service and consumer’s satisfaction should get more
attention than profit-maximization. - Optimum Utilization of Resources − Ensure optimum utilization of
resources to remove poverty and to increase the standard of living of people. - Intentions of Business − Use permitted legal and sacred means to do
business. Avoid Illegal, unscrupulous and evil means.
Difference between value and ethics:
-
Ethics:
- They’re like rules for what’s right or wrong.
- They help us decide how to behave in different situations at work.
- Examples include being honest, treating others fairly, and respecting everyone.
-
Values:
- They’re like the things we think are important.
- They guide our decisions and actions.
- Examples include being truthful, taking responsibility for our actions, and caring about others’ well-being.
Source of business ethics:
Religion:
1. Religious teachings often emphasize virtues such as honesty, integrity, and compassion, which can guide ethical behavior in business.
2. Many individuals and organizations derive their ethical values from their religious beliefs and teachings.
3. Religious texts and doctrines may contain specific guidelines or commandments related to business conduct and interactions with others.
4. Religious leaders and institutions may provide moral guidance and support for ethical decision-making in business settings.
5. The principles of fairness, justice, and stewardship promoted by various religions can influence business practices, philanthropy, and social responsibility efforts.
Law or The Legal System:
1. Laws are rules established by governments to regulate behavior and ensure order in society, including business activities.
2. Legal regulations cover various aspects of business operations, such as contracts, employment practices, consumer protection, and environmental standards.
3. Compliance with legal requirements is essential for businesses to avoid legal liabilities, penalties, and reputational damage.
4. Legal systems provide mechanisms for resolving disputes and enforcing contracts, ensuring fairness and justice in business transactions.
5. Business laws evolve over time to address emerging issues, technological advancements, and changing societal expectations, requiring businesses to stay informed and adapt their practices accordingly.
Culture:
1. Culture encompasses shared beliefs, values, customs, traditions, and behaviors within a society or social group.
2. Cultural norms shape how individuals perceive and respond to ethical dilemmas, influencing business practices and decision-making.
3. Understanding cultural differences helps businesses navigate international markets, negotiate contracts, and build relationships with diverse stakeholders.
4. Cultural sensitivity and respect are essential for effective communication, collaboration, and trust-building in multicultural business environments.
5. Cultural diversity can enrich businesses by bringing different perspectives, ideas, and approaches to problem-solving and innovation.
CONCEPT OF CORPORATE ETHICS
Business ethics or Corporate ethics refers to contemporary standards or sets of values that govern the actions and behavior of individuals in the business organization and the actions of the business itself. It applies to all aspects of business conduct and is relevant to the conduct of individuals and entire organizations.
Code of Ethics:
A code of ethics is a guide of principles designed to help professionals conduct business honestly and with integrity. A code of ethics also referred to as an “ethical code,” may encompass areas such as business ethics, a code of professional practice and an employee code of conduct.
Five code of Ethics:
1. Integrity.
2. Objectivity.
3. Professional competence.
4. Confidentiality.
5. Professional behavior.
How to develop a code of ethics?
- Set Your Priorities: Identify the core values and principles that are important to your organization. Consider factors such as integrity, honesty, respect, fairness, and accountability. These will form the foundation of your code of ethics.
- Ask Employees for Input: Involve employees from different levels and departments in the development process. Gather their perspectives, insights, and suggestions on ethical issues and behaviors relevant to the organization. This ensures that the code reflects the values and concerns of the entire workforce.
- Put Someone in Charge: Assign a dedicated team or individual to lead the development of the code of ethics. This person or team will be responsible for coordinating the process, gathering input, drafting the code, and ensuring its implementation. Having clear leadership ensures accountability and efficiency throughout the development process.
- Have Someone to Turn to for Help: Seek guidance and support from ethical experts, legal advisors, industry associations, or consultants with experience in developing codes of ethics. They can provide valuable insights, best practices, and assistance throughout the process. This ensures that the code is comprehensive, legally sound, and aligned with industry standards.
ETHICS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Organizations can manage ethics in their workplaces by establishing an ethics management program. Ethics programs convey corporate values, often using codes and policies to guide decisions and behavior, and can include extensive training and evaluating, depending on the organization. They provide guidance in ethical dilemmas.
Benefits of Managing Ethics as a Program
1. Establish organizational roles to manage ethics
2. Schedule ongoing assessment of ethics requirements
3. Establish required operating values and behaviors
4. Align organizational behaviors with operating values
5. Develop awareness and sensitivity to ethical issues
6. Integrate ethical guidelines to decision making.
7. Facilitate ongoing evaluation and updates to the program
8. Help convince employees, attention to ethics is not just a knee-jerk reaction done to get out of trouble or improve public image.
What are advertising ethics?
Advertising ethics are the moral principles that govern how a business communicates with members of its target audience. Advertising has a set of defined principles that outline the type of communication that can take place between a potential buyer and a seller of goods or services. An example of ethical advertising is an ad that presents true statements in a decent manner, although the definition of decency may vary between individuals.
Share a common objective of truth
One ethical standard for advertising is that all involved in the creation of an ad, including those in the advertising, public relations, communications, editorial and news departments should share a common objective of truth. Consumers value ethical and honest advertising, so maintaining an objective to share the truth can help advertisers better appeal to a wide audience while maintaining their ethics.
Obligation to high personal ethics in creating and sharing commercial information
When creating and sharing information, advertisers have an obligation to exercise the highest personal ethics. The mission of the IAE is to provide education to professionals in the advertisement industry to produce true and ethical advertisements while demonstrating a high level of professionalism.
Clearly disclose all material conditions and endorsement identities
An advertisement may offer something for free in exchange for an action taken by the consumer, but this type of advertisement should clearly disclose the conditions of such an exchange to maintain a high ethical standard. Any endorsers should also be clearly identified in advertisements in the interest of transparency and full disclosure. Social media has added a new layer of complexity to advertising in the form of influencers, or people who share their opinions about products and services in exchange for compensation and/or free products and services.
Distinguish between advertising and news or editorial content
One area in which consumers have been treated unethically more frequently is the differentiation between advertising and editorial content or news. A press release should be presented differently than an advertisement, but companies have started to mislead consumers by presenting advertising content as editorial content to create confusion.
Transparent usage of personal information
Advertisers have an obligation to consumers to provide transparency around the usage of their personal information, as well as provide details on how any information they provide will be used. As marketers use enhanced methods to target online behaviors and actions, consumers continue to worry about their privacy and how companies will use their information. Government regulations have shifted the way marketers obtain and use private information, affording more control to consumers over what they have to share with businesses.
Fair treatment of consumers
An advertiser must treat all consumers fairly, although stricter rules apply to the audience to whom ads are directed and the nature of the services or products being represented. For example, products geared toward children may have stricter advertising regulations in place because they are more vulnerable and prone to being misled. The same rules may apply to the elderly. Prescription drugs and alcohol also have unique regulations applied to their advertising because of the potentially sensitive nature of these products.
Permission to discuss ethical concerns
Those working in advertising should have permission to bring up any potential ethical concerns when developing and rolling out ad campaigns. Practicing and applying the highest ethical standards requires those involved in the development of advertising campaigns to take the time to analyze the key standards for ethics in advertising and ensure that what they share with consumers adheres to those standards. When making considerations, ethical advertisers should always think about what is best for the consumer and allow that mindset to drive their actions.
reativity and Innovation:
Emphasizes the importance of originality and pushing creative boundaries in design.
Encourages designers to experiment with new materials, techniques, and styles.
Quality and Craftsmanship:
Focuses on producing high-quality garments that are well-constructed and durable.
Values skilled craftsmanship and attention to detail in the manufacturing process.
Sustainability
Promotes eco-friendly practices, including the use of sustainable materials and ethical production methods.
Advocates for reducing environmental impact and promoting social responsibility.
Inclusivity and Diversity
Celebrates diversity in body types, races, and cultures.
Encourages the representation of a variety of perspectives in design and marketing.
Timelessness and Longevity
Values designs that stand the test of time, transcending trends.
Encourages consumers to invest in timeless pieces rather than fast fashion.
Transparency
Advocates for open communication about the production process, including supply chain transparency.
Discloses information about sourcing, labor conditions, and environmental impact.
Consumer Education
Aims to educate consumers about the fashion industry’s impact and the importance of making conscious choices.
Encourages responsible purchasing behavior.