Research Korner: Ethics

Strategic Management: Bank One case study

1.         Problem Statement.   The mutual funds industry has been rocked by the scandal that involved companies such as Bank One. The key problem in this context is the lapse of judgment of the leadership of the said company in recognizing the practices and activities being unethical. In the context of Bank One, the key authority, then CEO of One Group , who was supposed to be in charge of the mutual funds trading failed to realize the unethical activities basically justified the actions with regards to the transactions with Canary Capital Partners.   2.         Situation Analysis.   Based on the case, the shareholders and the clients of Bank One appear to be the highest priority of the company, along with taking care of its reputation not only in the mutual funds industry but in the whole banking sector as a whole. This is seen in their pursuit to clear their name by “doing the right thing.” The lack of proper monitoring and awareness of the basic trading knowledge regarding what is ethical or not has been the flaw of Beeson. There is a thin line with regards to the ethical and unethical activities in the industry, particularly in the practice of late trading and market timing. Their transactions with Canary bordered dangerously in this line. The lack of monitoring and good judgment on the appropriateness of these transactions in relations to the compliance to the standards set by the trading industry had significantly affected the trust of the major shareholders and stakeholders. Trust and transparency has now been a major issue in the industry. The management of Bank One in the issue, particularly by rectifying their error through seemingly noble yet strategic courses of action signified the success of the company.       3.         Alternatives.   The acquisition of short-term redemption fees and back-end sales loads This would be able to lessen the profitability of market-timing methods. However, it is still uncertain whether fees and monitoring are equitable with regards to the companies in the industry.   Installing a Next-day and Intra-day fund pricing This gives a one-day holdup between the buying and the completion of the transaction. This takes away the certainty of the net asset values. It is not complicated and costs less, however this provides an additional expense for the investors.   4.         Recommendation.   Support Executive and Shareholder Welfare   If a company permits late trading and market timing of their mutual funds, they put corporate gains on top of their fiduciary duties to their primary shareholders. Connecting asset management revenues to fund performance assists this supporting of the welfares of management with shareholders and may avert potential trading abuses.

Strategic Management: Bank One case study

1. Problem Statement. The mutual funds industry has been rocked by the scandal that involved companies such as Bank One. Th...

The Ethical Dilemma of Human Cloning

The Ethical Dilemma of Human Cloning                 “Life is a test and this world a place of trial.  Always the problems – or it may be the same problem- will be presented to every generation in different forms.”                                                                                                             Winston Churchill               The ethical dilemma of human cloning primarily lies on the debate whether it is right or wrong using as basis, the moral standards set by contemporary society.  The issue of cloning a human being was brought to the public’s attention when the news broke out about the successful cloning of a sheep named “Dolly” by Ian Wilmut, a Scottish scientist from Roslin Institute in Scotland on July 5, 1996 (United States National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2001).             To best understand the ethical dilemma of cloning a human being is to hear both sides of the story.  The advocates and the opponents belong to two clashing groups of people that base their reasons on the line of a great argumentation.  Further deliberations on the issue have stirred national interest all over the world and has even merited the attention of national governments.  For example, US President Bill Clinton had instituted a ban on US federal funding related to attempts to clone human beings (United States National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2001).             The process with which “Dolly” has been created is called “somatic cell nuclear transfer” where in the doctors take the egg from the donor and remove the nucleus of the egg, creating an enucleated egg.  A “cell” which contains the DNA is then taken from the person who is being cloned, and then the enucleated egg is fused together with the cloning subject’s cell using electricity and thus creating an embryo, which is implanted into a surrogate mother (Bonsor,     ).  If the process is successful, then the surrogate mother will give birth to a baby. However, the procedure itself is not perfect because it took more than 277 attempts before Dolly was created as a health viable lamb (Virginia edu, 1998).  It only imposes that there are possible risks or biological damages to the potential child with the process, which is considered as a “reproductive” cloning because it replicates a copy of a human (Dooley, 2001).             The process itself is one of the many reasons why there are people against human cloning who also question the ethics of doing it.  Due to this arising conflicts between the advocates and the opponents, then US President Clinton asked the National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) to resolve the ethical and legal issues that revolve around the subject of cloning human beings using “somatic cell nuclear transfer” and its potential risks and benefits (United States National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2001).             The great concerns of the opposing group lie on the safety of the process, its consequences and the fear that the clone would not be considered as an “individual” but just a mere “copy” of someone else.  However, the advocates of human cloning stated clearly that even if a clone is just a “copy”, it doesn’t mean that he (or she) is not an “individual.”  A clone is defined as the delayed identical twin.  He may have the same genes as the original but he is still a different person biologically, psychologically, morally and legally (and that even includes even his fingerprints  (Wachbroit,      ).             The ethical concerns of the issue, in my own point of view, as I went through thorough readings and analysis of the subject, is not actually the morality per se, but the reasons and purposes behind the attempts to clone a human.  The advocates firmly believe that the use of cloning human would give medical breakthroughs to find cures of some diseases like cancer, AIDS and other incurable illnesses.  They stated the possibility of controlling the growth of cancer cells or discover the cause of other kinds of diseases as well.  On the other hand, the opponents fear that if ever the ban on human cloning will be lifted, allowing scientists to freely perform the process and somehow the process becomes successful, the desire to manipulate or control the clones will most likely happen. These musings however are mostly speculations.  However, with so much controversy with regard to the issue, no one can really tell.             The “fears” of the opponents and the “beneficial reasons” of the advocates have turned a debatable subject into the more complicated issue of whether cloning a human being is right or wrong.  Where in fact the ethical dilemma is not hard to understand at all, for it’s just that the factors involving the issue - the risks, consequences, reasons, intentions and benefits of human cloning - are what makes it hard for an individual to comprehend its ethics and legality.             The opponents believe that it is “morally wrong” because what they are trying to do is making a life out of a scientific procedure which is still morally unacceptable today.  In other words, scientists are trying to “play God”.  No matter if we have different religions or beliefs, we have been brought up believing that the only provider of life is none other than God himself.  Conversely, the advocates of human cloning argue that what they are trying to do is to seek beneficial opportunities for the human race through the use of science and technology – among them, finding cures to some diseases with “therapeutic” cloning, which would intentionally destroy newly created embryonic cells of the cloned humans for other research projects (Dooley,        ).  The intention of this kind of research is to find cures for some diseases using the embryonic cells of the cloned humans which only means killing eventually the newly created life of the embryo for the purpose of saving ill patients.              The morally questionable issue is the process itself and how cheap the doctors value the life that is formed in that embryo.  Opponents to cloning argue that no matter if that is only a cell that they are willing to sacrifice, it has already a life that has a right of existence.             Considering that cloning a human could become legal and likewise be morally acceptable sooner in human society, then how could we possibly protect the rights and dignity of the cloned humans, if today we can’t even give them the rights to live when they are being used as experiments in medical researches.              With respect to social responsibility, the ethical dilemma of human cloning can be considered a lesser evil if compared to the other problems in society.  Being a very opinionated person myself, I believe that there are more important problems in society that need more attention rather than keeping in tune with the moral disputes of the opposing parties of human cloning.              I do not detest the possibility of cloning a human someday but I strongly believe that a family where the clone would come shoulders a great responsibility in rearing the child no matter if he (or she) is considered to be just a “copy” or “delayed twin” of the original being cloned.  The fact that everyone deserves to live even if he (or she) came from cloning is a truth that no one can oppose.  It should however be discussed in a very careful manner bestowing concern on the future and existence of the cloned person.             Hence, the major problem that would threaten the creation of human clones is anchored on the process itself and on the greater risks and consequences of the procedure.  Nowadays, the technology in human cloning is still considered to be premature and might impose a lot of imperfections on the research and experiments.             Another thing that I personally fear and doubt on human cloning is the possibility of “bringing the dead back to life.”  It gives me a creepy feeling because I believe in the presence of the soul in a human being.  If scientists do try to clone a dead human and bring them back to life, it will only open more Pandora’s boxes on other pressing moral issues.  And if they somehow, successfully clone a human being already dead, would this clone of a dead person possess the presence of a soul? Would it mean that man is already defying the capabilities that only the Supreme Being used to possess? Would it already be considered a sin? And how about other corollary questions like the possibility of life after death and the presence of heaven or hell? If man could already clone a dead person and bring back its life then, perhaps we can no longer answer these questions because we might not experience anymore how to die permanently because we can live as long as we want to.  So many questions are raised just by the thought of cloning humans, what more if the human being to be cloned is already dead and could eventually be brought back to life?             On the side of the opponents and critics of human cloning, I can see how much these people value the essence of life made through natural, God-given ways and not as objects processed through advanced methods in science and technology.  I understand how they want to protect the sanctity and morality of life by standing firmly against the advocates of human cloning. They want to preserve and protect human life.  The fact that biotechnology can make breakthroughs without cloning a human being or sacrificing an embryonic cell created through human cloning is more appealing.  Scientists, doctors and advocates of human cloning should at least refrain from pushing the idea of cloning a human being, and instead, concentrate on improving biotechnologies that could further lengthen human life.  Opponents of human cloning believe that the procedure is inhuman, including the Scottish scientist who created Dolly.  Ian Wilmut believes that most of his fellow scientists misunderstood his studies because so many of them are now trying desperately to use the techniques he used in cloning Dolly to clone a human being.             Being just a mere opinion giver on the tackled issue, I presume that even if there are people who agree or disagree with me, the possibility of cloning a human in the very near future is highly inevitable, whether the intentions are beneficial to man or are solely for the narcissistic reasons of madmen.

The Ethical Dilemma of Human Cloning

The Ethical Dilemma of Human Cloning “Life is a test and this world a place of trial. Always the problems – or it ...

Accounting Ethics Cases

bordercolor="#111111" width="100%"> The First Publication 1.      The first involves the various requirements of several institutions, one of which is the tenure offered by the university based on the number of publications, the second is the required number of pages for publication on a journal, and the final is the agreement made with the accounting firms on the study concerning the publication. 2.      The ethical issues involve the possible withdrawal from a commitment to the accounting firms and the tenure policies of the university. The major stockholders are the writer (me), the accounting firm, and the editor of the journals although not so much as the first two. 3.      These are the agreement that was made with the accounting firm which has extensively helped the writer with the study in exchange for a particular demand on the article publication. 4.      Alternatives are find another journal that will allow publication of five more pages and requesting for a change in the agreement with the accounting firm. 5.      The decisions that each corporation—including the writers’—are all greatly focused on the advantages that will be given to them, and the greatest norm is with the compliance with the agreement that involve both verbal or non-verbal. Regulations are also greatly met especially with the decisions of the company. 6.      A great consequence is the loss of points for tenure for the writer. 7.      I would ask around in other publications first while also contact the accounting firm for the possible change in the agreement.   The Kardell Paper Co. 1.      The CEO and the shareholders of Kardell Paper Co. for the need to ensure the operation of the company; there are also the workers within the company who live near the mill and are affected by the major changes in the company. 2.        The major issues involve the environmental safety of the mill and how they affect the people, as well as the amount of money it will take to ensure that the company will be able to comply with the needed changes in order to continue with their company. 3.      They should be ranked as one of the top although, with the question on environment and safety of the people, it should not be the highest because they are not the ones who are risking their lives, they are simply risking their money and their reputation. 4.      Environmental analyses of the effects of sonox to people especially as based on the climates, as well as the relation of the miscarriages, respiratory ailments, and other health problems by Riverside and for more safety. 5.      I would allow for more studies done on the environment and also for minimal changes or alternatives in providing safety to the workers and environmental concerns that will naturally affect everyone. 6.      They were more concerned with the length in which the company will have to close. Also the money that may be spent rather than the workers’ safety. 7.       might go to the media or file a suit against the company for negligence of the workers’ safety, and thus effectively ruining the company’s reputation and thus affect the working environment, performance, and reputation. Which Responsibilities Take Precedence? 1.      Manley’s firm believes that they should lower the standards of the policies on the financial institutions on the debt securities to allow more investors, which  clients believe should not in order to protect themselves. 2.      The stakeholders are the firm and their stance to allow investors to come in without fear of possible debt,  clients who fear that this may ruin them, and  himself as a leader of the organization and opposing the proposal in order to raise the standards of the firm yet is loyal to the firm. 3.       The principles are honor and loyalty to the firm, then to the clients, and the need to stand up for what they believe in while also weighing the advantages and disadvantages of both situations while also including the values. 4.      Each of the sides will be presented with each presenting both the advantages and the disadvantages. Also, lower the standards a bit so clients will feel not be threatened, while accepting suggestions from the clients on the conditions. 5.      They have different perspectives and various things to protect.  believes in the cause, the firm believes that they will be helping the investors, while the clients believe they are protecting their own workers and therefore have different ideas and purposes. 6.      Problems can arise where clients will express distaste and change auditors without considering the auditors’ side. 7.      Present my case to the firm if I do not believe in it. If I do not believe in it, then I do not, and thus will be explained according to the advantages and disadvantages. I am loyal to them, to the point of being honest.

Accounting Ethics Cases

bordercolor="#111111" width="100%"> The First Publication 1. The first involves the ...

ETHICS AND GOVERNANCE

BUSINESS ETHICS AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY   Table of Contents I.      Introduction. 3 II.     Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) 3 III.        Positive Effects of CSR. 4 IV.        Need for Corporate Disclosure. 6 V.     Conclusion. 7 VI.        References. 8   I.                  Introduction The realm of business has drastically evolved nowadays. Traditionally, seeking profit from the market was one of the primary goals of the company. That is to say the ends justify the means of taking it. What hasn’t changed is the value of the consumers and primary customers of the company. Companies still regard the customers highly. Thus, acquiring profit has been set aside as a mere component of organizations to grow. Companies now need to acquire the favour of customers: both existing and potential customers. Companies that intend to be at the top of their respective industries, or even survive, need the favour of the public. They could do this by presenting a positive image through marketing or they could touch a more profound aspect of their target market particularly those applicable to the morals and principles of the public. This need spawned what is termed as corporate social responsibility (CSR). It is an attempt of the company to address the more pressing issues regarding their role in society in general. The following discussion will argue in favour of the implementation of corporate social responsibilities among organisations.        II.               Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has absolutely been an element of contemporary business culture. Several studies have been published in an effort to keep a record of the needs held by applying such in a company. In the article of  (2003, ) he claimed that the deficiency of such accountability between organisations have activated humiliations and even collapse of large corporations. Errors in market trading and even shams on manners of disposing the company’s waste seem to be among the most argued themes in the existing articles on CSR.  (2003) mentioned the violation of this social responsibility among companies as a “business ethic missteps.”() This symbolizes an oversight of a company in bearing in mind the existing principles and morals in a specific society. In this framework,  (2003) presented a pair of wide-ranging claims. He indicated that society has provided ardent attention on matters of corporate social responsibility in the last four decades. Just as he similarly claimed that having such an interest depended on such incidences, banners concerning these violations have the propensity to add together as newsworthy scandals. () As measured up to the business environment in the earlier periods of the 1900s, the stakeholders seem to be more caught up in the operations of an organization. Earlier studies on corporate social responsibility pointed it out as a tool to combat the “social cost.” ( and , 1995, )  In the said study, they established a positive correlation involving social responsibility and financial performance. Although it is not perceived as an unvarying effect, majority of the studied corporations are inclined to exhibit such findings. III.            Positive Effects of CSR The disposition of the critics of CSR in the conference indicates primarily that employing CSR is a total waste of time and resources. However, there are academics that seen it in another light. It does have a positive effect on the company. Several studies have been made demonstrating the consequence of CSR on the buying behaviour of the target market of the company. A fresh addition is the work of  and  (2001, ). In their claims, they maintained that for buying behaviour and CSR to have a positive connection, a number of criteria have to be satisfied. The consumers have to grown to be conscious of the “level of social responsibility” implemented by the company. ()  This denotes that the informing the public what the corporation is doing include of a preponderance of how it could optimistically influence the purchasing behaviour of the public. Efficient marketing and advertising is thus important in this instant. The use of mass media or any other implements would be the solution in educating the public of their activities. As stated in the earlier parts of the paper, the work of  (2003, ) noted that financial performance does have a positive association with the organisation’s CSR. Conversely, current articles point out that the trouble with this assertion is that the return of investment (ROI) established on these activities is purely characterized in terms of social ROI. (, 2005, ) This denotes that in spite of how efficient or impressive the scheme a company creates, instant financial proceeds may not be readily seen. In line with the said study, intrinsically there are quite a few factors that motivate companies in applying CSR programmes. These consist of “managing risk and reputation; protecting human capital assets; responding to consumer demands; and avoiding regulation.” (, 2005, ) Seen at this context, the performance of such agendas is undeniably profitable. It stands for an investment praiseworthy of the risk. Moreover, the CSR does have an implication on the general performance of the company. It is thus expected that it would have an encouraging effect on the market share of the organisation. Even in earlier studies on social responsibility, this has been perceived as reality. ( and , 1993, ) In the said study, it is seen that managers observe the functioning of CSR as a basic ends supportive of their interests on top of the company’s. ( and , 1993, ) This signifies that a socially responsible corporation would have a superior capability to get hold of a much larger market share than those who are supposed to be otherwise.   IV.           Need for Corporate Disclosure However, it must be noted that companies have to regard shareholder primacy’s value. Traditionally, the concept of shareholder primacy has been measured as the primary authorization of the directors and senior officers of a corporation in the circumstance of corporate law. In particular, all the “energies” of the  ( , 1995,) board have to be point to the progress of the shareholders on the whole. This claim likewise claims the fiduciary obligation of the board of directors to make the executive actions within the company known to the corporation and its shareholder. () Based on the said argumenge (2002), the principles presented by traditional corporate law may possibly be progressively becoming obsolete and impractical in the current setting. The value of the shareholders has considerably seen as diminishing by the more contemporary scholars of corporate la(w., 2000) Possibly, the delegation of the decision making power of these shareholders are given to the board of directors such that learned decisions are carried out. . Though it appears that ’s (2002) claim is rather in effect already, the actions of these directors should constantly be subjected to the knowledge of the shareholders. This accountability on the part of the directors is to be discussed on the subsequent part, specifically the principle of corporate disclosure. V.              Conclusion The commercial environment held by the organizations has changed considerably. However, one must recognise that the competitive nature of the players in every industry has considerably changed as well. The focus has been pointed towards the consumers. Essentially, this is what the CSRs actually intend to do, to create an image for the consumers that companies are doing its share to establish “sustainable development.” As  (2005, ) this trend has triggered companies and commercial organisations to make CSR programmes based on economic decisions. Improvements that these programmes tend to create manifests only in areas where actual profit could be made. That seems to be the reality. There will be less people thinking of the major inconveniences provided by the company like a more congested neighbourhood. As long as companies have an arsenal of marketing tools to use, they could always find a way to spin this on their favour.        VI.           References

ETHICS AND GOVERNANCE

BUSINESS ETHICS AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Table of Contents I. Introduction . 3 II. Corporate Social...

Essay on Barriers toward Ethical Managerial Decision-Making

Ethical Managerial Decision-making   Introduction             Why be ethical? This is the question that haunts generations of leaders and managers. Ethics, which is defined as morality’s effect on conduct, is increasingly becoming integrated in all aspects of organisational thinking. For instance, leaders and managers now regard social responsibility and organisational ethics as a reality that shapes expectations and standards. Organisational behaviour is also becoming more transparent than ever. Ethical leadership is the direction that modern organisations seek to pursue. Nevertheless, there are barriers toward ethical decision-making particularly for the managers. This paper aims to explore these barriers as well as how to address and resolve them.      Ethical managerial decision-making             Ethical behaviour deals with the morally-acceptable and commonly-held values which are consistent to personal perception of values (Sims, 2003).      Ethical reflections are centered on issues on behavior and decision-making and such issues focus on values, rights and responsibilities. Managers are often faced with ethical challenges basically because managers have ethical obligations. Managers have the responsibility to recognise moral issues and develop moral sensitivities. The fact that whether good is right or right is morally accepted must be weighed by the managers in decision-making (Sharma and Bhal, 2004, p. 29). Potential barriers to ethical decision-making for managers could include strategy, structure, control and motivation though these barriers may exist in routine and broadly accepted organisational practices. Nonetheless, managers have to draw on values to support decision-making.   Barriers to ethical decision-making             Lane, Mendenhall and McNett (2004) state that organisational values are found on vision and mission statements which drive strategy. Strategy and ethics are linked through the idea of purpose. Managers understand purpose in quite personal ways as a guide for their personal action. For the mutual benefit of the organisation, managers’ actions are activated by agreement with others especially that correlates with the organisation. It would be necessary to note that managers are put in their position to diffuse responsibility. Managers do understand the purpose of their organisational activities in terms of their own personal engagement with and responsibility for them. Likewise, managers also understand purpose as it applies to their connection to others, in and beyond the organisation, people who agree to responsibilities related to their shared goals. The purpose of an organisation is ethical in nature and is influenced by culture. When such assumption is left in tacit, misunderstandings could arise (Sharma and Bhal, 2004). To be effective then, values should reside at the operational levels in the thoughts and actions of those who implement the strategy whom are the managers. It is important then for managers to understand others and own implicit culturally influenced ethical assumption.               Organisations are often structured as a collection of functions and roles that have decentralised operational responsibility. Holian (2002) relates that managers are then responsible on performance of subordinates’ performance. The diversity in functions and roles could have challenging ethical issue. Once the demarcation among these functions and roles became an issue, managers could miss the opportunity to make ethical decisions. Managers are in a response mentality as moral action may be a part of the problem’s solution of a different order than ethical decision-making. Because organisations are made integrated, managers are confronted with the challenge of the tendency to be problem-oriented which may confound ethical problems in the organisational level (Carroll, 1990).                According to Casali (2007), organisations may encourage managers to be unethical in forceful and implicit ways via disincentives. The reward of quantity over quality is an example of this as well as the bottomline pressure for profits at any cost, open door policies but closed door practices, punishment for reporting policy violations, promotion of managers known to be less ethical and patterns of deception throughout management. As such, the way performance maybe measured may put pressure on managers to act for the short term rather than to choose what might be the right approach for the organisation in the long run. Hence, the lesson for managers is to set and manage reasonable performance expectations (Vardi and Weitz, 2004).     Addressing and resolving the barriers The executives and management must consider the ethical dilemmas in the workplace. A well-written and well-communicated acceptable code can help but it is impossible to regulate non-existence of unethical behaviour. The bottom line is there is no legal requirement to behave ethically (Ball, 2007). The challenge herein is the approach to disseminate the information about codes and to avoid concentration in a certain management level. It must be from top to bottom. If not, the result would be clogging on “continuous professional development, an open workplace culture and a clear and explicit code” (Ball, 2007).   Further, managers could also resort in examining the 5Ps of ethical power such as purpose, pride, patience, persistence and perspective. The purpose is the basis upon which the managers build its ethical behaviour. Pride makes every experience as a win-win reflection of their attitudes. Patience demonstrates a virtue of trust to organizational values and beliefs. Persistence is the long continuance of an effect while perspective refers to the long term goals of a manager relating to the work and the organisation and subordination.   Managers could engage in an ethical checklist prior to making a decision. Peale and Blanchard (1988) relate three questions for which a manager can clarify different aspects of organizational decision-making and ethical standard adherence. These are: 1) Is it legal? 2) Is it balanced? and 3) How will it make me feel about myself? An alternative would be that of UK Institute of Business Ethics’ three questions. First is through transparency – Am I happy to make my decision public? Effect is the second – Have I fully considered the harmful effects of my decision and how to avoid them? The third is of fairness – Would my decision be considered fair by everyone affected by it?     Conclusion             Decision-making, either for the business or the people, managers are confronted with specific barriers to ethical decision-making. Three of these barriers are strategy, structure and control and motivation. Specific ways that managers could address these barriers are through well-written and well-communicated acceptable code, the 5Ps of ethical power and the ethical checklist.     References   Ball, G 2007, ‘New Ethics Culture Needed in Business, Birmingham University Looks at the Issue of Business Ethics,’ The Birmingham Post, June 1.   Carroll, A B 1990, ‘Principle of Business Ethics: Their Role in Decision Making and an Initial Consensus,’ Management Decision, vol. 28, no. 8.   Casali, G L 2007, ‘A Quest for Ethical Decision Making: Searching for the Holy Grail, and Finding Sacred Trinity in Ethical Decision Making by Managers,’ Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 50-59.   Holian, R 2002, ‘Management decision-making and ethics: practices, skills and preferences,’ Management Decision, vol. 40, no. 9, pp. 862-870.   Lane, H W, Mendenhall, M E and McNett, J 2004, The Blackwell handbook of management: a guide to managing complexity, Wiley-Blackwell.   Peale, N V and Blanchard, K 1988, The Power of Ethical Management, William Morrow.   Sharma, P and Bhal, K T 2004, Managerial Ethics: Dilemmas and Decision Making, Sage Publications, Inc., London.       Sims, R R 2003, Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility: Why Giants Fall, Praeger Publishing, Westport, Connecticut.   Vardi, Y and Weitz E 2004, Misbehaviour in organisations: theory, research and management, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Essay on Barriers toward Ethical Managerial Decision-Making

Ethical Managerial Decision-making Introduction Why be ethical? This is the question that haunts generations of leade...

Kimberly Clark Ethics In Business And Society

KIMBERLY CLARK ETHICS IN BUSINESS AND SOCIETY       Nowadays the morality and values of most organization and companies is questioned in their performance that most of the time their purpose is simply for profit and not to serve. There are many companies who exercise deliberate violation in their employees there are cases of overworked and underpaid employees especially the little domestic helper who have been abused in their household job, most mining companies do not adhere to the principles of protecting the environment that they dig into the deepest and destroy the earth and ecology just to get the resources, other industries put their dump on the land that should have been used for agriculture they also liter on the rivers that kills marine life and aquatic resources while most industries continue to produce smoke that deliberately destroys the earth’s atmosphere.       There are many companies who produce fake products most especially software’s, DVD movies, MP3 and other multi- media because it is easy to duplicate. No matter how many laws and limitations about business ethics there is just no stopping this organization in destroying the earth and its society. The ethical principles have been left behind in exchange of industrialization and personal gain while companies continue to operate in this way. These are ethical dilemmas that have been the abuse of power by most organization, sometimes greed overthrown righteousness is mostly exercised when faced with such circumstance. If a company is caught by the government and authorities they can exercise money laundering and corruption to be released from their obligations and responsibilities such conditions is a very inhuman practices.       There are many companies when left with choices between righteousness chooses to cover up for personal gain and this resolve their situations but there are companies who choose to fulfill their obligation for equal benefits to resolve conflicts and this should be the best practice for most companies. Kimberly Clark has been awarded this 2011 for the “Great Dallas Business Ethics Award” for their exemplary ethical business practices their company has reinforced most of their employees to practice good moral conduct by giving them the best privilege in their performance and opportunity to grow. For almost 140 years since 1872 they have provided the best package for their employees when they have the options to delimit them. Most of all they have deliver superior products through recyclable materials in cotton, tissues, napkins and other products although they have been faced with option the earth resources and cutting of trees destroying the forest and digging the land instead they dwell into the decision to be responsible in preserving the trees so they resort in using recyclable materials that makes them the best company in natural resources preservation.       Through these practices sustainability of resources is achieved and nature is preserved according to their Board of Directors sustainability and business ethics should be practiced by all of us. Kimberly has also faced ethical dilemmas when they established their business for expansion in other countries there are many temptations along the way because each countries represent different arguments and legal issues while some supplier and distributor may offer under the table business practices, graft and corruption and other immoral transaction that needs illegal settlement for easy delivery and protection.       Kimberly Clarke believed that they have surpassed this moral standard obligation by living up to their code of conduct. Their code of conduct has been translated into 27 languages so each and every country will understand how the company values transparency and moral ethics, those where the ethical moments of the company that they have lived up their values until today 2011 when faced with ethical dilemmas of the past. They see to it they their day to day business practices reflected their moral standard that they have protected their international image as one of the most important asset in their organizations.       Kimberly Clark is one of the true prides in America to survive most of ethical dilemmas that comes in their way they are committed to their core value of honesty, integrity, innovation and accountability. In 2011 they also receive the award as number 9 for World’s Best Multinational Workplace awarded by the Great Place to Work Institute. Consistent in gathering the award of 100 Greenest Company in U.S. by News Week Magazine, Membership in United Global Compact (UGC) to employ high ethical standard and sustainability. Consistent for the last three years as part of 100 Best Corporate Citizen, Open Opportunities Program for employee’s growth, protecting their employees on a global basis, they have also contributed 78,000 volunteer hours in 2010 and donated almost $25 million dollar in cash. These are some of their common practices and Social Responsibilities that holds out ethics in business and society. References: http://investor.kimberly-clark.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=623744       http://www.kimberlyclark.com/   http://www.kimberly-clark.com/sustainability/products/governance/sustbusinesspractices.aspx   http://atheism.about.com/od/ethicalsystems/a/Deontological.htm

Kimberly Clark Ethics In Business And Society

KIMBERLY CLARK ETHICS IN BUSINESS AND SOCIETY Nowadays the morality and values of most organization and companies is questioned in...