Cultural Diversity and Political Theory - Essay Example

thiсs Lеns Реrsоnаl Rеflесtivе Stаtеmеnt Name Course Instructor Date Еthiсs Lеns Реrsоnаl Rеflесtivе Stаtеmеnt In this paper, I reflect on my personal ethical lens to explain how I can develop awareness of global citizenship in my profession and in my future role as a business leader. To accomplish this, I will draw from the topics of Moral Reasoning and Ethical Decision (Topic 4), and Ethics in the Corporate Environment (topic 6). I have chosen these two topics deliberately because they have a great bearing on the values of global citizenship. Corporate ethical values are a system of moral principles and obligations governing the conduct of individuals or groups of people in organizations. Maintaining good ethical conduct means behaving and acting in a manner that is consistent with the expected principles of correct morals in the society (Niamh 2007, p. 112). In the corporate environment, ethical decision making is a fundamental requirement for a successful career regardless of one’s profession. It is also essential for the success and growth of organizations. As Hicks (2007, p. 13) explains, organizations can be successful if their employees act ethically while balancing personal demands and job expectations. Essentially, adherence to highest ethical standards by employees plays a critical role in the achievement of business goals and in the development of global citizenship. As an aspiring business leader, I believe that professionals should think and act ethically not just for their own selfish gains but for the interest of the organizations they serve and the people they interact with (Lafollette 2014, p. 91). Sigelman 2000 (2013) defines global citizenship as the practice of engaging ethically in professional contexts while appreciating the diversity of communities and cultures in a global context. As such, a global citizen is somebody who, despite any class differences, identifies readily with the global community and whose actions contribute to enhancing the global community’s practices and values. This implies that global citizens have specific responsibilities, one of which is to act ethically regardless of the prevailing circumstances or situations. Although global citizenship is relevant in many contexts, it is more relevant in the corporate settings because of the huge impacts that organizations have in their people and the community. According to Mark (2010, p. 947), the concept of global citizenship is frequently invoked in corporate settings to emphasise the ethical responsibilities of organizations, business leaders and employees. Besides their people, corporate organizations are also part of the global community and therefore must act ethically towards the world. One way through which corporate organizations contribute to global citizenships is by encouraging their employees to embrace ethical decision making and moral reasoning. Corporate organizations that encourage their employees to think ethically and act morally reap immense benefits in terms of secure, productive and stable workforces, positive reputation and a positive spillover to the community. On the other hand, organizations that disregard ethical values can incur costs in terms of litigations, high employee turnover and unstable work environments. As such, encouraging employees to be ethical should be a top priority for any company that wants to look responsible in the eyes of the global community. Similarly, the same consideration should be a priority for professionals that seek to become business leaders like myself. A key aspect of moral reasoning and ethical decision making in the corporate environment is integrity. This refers to the virtue of being honest and doing what is right regardless of the prevailing circumstances (Mark 2010, p. 947). For instance, in my profession as an accountant, I must work with a high degree of integrity because I will be entrusted with sensitive information about company financials and trade secrets. Closely related to integrity is the virtue of accountability, which refers to taking responsibility for one’s actions and behaviours. In my profession, I will be required to uphold accountability as a guiding ethical principle. This means showing up for work on scheduled time and putting an honest effort at work. In so doing, I will mould myself into a responsible future business leader and a global citizen. In order to determine whether I have the necessary ethical values that can make me a global citizen and a responsible business leader, I conducted an evaluation using the Ethical Lens Inventory framework. The evaluation yield valuable results which enabled me to understand the values I prioritise when faced with ethical issues. The analysis revealed that I prioritise rationality and equality in my decisions. This means that as a global citizen, my primary ethical concern is justice, fairness and the wellbeing of the whole community. I was not surprised with these results because I strongly believe that putting the interest of the community first is the surest way for an individual to achieve personal satisfaction and impact others positively. This means that in my profession, I will be a good global citizen and that I will engage people ethically by appealing to common desires. The ethical Lens Inventory also revealed that I am extremely sensitive. This means that I examine the merits of each professional situation in order to make the most rational ethical decisions. Essentially, I prefer being guided by intuition to determine choices that will help me to serve people best. Even in the face of great obstacles, I demonstrate steadiness and courage to ensure that the decisions I make reflect my global citizenship principles of high moral standing, selflessness and dedication to the wellbeing of others. Because I value equality and rationality, I tend to assume that it is possible for other people to acquire positive ethical traits and hence be good global citizens. I therefore try to encourage other people to embrace ethics in their decisions and actions. This way, I contribute to raising global citizenship awareness. In the professional context, my definition of ethical behaviour is strict adherence to role responsibilities. I define an ethical professional as one who practices thoughtful reflection with sound character traits. For me, those professionals who demonstrate strong leadership skills in their careers and encourage others to practise these skills exemplify global citizenship. As a leader, precedence is my favourite tool for analysing problems. I like analyzing how others in my role have handled similar problems. Even when I consider what other people have done, I remain attentive to the unique circumstances of each problem as well as the interests of the people I serve. The ethical reflective lens also revealed that I value equality and fairness as key guiding principles. I tend to assume that a universal system of fairness is the best way to achieve ethical outcomes and make people good global citizens. In this regard, I fancy people who observe the principle of fairness when dealing with other people in the community. As an ethical person, I always strive to use consistent systems and act in a manner that gives everybody an equal chance to succeed regardless of their status in the community. In so doing, I aspire to create a just and self-sustaining society (Singer 2000, p. 23-24). Because I am concerned with justice and fairness, I have a natural gift of advocacy. This means that I always work for what is good for everybody and what connects people to each other in the community. I take the initiative to ensure that established systems and processes are coherent and capable of achieving satisfaction for all people without creating unnecessary burdens to the least advantaged in society. Through the ethical lens inventory, I have learnt a lot of important things regarding the issue of cultural diversity. In corporate environments as in other contexts, cultural diversity is a common trend. Majority of big companies employ workers from different ethnic, racial, religious or national backgrounds. Although these employees could be professing different cultural values, they are expected to respect each other’s culture in the organizations where they work. According to Uhr (2005, p. 34) respect for cultural diversity is an integral aspect of corporate ethics and a key pillar of global citizenship. It prevents discrimination, strengthens professional relationships, allows people to learn from one another and fosters a unified global community. Therefore, it is imperative for professionals to embrace all aspects of cultural diversity in order to reflect the qualities of true global citizens. I have to acknowledge that even though I have never travelled outside my country, I now understand and appreciate the fact that there are thousands of cultures around the world and that each cultures emphasizes different ways of living and ethical thinking. The different cultures are based on different systems of beliefs regarding what is right or wrong. People are expected to live according to these beliefs (Bhikhu 2002, p. 92). Inasmuch as I have come to terms with the fact that cultural diversity is a global phenomenon, I am amazed to learn that there are some cultures that profess strict and sometimes extreme views of ethical values. For example, consumption of alcohol and related products is strictly prohibited in Saudi Arabia. If such laws were to be introduced in Australia, I think they would cause massive chaos and disruption of civil harmony. Nevertheless, I now know that if I visit Saudi Arabia, I should show respect to their culture by abstaining from alcohol. In his book, Wheelan (2010) explains that cultural diversity should be emphasised in the corporate sector because it allows professionals to work ethically and to pull together various skills, ideas and experiences in solving problems. On my part, I have learnt to appreciate and tolerate diversity by accepting other people’s views, strengths, values and weaknesses. By tolerating diversity, I hope to develop a clear and ethical view of the world. It is my belief that a diverse global community is more motivating and enjoyable. The inevitability of global connectivity mandates people to embrace diversity. Modern communication technologies such as mobile telephony and internet have broken many barriers that contributed to lack of cultural awareness. In the process, these technologies have created a more informed global citizenry with pro-diversity values. In conclusion, my ethical lens inventory revealed that I have a strong tendency to act ethically in my professional and personal lives. Overall, I am a strong proponent of corporate ethics, ethical decision making and moral reasoning as the foundation for career growth and excellence in any profession. As an accountant, I have an obligation to act ethically not just because it is a professional obligation but because I believe that ethical responsibility and duty are an inherent part of meaningful participation in social discourses and global citizenship. Conversely, failure to act in accordance with the expected professional ethical values can erode the confidence that people accord me as a professional, which can brings my profession and employer into disrepute. References Bhikhu, C 2002, Rethinking Multiculturalism: Cultural Diversity and Political Theory, Cambrifdge: Harvard University Press. Hicks, C 2007, ‘A Case for Public Sector Ethics’, Policy Quarterly, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 11-15. Lafollette, H 2014, Ethics in Practice: An Anthology, Oxford: Wiley Blackwell. Mark, B. 2010, ‘Two concepts of accountability: accountability as a virtue and as a mechanism’, West European Politics, vol. 33, pp. 946–967. Niamh, K 2007, ‘More than writing on a wall: Evaluating the Role that Code of Ethics Play in Securing Accountability of Public Sector Decision-Makers’, The Australian Journal of Public Administration, vol. 66, no. 1, pp. 112-120. Sigelman, L 2000, ‘Publication Bias Reconsidered’, Political Analysis, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 201–210. Singer, P 2000, Writings on an Ethical Life, London: Harper Collins Publishers. Uhr, J 2005, Terms of Trust: arguments over ethics in Australian government, Sydney: University of NSW Press. Wheelan, S 2010, Creating effective teams: A guide for members and leaders, Los Angeles: SAGE. Read More