Doing Business Ethically - Report Example

Business ethics entails the use of ethical values in business and making sure that it is the behaviour of every one involved. Ethics in business applies to all aspects of its conduct right from strategizing in boardrooms, treatment of their employees as well as suppliers to selling techniques and other practices which include accounting (IBE 2007). Business ethics goes past the legal provisions for each and every company, thus, it is about tangible decisions and good business behaviour guided by ethical values. Business ethics is all about the conduct of individuals in the companies to the conduct of the organization itself. It has a lot to do with how any organization runs it business with the maiden purpose of making profit or achieving other strategic goals as set by the management. Without any discretion, any organization can do business in a manner that is guided or that abides by ethical values (IBE 2007). Ethics involves a thorough assessment of each of the following: The products and services the organization offers its customers and other stakeholders, its foundation priorities and strategic goals, its core values, its philanthropy or willingness to chip in the society’s problems, its level reputation among its stakeholders/customers/the society at large and the way it treats customers and its staff among many others. Ethical issues are becoming increasingly important for companies/organizations since consumers have learned more on the potential environmental and social impact the products they purchase offer them. Also, of concerns include customer/suppliers data protection as spelled by the Data Protection Act of 1998 (DPA 1998) In addition to being required to identify as well as address the wider impacts of the business practices on the society, organizations are under immense pressure to be produce products which are responsible. As an example, fast food companies are supposed to consider many factors affecting their products as well as the nutritional value of the food stuffs. Alcohol companies on the other hand are in the spotlight regarding alcohol abuse by young people whose acts are really causing a problem to the whole society. Ethics play a very important role in business today since companies/organizations do not operate alone, but are a part the society which expects in return certain standards in businesses behaviour. According to many researches done, social responsibility while producing is an important factor as it guides customers when making decisions about which product or service to ask for. Companies require the entire approval by the society in which they operate in if they are to continue doing business at all (Love, J 2007). It is expected that, companies/organizations will look after their staff well while always telling the truth to their potential customers. Further, it is increasingly expected that, they will address environmental impacts as well as making sure that, the people who consume their products are catered well ethically any place the company has operations in. Organizations cannot afford to take for granted the fact that, their staff understand the ethical standards which are expected of them while carrying out their chores on behalf of it, rather guidance is essential on this matter. To highlight the above assertions, Wal-Mart is chosen to show how unethical problem arose, how it affected the staffs and how they solved it. It deals with products of low price which are purchased by many people and was founded by Sam Waltson. It says that it offers goods only made in the US although their shelves have other products which are manufactured in other countries and from questionable workshops which is not as per the founder. It has been bogged by many unethical issues since its inception. Its practice of selling products not manufactured in the US has driven many industries to the end of closure. Another unethical issue which has been involved with the organization is the discrimination against women in the work place. In Wal-Mart, women have been denied training and promotion opportunities, while men are offered. In addition to this, women are underpaid; men are paid more than women. Also, the organization has not been allowing its employees to be union members where they can seek redress in cases of mistreatment. This also has led to many staff being underpaid and others taking very long moments without getting that meager pay. However, the issue of discriminating women will be handled here. Wal-mart has suffered negatively due to this unethical practice. First of all, there are some jobs which are specifically meant for women; secretarial jobs. Without equality in the way they are paid, the women are not expected to perform as their male counterparts thus, less willingness and productivity due to lowly motivated staff members. Further, they have suffered in that, since the training opportunities are only meant for the males, this has led to unequal performance in the organization since males do better in other areas due to specialty while in others the women lack behind. This has led to lack of teamwork which propels organizations higher. This is a social problem which has armed the gains which have been so far gained by the society. In societies nowadays, men and women are treated as equals since the women have demonstrated the ability and the will to perform like their male counterparts, thus denying them the right to such opportunities and only favoring ,males is a point backwards. This action has injured the reputation of the women as equal to men beyond repair. Although Wal-mart is the largest employer of women in the US, they have been mistreated badly as compared to their male counterparts. The organization has received immense recognition as the organization that has given the women more jobs than any other company, however, according to IBE (2007), women are treated badly and without dignity which they deserve as human being who can deliver and who at the same time can drive an organization a notch higher. IBE argues that, whenever an organization wants to go further, it always treats its entire staff members as equals. Further, both males and females are given management jobs so as to bring parity and reduce gender biasness in the work place. According to them, this creates a conducive atmosphere were all feel associated with the organization and wants to do better each day for the benefit if the whole organization. Wal-Mart seems to fail in this area and should strive to forge forward in this area if they are to gain their much taunted reputation. Wal-Mart has noticed that in this path they are headed nowhere and they have decide to come up with the workplace diversity initiatives which is intended to prevent further gender bias in their outlets. This is a very important step towards gender equality in the work place and will make the organization to go forward and if possible regain its lost reputation of the organization that employs many women in the United States. Kant would have reacted to Wal-Mart’s actions by arguing that, the top level management did not have foresight in the way this action might turn out to be for the organization. To Kant, the organization should have seen that their action will have negative consequences to the reputation of the organization in terms of women workers and in terms of selling only US products as stated in the core values of the organization. In my own opinion, the actions of the management of Wal-Mart of denying women the right to training while working for them was ill advised and they failed the test of time in terms of equality. Nowadays as Love, J (2007), women and men are equal in performance and if possible, they should be given equal opportunities for the good of the organization. In conclusion, companies/organizations which want survive are the ones that are able to spot any unethical issues and correct them before they become real problems. References IBE (2007). Doing Business Ethically Makes for Business. Retrieved 27 February 2008, from, http://www.ibe.org.uk/faq.htm#whatbe DPA (1998). Data Protection Act. Retrieved 11 February, 2008, from: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/ukpga_19980029_en_1 Love, J (2007). The Importance of Having Dynamic Relationships in the Workplace. 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