Principles of Ethics in the Society - Case Study Example

Name Tutor Course Date Principles of Ethics Introduction The principle of ethics plays a significant role in terms of guiding the daily operations of people in the society. According to Havas it is a branch of philosophy that deals with recommending the right from the wrong (225). Ethical principles are useful in terms of monitoring the moral behaviors of humans in the society. Most of the ethical principles have been in existence for centuries and have guided the actions of man for a long period of time. The ethical principles are also applicable in terms of determining the practical means of moral propositions in the society. Specific situations have different moral outcomes in the society. The beliefs of the people are also important in terms of determining the ethical principles in regard to certain action. The principles of ethics are also used for the purpose of resolving the issues of human morality. The religious beliefs are different from the principles of ethics (Little, 12). This is because religion is comprised of certain beliefs and thus it’s different from the ethical principles. Some of the most common ethical principles include autonomy, confidentiality, transparency, responsiveness, citizenship, fairness, dignity, reliability, property and fiduciary. These principles are applicable to certain specific cases. The paper thus identifies and discusses the principles of ethics in relation to different case studies. Article 1 Doctor Chimedza and his collogues in the medical field decide to give back to the society during the period of lent by offering free medical services. Doctor Chimedza is a devoted Christian and is influenced by the preaching of the pastor who says that it is important for Christians to make a difference to the lives of other during the time of lent. It is through this inspiration that he teams up with his colleagues to provide the free medical services to the people of Harare who cannot access medical care due to poverty. He note that the private hospitals are expensive while the public facilities are overburden and understaffed hence resulting to low quality healthcare services. Ethical Principles Citizenship This principle suggests that the employees should act as responsible citizens in the community through respecting the members of the community as well as respecting the laws of the community. The social corporate responsibility is also the duties of the citizens as a way of giving back as well as being responsible. Doctor Chimedza displayed citizenship by providing free medical services to the members of the society who are his fellow citizens. He is also aware of the problems of the people in terms of accessing the medical care and hence his initiative. The involvement of Doctor Chimedza in the social corporate responsibility is an indication of his ethics in terms of upholding the citizen ship principles. Dignity The principle of dignity is all about respect for individuals and making contribution towards improving the human life. Doctor Chimedza portrayed a lot of dignity for human life by ensuring that he provides his fellow citizens with free medical services. This was for the purpose of benefiting them and enhancing human development. He upheld the principle of dignity as he did not despise the people despite their poverty. Article 2 Summary Mavhiya is an immigration official who rapes a thirty one year old border jumper. The border jumper had been sent to the IOM camp where the border jumpers are usually accommodated before deportation. Mavhiya had been deployed at the IOM camp where he committed the crime. This happened after he was approached by the border jumper who requests his assistance in the purchase of airtime. However Mavhiya offered to buy the airtime later and he was shown the room of the deportee. He later forced himself in the room and raped the won. He was later arrested after the matter was reported and is to appear in court to answer to the charges. Ethical principles Fiduciary principle The principles of fiduciary were not upheld by Mavhiya. This is because he was a trusted government employee and he breached the trust. As a government employee he was supposed to offer support to the deportee. He failed to do this and instead took advantage of the vulnerability of the deportee. The principle of fiduciary is a bout trust and confidence that the employee should possess in order to serve the people. The breach of this principle is thus a form of betrayal by Mavhiya who was supposed to be a trusted government employee. Principle of dignity Mavhiya did not respect the deportee violating her human dignity. Rape is a violation of human rights and also the dignity of the victim. This is despite the trust that the government had placed on him as an official in the immigration department. It is thus evident that he had no respect for women as he took advantage of a desperate woman who was in need. Principle of reliability Mavhiya is not reliable as he took advantage of the desperate situation of the deportee. This is an indication that he was not reliable in terms of handling people who were in despair. His actions are this evil and hence his unreliability. Article 3 Misomali who is a bishop of an apostolic sect is charged alongside Msimanga for the murder of Sibanda who was a state witness. Msimanga was a member of the apostolic sect led by Misomali. He had earlier been charged with defrauding Sibanda and hence she turned into a state witness. The two managed to lure her be alleging that they would return her money. However, when she complied, she was forced to sign an affidavit that wrote off the liability and it was retained by Msimanga. She was then bundled in a car and later murdered and Msimanga took her phone. The phone was altering tracked and it was found in possession of Msimanga who later implicated Misomali. The two have been remanded and are waiting for their case to be heard on the third of May although they have been advised to apply for bail. Ethical principles Fiduciary principle Misomali broke the principle of fiduciary by engaging in murder which is contrary to his profession which is about eliminating evil. He broke the trust that his followers had entrusted in him by collaborating with his follower to commit murder. As a bishop he was supposed to protect the society from evil by preaching against it and yet was practically involved in it. This is also considering that murder is the worst form of crime as well as the greatest sin. The principle of dignity As a bishop, Misomali had a duty of respecting the human life by protecting it. However, together with his co-accused, he did not show any value for human life as well as respecting it by engaging in murder. This is an evil deed that they were engaged in despite being religious. The principle of transparency Msimanga was not transparent in his actions as he was engaged in fraud leading to his court case. He has defrauded Sibanda and he together with Misomali deceived her that her money would be refunded if she signs the affidavit writing off the liability. The principle of reliability As a bishop, Misomali was supposed to be a custodian of faith and a preacher against evil. However, his actions proved that he cannot be relied upon in terms of fighting evil as he was practically engaged in murder. Article 4 Summary The embassy of Japan in Zimbabwe commissioned five classrooms and eight toilets which had been built for the purpose of supporting education for the physically challenged students. The classrooms were officially commissioned by the Japanese ambassador to Zimbabwe. The government officials in the office of the prime minister were present and expressed gratitude towards the initiatives. They said that the classrooms would go a long way in promoting education among the physically challenged students in Zimbabwe. This will also ensure that they are able to access education and thus promoting equality in the society. Ethical principles Dignity principle The principle of dignity is about respect and concern for others. The Japanese embassy in Zimbabwe displayed a lot of dignity for the children with physical disabilities. This is considering the challenges that they face in terms of accessing education. It is thus evident that the Japanese government through its embassy has a lot of respect for the children living with disabilities. Responsive principle The responsive principle plays an important role in terms of being sensitive to the needs of the others. The Japanese Embassy has shown responsiveness by attending to the needs of the physically challenged students in Zimbabwe. This act of responsiveness will not only benefit the students but also the society. Summary The minister for local government, rural and urban development Mr. Chombo suspended Gutu county council chairman Daniel and one of the councilors Fabian for their involvement in a water tender scam. The two were involved in the irregular award of US $400,000. Corruption has been rampant in the council and it had been drained to its knees. Prior top their suspension, the councilor had been warned of corruption by a provincial administrator. The move was aimed at eliminating corruption in the council which had been rampant. The investigations had been launched and a disciplinary committee set up. Ethical principles Fiduciary principle The two councilors violated the principle of fiduciary by betraying the trust that the people that had put them in that position. Their position is because of the trust that the people had placed in them. It is also important to note that the councilors are supposed be custodian of public property. The councilors are thus supposed to protect the property of the people and hence being the custodian of public property. Property principle The property principle is all about the employees being the custodian of the properties of the company. The councilors are supposed to be custodians of the public property. However, their engagement in fraud is a prove that they not the interest of securing the public property. The councilors were supposed to be good stewards to the public resources which they failed. Reliability principle The councilors were supposed to honor their pledge of serving the people and developing the county council. Their action is an indication that they breeched the promises that they made to the people and hence making them unreliable. It is also evident that they cannot be reliable in terms of protecting the public funds. Transparency principle The transparency principle was violated by the two councilors as they engaged in fraudulent activities. It is usually required of employees to transact business in a truthful manner which was not the case with the two councilors. The actions of the two councilors indicate that they are not transparent. Article 6 Summary The ministry of health and child welfare has initiated a move to ensure that the delivery fees are abolished in the rural public hospitals. The government gave directives to all the rural health centers to open accounts so that their funds will be allocated. The government also emphasized that it is able to support the initiative although the main challenge is on the training. The heath ministry also confirmed that the health clinics that are funded by the World Bank are no longer charging the pregnant women. However, some women groups have claimed that some of the hospitals are still charging the pregnant women. Ethical principles Dignity principle The principle of dignity is about respecting the individuals in the society. The pregnant women are vulnerable members of the society. Some of the women undergo difficulties during the delivery period due to lack of finances. They are thus forced to undergo home delivery which is not safe and results to deaths. The government has thus shown dignity and respect towards the pregnant women. This therefore a commendable act by the government and it is an act of dignity. Reliability principle The pregnant women can rely on the rural health facilities of the government during the delivery process. This is therefore an indication that the pregnant women no longer have to deliver at home due to lack of money. It is thus evident that the government can be relied upon in during the delivery period. The initiative by the government is thus commendable as it has made the delivery services reliable to the pregnant women. The government is thus reliable in provision of the delivery services to the pregnant women. Citizenship principle Citizenship principle is one of the ethical principles that have been displayed by the government. The government is aware of the plight being faced by the pregnant women in the rural areas. This plays an important role in terms of ensuring that the plights of the pregnant women in the rural areas are addressed. The citizenship principle has thus been applied by the government through ministry of health. Lesson learned from the concepts Various lessons were learned from the ethical principles. It is evident the principles of plays an important role in terms of creating a checks and balance in the society in terms of determining good and evil. The principle of fiduciary is important in terms of ensuring that the people generate trust from the society. The principle also ensures that the public interest is taken care of due to the trust placed on the people in the society. The principle of dignity is important in terms of ensuring that the human rights and values are respected in the society. It is also evident that some of the actions taken by the individuals are in line with the ethical values. However, other values are not ethical and are responsible for the ills in the society. The actions of organizations and companies are also related to the ethical principles. Some of the companies are ethical and are concerned with the wellbeing of the societies. The government actions are also important in terms of determining the quality of lives of the people. The ethical principles are responsible in terms of improving the quality of life in the society. The ethical principles are thus important in terms of enhancing the quality of life as well as enriching the human experience (Newton, 30). Recommendations It is recommended that individuals and organizations should strive to achieve the ethical principles. On the other hand it also important for the organizations to ensure that the principles of ethics are observed. This is for the purpose of ensuring that the welfare of the citizens is taken care of. It is also recommended that organizations should put in set ethical standards for their employees in order to benefit the clients and the community. The organizations should ensure that the companies take charge whenever the employees are not ethical. Action should be taken against any employees who go against the principles of ethics. It is also recommended that legal actions should be taken against the employees who are responsible violating the ethical principles. It is also recommended for individuals to take action and report any public employees who are responsible for the violation of the ethical principles. The government should also be held accountable whenever their employee violates the ethical principles. This is because some of the violations are due to laxity of the government in terms of taking action against the perpetrators. It is also recommended that the employees of a company should be interviewed on ethical issues in order to determine the importance the place on issues of ethics. This will play an important role in terms of reducing the incidences of unethical issues among the employees. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that the ethical principles determine the actions of the individuals. The action taken by an individual directly affects the society or the company that the individual is in. The individual may also face consequences due to the actions that they took. The failure of individuals to observe certain ethical principle may lead to severe consequences. The consequences are actions may be quite severe due to the involvement of the law. It is also evident that most of the ethical principles are for the benefits of the society. The ethical principles are not linked to the religious beliefs and hence the neutrality of the subject o ethics. However it is also important to note that choice id one of the factors that influences the ethical principles. On the other hand, the ethical issues are also important in terms of determining the success of the organizations as well society. Works Cited Havas, Katalin G. "Contradictions in Principles of Ethics and Contemporary Technology." Techné: Research in Philosophy and Technology 4.4 (2012): 225-228. Little, Ian Malcolm David. "Ethics: Economics, & Politics: Principles of Public Policy." OUP Catalogue 2011. Newton, Lisa. "The Principles of Ethics." Ethical Decision Making: Introduction to Cases and Concepts in Ethics. Springer International Publishing, 2013. 23-37. Read More

The social corporate responsibility is also the duties of the citizens as a way of giving back as well as being responsible. Doctor Chimedza displayed citizenship by providing free medical services to the members of the society who are his fellow citizens. He is also aware of the problems of the people in terms of accessing the medical care and hence his initiative. The involvement of Doctor Chimedza in the social corporate responsibility is an indication of his ethics in terms of upholding the citizen ship principles.

Dignity The principle of dignity is all about respect for individuals and making contribution towards improving the human life. Doctor Chimedza portrayed a lot of dignity for human life by ensuring that he provides his fellow citizens with free medical services. This was for the purpose of benefiting them and enhancing human development. He upheld the principle of dignity as he did not despise the people despite their poverty. Article 2 Summary Mavhiya is an immigration official who rapes a thirty one year old border jumper.

The border jumper had been sent to the IOM camp where the border jumpers are usually accommodated before deportation. Mavhiya had been deployed at the IOM camp where he committed the crime. This happened after he was approached by the border jumper who requests his assistance in the purchase of airtime. However Mavhiya offered to buy the airtime later and he was shown the room of the deportee. He later forced himself in the room and raped the won. He was later arrested after the matter was reported and is to appear in court to answer to the charges.

Ethical principles Fiduciary principle The principles of fiduciary were not upheld by Mavhiya. This is because he was a trusted government employee and he breached the trust. As a government employee he was supposed to offer support to the deportee. He failed to do this and instead took advantage of the vulnerability of the deportee. The principle of fiduciary is a bout trust and confidence that the employee should possess in order to serve the people. The breach of this principle is thus a form of betrayal by Mavhiya who was supposed to be a trusted government employee.

Principle of dignity Mavhiya did not respect the deportee violating her human dignity. Rape is a violation of human rights and also the dignity of the victim. This is despite the trust that the government had placed on him as an official in the immigration department. It is thus evident that he had no respect for women as he took advantage of a desperate woman who was in need. Principle of reliability Mavhiya is not reliable as he took advantage of the desperate situation of the deportee. This is an indication that he was not reliable in terms of handling people who were in despair.

His actions are this evil and hence his unreliability. Article 3 Misomali who is a bishop of an apostolic sect is charged alongside Msimanga for the murder of Sibanda who was a state witness. Msimanga was a member of the apostolic sect led by Misomali. He had earlier been charged with defrauding Sibanda and hence she turned into a state witness. The two managed to lure her be alleging that they would return her money. However, when she complied, she was forced to sign an affidavit that wrote off the liability and it was retained by Msimanga.

She was then bundled in a car and later murdered and Msimanga took her phone. The phone was altering tracked and it was found in possession of Msimanga who later implicated Misomali. The two have been remanded and are waiting for their case to be heard on the third of May although they have been advised to apply for bail. Ethical principles Fiduciary principle Misomali broke the principle of fiduciary by engaging in murder which is contrary to his profession which is about eliminating evil.

He broke the trust that his followers had entrusted in him by collaborating with his follower to commit murder. As a bishop he was supposed to protect the society from evil by preaching against it and yet was practically involved in it.

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