Ethical Behavior in Business - Essay Example

Running Head Business and Ethic Business and Ethic Inserts His/Her Inserts Grade Inserts Name09 March 2009Ethical behaviour is a core of modern business and employee relationships as it determines and stipulates norms and communication patterns. Ethics is a crucial issue for modern organizations because every employee expects workplace safety and a healthy working environment. If these conditions do not exist, it leads to low productivity poor motivation, complicated communication and job rotation.

At the beginning of the 21st century, discrimination and prejudice are still the main problems affecting modern society and human relations in different spheres. Members of different groups traditionally have been underrepresented and disadvantaged socially, politically, and economically. Also, critics distinguish social categorization processes; the nature of evaluative, conscious, and affective issues that are elicited; and the signs of stereotypes and differentiated emotional changes (Gilbert et al 2001).

Discrimination and prejudices are unethical because they violate constitutional rights and freedoms, they are illegal and unlawful. Social and individual differences have a great impact on human relations and discrimination issues and lead to such problems as low motivation and poor communication, unequal treatment, unfair labour relations and aggression. Thus, the Constitution and modern society are based on freedom of expression and freedom of speech. every individual has a right to express different attitudes and opinions, have certain religious beliefs and belong to a particular culture.

Despite these issues, the main cause of discrimination is different attitudes caused by social variations and backgrounds. Complicating the interpersonal dimensions of dealing with competence, of course, is the competitive atmosphere, both within and among firms. To avoid discrimination and prejudices, definitions and descriptions of competent work must be clear, consistent, and fairly applied. Sometimes defined as the equitable and fair method of distributing scarce resources--demands that we treat cases alike.

Ethical reasoning rarely results in certainty. One clear factor is the recognition that rights and duties, principles and beliefs, are often in conflict. Equality is a noble goal, but enforcing it can limit our freedom (another grand ideal). Devotion to one's firm is usually rewarded, materially and symbolically (Gilbert et al 2001). Also, group and individual causes of discrimination ruin effective and positive personal relations and increase envy and hatred between different racial and social groups.

Negative social images resulted in genocide and sexism, scapegoating, racial profiling unequal rights and opportunities, etc. Even for people who appear non-prejudiced in their public responses, bias against members of stigmatized groups may be manifested when situations are complex, when the appropriateness of an applicant's qualifications or student's abilities is not entirely clear, or when decisions involve the assessment of multiple dimensions. Discrimination hurts the motivation and performance of individuals, their image and self-identity.

To avoid discrimination, the management should raise awareness of employees and create a positive culture and morale. Consciousness about our common situation is raised when we make public, and discuss with colleagues and others, our moral problems. Though this strategy is sometimes effective, it is also shown to have "rebound" effects in which, after efforts to suppress stereotypes have been relaxed, increases in stereotyping and prejudicial responding occur (Aguirre and Turner 87). Rather than being motivated to suppress prejudice, individuals may frequently be motivated to justify their expressions of prejudice against certain groups (e.g., gay and lesbian or obese individuals).

For instance, prejudice can be manifested blatantly and openly in ways that provide visible barriers to employment and advancement. firms and professional organizations can develop policies and programs that respond to difficult moral dilemmas.