Personal Ethics Development - Essay Example

Ethics, on the other hand is how individuals behave in the face of difficult situations that often test the morality of an individual (Josephson Institute, 2009). Personal ethics are usually considered as the foundation of a person’s moral compass or a guide that tells on what is right or wrong, thus applying the moral judgment to decide on what to follow. Ethical principals are often influenced by several factors such as, influences from family, religious beliefs, and culture; thus it can be concluded that the principles of ethics are dynamic and subject to change in our day- to-day lives (Daft, Murphy & Willmott, 2010).

My ethical principles were greatly influenced by various factors like the family members, religion, and culture, all of which shaped on my morality and instilled in me values that help in guiding my decision making process. Parents are the first people who instill morality into their children; thus the children can distinguish between right or wrong. Parents can enlighten their children on what is expected of them in the society, for example, when the parents inform their children that stealing is wrong and that the society require them not to steal, the foundation of the children’s ethics is built (Daft, Murphy & Willmott, 2010). . Religion also played a immense role in shaping my ethical principles since religion allowed me to accept and follow an established set of moral guidelines which enabled me to behave ethically.

Trevino and Nelson (2007) elaborates that religion often motivates people to do well in the presence life with promise of good life after death. The Christianity has set rules or commandments that guide people in the everyday life. These rules outline what is good or bad and thus Christians are encouraged to follow these commandments to the latter. Culture also played a role in development of ethics in my life because the traditions of the society became embedded in my psyche. The culture usually direct people in the everyday occurrences, for example, in a country where racism and gender discrimination is rampant people might embrace it because the society accepts its practice.

As elaborated by Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Ferrell (2013), events that happen every day have had a role in shaping my ethics. Personal emotions causes a shift in the ethical beliefs in such a case as the murder of a loved one might say that the murderer should be issued death penalty even though is clear that death penalty is unethical in the society. Personal feelings also can be considered to have an impact on our ethical principles, for example, when one does something wrong and is against the ethical principles of society, one will tend to feel ashamed of the act while, on the other hand, doing something which is in line with our ethical system one tends to be happy thus these occurrences provide an immediate feedback that shapes the moral standards of an individual.

In the workplace people are often required to make decisions that require the application of moral judgment to make right