The Difference between Right and Wrong - Article Example

Ethics exams Question My thought process in analyzing situations begins with analyzing the possible consequences ofeither a situation, action or decisions. The difference between right and wrong often becomes evident through the ramifications of the events or situations. Ethics seeks to protect both self and others. Settling on either a right or wrong way of doing something depends on how the action affects the society. Ethics is an aspect of moral philosophy that strives to minimize harm both for self and for others thereby creating a peaceful and safe society where people interact and live in peace. I begin by defining such basic concepts as good and evil thereby making a decision based on my understanding of the two. As explained, ethics seeks to minimize harm. As such, I often define evil as any action that is likely to cause harm to others. Good, on the other hand, is an action that promises to safeguard the peace, safety and the moral fabric of the society. In analyzing the impacts that a situation or an action may have on the society, I begin by placing myself at the center of the action. This way, I feel the dilemma that one feels before making a decision and understand how any victim of such actions would feel. This way, I make a decision on whether a situation is ethical or not depending on how it affects the people. A situation becomes unethical when it harms or even threatens other members of the society. An ethical action is one that does not injure anyone. An injury in this context implies to both physical and psychological torments (Badiou 67). An abuse, for example, causes a psychological torment to the society. As such, one acts unethically if he or she abuses others in public. The same is the case with a fight, barbaric aggression or even theft since such acts cause physical injuries to the victims and loss of valuables. My thought process considers the social and cultural values. An ethical action preserves the social values while an unethical action violates the values thereby disrupting the social fabric. Question 2 Moral leadership requires the leader to serve others and in the process lead them towards achieving a particular goal. Moral leaders strive to set perfect examples to their subjects. This way, such leaders persuade and influence the others by making them aspire to achieve the same levels of integrity. Personal integrity is an important feature that enhances the success of a moral leader. Such leaders must prove that they are trustworthy by adhering to the rules that guide their operations at the institution. A moral leader must protect his or her integrity by avoiding scandals. By avoiding such scandals as theft, embezzlement of funds and sexual aggression a leader acquires a degree of integrity that enhances their ability to lead and serve others since they set perfect examples for their subjects to follow. Additionally, a moral leader must enhance the development of others in the team. This implies that a moral leader must create an enabling environment for others to learn and improve their skills at the institution. A moral leader does not care about ranks and position in an institution. Instead, moral leaders maintain ethical provisions in a society thereby uphold such basic ideals as justice, fairness and equality. The pursuit to achieve a higher purpose motivates such leaders who derive pleasure in adding value to others while protecting the every resource under their care. Mora leaders must possess appropriate skills and capabilities key among which is the ability to tame their egos and to act with both rectitude and nobility. Moral leaders are visionary and often strive to effect personal change at their varied capacities. Key among the capabilities that such leaders must have is emotional intelligence. Additionally, the leaders must have effective social skills. Leaders just as the name suggests interact with a varied number of people who possess varied skills given the fact that they come from varied social and cultural background. A moral leader must have the ability to interact with the people effectively and to influence them to abolish their cultural practices most of which may always affect their productivity thereby adopting a universal culture at the organization. This implies that moral leaders must have the ability to develop desirable organizational cultures that enhance the productivity of the employees. Moral leaders build consensus and develop a unified workplace from the diversities that the employees often portray. Question 3 Daily operations present unique scenarios and challenges that may often compel an individual to suspend the application of normal ethics. However, suspending the normal ethics does not mean overlooking the rules of conduct. Also known as, the codes of conduct, the rules of conduct just as the name suggests are rules that outline the roles and responsibilities of an individual in an organization. Key among the reasons for not overlooking the rules of conduct is the fact that they guide the way of doing things often influencing an individual’s job description. Different people have different roles in an organization. The rules of conduct guide individuals at the organizations thereby allocating particular roles to particular individuals. Overlooking such basic yet fundamental provisions of the rules implies in one undertaking the role of another thereby causing confusion and mayhem at the organization (Mackie 121). While upholding ethical provisions is voluntary, upholding the rules of conduct is paramount since management has ways of punishing defiance to the rules. The rules seek to protect the interest of the company. Overlooking the rules is, therefore, likely to cause financial loss to the organization a feature that affects a number of people within the organization. In retrospect, the rules of conduct are paramount provisions that influence the conduct of employees in an organization. Adherence to the rules is paramount with the management acting appropriately to ensure that employees adhere to the rules. Overlooking the rules is, therefore, tantamount to breaching the contract and may result in loses. Additionally, the rules of conduct often consider a number of several other provisions such as religious law, moral codes, ethical provisions and honor among many others. This implies that the rules protect every feature of a transaction thereby minimizing any harm that would arise from abandon normal ethics. Question 4 Maintaining ethical financial operations is essential in safeguarding the integrity of the financial books. In order to maintain such operations, I will maintain honesty when handling the financial records at the company. Honesty in this context encompass and a number of features all of which contribute to the productivity of the company (Dobson 54). Firstly, I will promote and engage in ethical operations at the company. I will handle conflicts ethically by safeguarding the interesting of both the company and the numerous other parties. I will often report any feature that is likely to cause such conflicts. This will ensure that the department operates efficiently without any conflicts that would derail the productivity of the various employees. I will report to the auditors any discrepancies in the financial books this will include any other violations of the ethical codes at the company that may compromise the company’s finances. Additionally, I will comply with the existing rules formulated by the local government, state and federal government among other regulatory agencies that influence the operation of companies in particular industries. Complying with such legal provisions enhances the efficiency of a company since they limit conflicts. Finally, I will not take any action that may coarse or influence the company’s auditors directly or indirectly (Aragon 33). The auditors should provide an honest representation of the company’s finances. As an employee of the company, I must create an enabling environment for the auditor to carry out their mandate effectively. Question 5 The most likely social responsibility initiative is to carry out an environmental cleanup campaign. Environmental degradation is a fundamental factor that continues to affect the entire society. Global warming is currently an issue of international concern as the climatic factors continue to show erratic and unpredictable features. The company can roll out an extensive environmental cleanup campaign with the view to increasing the society’s awareness on the need to maintain a clean environment and discourage environmental pollution. The strategies of rolling out such an initiative include selecting public spaces such as national parks, game reserves or even parks within a city and carrying out massive tree planting exercises in order to increase tree cover. Planting trees in public places ensure that the environment has adequate tress and vegetative cover to curb soil erosion. Additionally, the company must collaborate with other institutions such as schools among other similar public institution in order to educate the public thereby increasing their awareness on the importance of minimizing population and maintaining a clean environment. This way, the company enhances the creation of a safe and cleans for the future generation. Question 6 I encounter several pressures that challenge my commitment to at ethically. Corruption is one such factor since I interact with people who are always ready to offer bribes in order for me to overlook some of their actions. Additionally, some of such individuals issue threats in their attempt to influence my actions. In order to counter such challenges, I have developed the ability to resist briberies. I am contended with the money I earn legitimately and do not therefore take bribes. Furthermore, my faith in religion enhances my beliefs in ethics. According to my Christian faith, acting unethically is a sin. I abhor sin and therefore always desist from any action that may constitute a sin. As explained earlier, threats from some powerful individuals are a major threat to my commitment to act ethically. I overcome such challenges by relying on the effective law enforcement system in the country. I often report such threats to the authorities who investigate the cases and act on them appropriately. In retrospect, I have a number of factors that motivate me to act ethically. The fact that the society strives to maintain an integral approach to issues implies that most of the citizens are upright individuals who do not like acting unethically. My religious faith is yet another vital factor that provides a constant reminder thereby ensuring that I consider the consequences of my actions (Fasching, Dell and David 66). Finally, the reliable law enforcement agencies respond to reports appropriately often carrying out investigations and arresting culprits. This enhances the creation of a safe environment that makes it easy for me among many other citizens to act ethically. I strive to maintain personal integrity and always refrain from peer pressure. Peer pressure is among the basic causes of compulsion to act unethically. I aim for a higher purpose and derive pleasure in helping others. I strive to create an enabling environment for the coexistence of people. Communication and social skills are equally essential in maintaining effective interpersonal skills. I communicate my expectations before engaging with anyone thereby limiting my interactions and actions to the ethical dictates and beliefs. I uphold the social and cultural values thereby show love, compassion and concern to others. Question 7 Religion is a vital aspect of the society. Religion attempts to answer some of the most vital questions that humans ask. As such, it has effective ways of influencing the behavior of people thereby ensuring that one acts religiously and lead a faith-based life both professionally and personally. Religions survive on the relationship that they create between humans and their transcendental order. Humans desire to create a cordial relationship with God a feature that compels them to act appropriately by limiting their actions and behavior in order not to sin. The definition and application of sin is an essential feature in religion since it influences the relationships among people. Religious people work for the lord. In doing this, they attempt to maintain cordial and ethical relationship with others since such constitute working for the Lord. Religion enhances the moral consciousness of individuals a feature that makes it possible for religious people to live faith-based lives in every activity. Religion refers to any action that causes harm to another as a sin. Religious people fear sinning. As such, they often consider their behaviors and actions are thereby acting in a manner that protects the interest of everyone they interact with in their daily endeavors. Such individuals succeed in maintaining such behavior both in their personal and professional lives since in both cases they face challenges that tempt their faith in the religions. Steadfast religious people consider and pressure that challenges their commitment to act ethically as sin. As such, they desist from such activities whether in their private or professional lives (Mathewes 91). Furthermore, religion has a way of instilling discipline in members. The promise of an eternal life is a major motivation for religious people to act ethically. The threat of burning in hell in their after life is yet another important provision of faiths that compel people to act ethically. Religion therefore sets standards for ethical behavior a feature that compels adherents of the faith to maintain a particular degree of faith based lives both in their professional and private lives. Works cited Aragon, George A. Financial Ethics: A Positivist Analysis. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print. Badiou, Alain. Ethics: An Essay on the Understanding of Evil. London: Verso, 2002. Print. Dobson, John. Finance Ethics: The Rationality of Virtue. Lanham [u.a.: Rowman & Littlefield, 1997. Print. Fasching, Darrell J, Dell DeChant, and David M. Lantigua. Comparative Religious Ethics: A Narrative Approach to Global Ethics. Chicester: Wiley, 2011. Internet resource. Mackie, J L. Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong. London: Penguin, 1990. Internet resource. Mathewes, Charles T. Understanding Religious Ethics. Oxford: Blackwell, 2007. Print. Read More