Ethics reflection

Strategic planning is “ the process of determining a company’s long-term goals and then identifying the best approach for achieving those goals” (What is strategic planning? definition and meaning. , n. d. ). The development and implementation of a successful strategic plan is dependent upon ethics and social responsibility. This paper will discuss the role of ethics and social responsibility in developing a strategic plan, considering stakeholder needs and discuss explain how ethical perspectives evolved throughout this program.

Ethics in Organizations The term business ethics can be defined as written and unwritten codes of principles and values that govern decisions and actions within a company (White, M. n. d. ). With enforcing a strong ethics policy employees are more likely to display higher morale and increased productivity when they are assured that they are working for an ethically sound organization.

These codes should govern how managers deal with their stakeholders, such as treating suppliers fairly, providing customers with advance warning of problems with their orders and staying true to corporate values, such as not collaborating with companies that employ child labor or ignore environmental laws” (Lister, J. n. d. ). The leadership role is of high importance because how they are viewed affects the effectiveness of the strategic plan. Organizations are often presented with the task of making difficult decisions.

In situations such as these, it is important for them to remember that these decisions will affect the corporation as well as its employees, stakeholders, and communities. It is an organizations duty to provide a solid foundation for its workforce to effectively implement its mission, vision, and objectives. This can be accomplished by adhering to all state and federal laws and avoidance of illegal activities that jeopardizes the welfare of the employees, stakeholders, and consumers. The bottom-line for all stakeholders is to maximize profit.

An organization with strong ethical values is more likely to succeed and increase profits, credibility, and trustworthiness. This not only results in a positive external corporate image, but it also builds a trusting relationship between the organization and the employees. This is not just a statement but has been proven numerous times in the history of organizations within the United States are no longer in operation because of unethical decisions. Corporate Social Responsibility in Organizations

According to the Reference For Business website, “ the organizational theory of corporate social responsibility revolves around the discretionary, ethical, legal, and economic expectations placed on businesses by society. ” It is important for organizations to make ethical decisions to preserve their reputation as it is for an organization to conduct business in a manner that benefits society all together. “ Organizations are expected to do more than just comply with the law, but also make proactive efforts to anticipate and meet the norms of society even if those norms are not formally enacted in law” (Barnett, T. n. d. ).

Social responsibility comes in many forms, one of them community involvement. The community normally accounts for the majority of an organization’s consumers. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the organization to be involved in making the community better. Organizations should encourage their employees to become active in within the community by volunteering or partnering with charitable organizations. An example of that would be participating in food drives to raise money for local food pantries and homeless shelters.

This helps improve the business’s overall image with consumers, who may increase their support of the organization by buying more products because of its socially responsible business practices. This ultimately contributes to the bottom-line, increasing profits. Personal Ethical Perspective My perspective on ethics has not changed much throughout the program. However, I have learned the different roles it plays within an organization. My perspective was limited to only the affect it had on employees prior to beginning this program.

An organization’s daily operations can benefit greatly from integrating both ethics and social responsibility within its strategic plan. Throughout my career and my academic program, I have learned that doing this is important to the survival of any organization. Failure to do can and will most likely result in the demise of an organization. In addition, as a student I have been constantly reminded about ethics throughout our academic program when submitting my assignments as a team and as an individual. This is something that I will continue on after graduation and it is something that will be appreciated in any reputable organization.

References

http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/management/Comp-De/Corporate-Social-Responsibility. html#b

http://smallbusiness. chron. com/organization-theory-ethical-social-responsibility-affects-workplace-17849. html

http://www. investorwords. com/4774/strategic_planning. html

http://business. lovetoknow. com/wiki/A_Definition_for_Business_Ethics