Managing business ethics

Moral theorists and ethicists offer different views on this subject but they all agree that choices and actions do exemplify our social values and more importantly our code of conduct. This brings us to some very interesting questions such as how do ethics relate to the code of conduct and social responsibility.
In today’s world, a growing population of working-class Americans is taking a greater interest in ethics and values. Most individuals link bad ethics with a person’s character. Many are of the view that a few ” bad apples” can spoil the social environment for the rest of the nation. Speaking of ethics, an individual who has a strong ethical background should be able to act within a code of conduct which is not just acceptable but commendable. It is from this code of conduct (that one’s ethical values dictate) that the importance of social responsibility arises.
Ethics is a set of moral principles and values that we use to decide on questions regarding what is right and wrong and it is these principles that are put to the test when we make choices that affect not only individuals around us but society as a whole. Most people believe that ethics is something that we learn over time and are not just born with. According to Carl Skoglund, former vice president, and ethics director at Texas Instruments, ” Ethics is the ground rules of how we are going to relate to other people-the expectations and understandings that define how we are going to deal with others. And by others, we mean customers, suppliers, governments, communities, but most of all, one another. When you think about ethics in that context, ethics can be taught because we sure can teach what our expectations and understandings ought to be” (Linda pp12). Ethics defines how a conscientious person should behave whereas how he behaves is his code of conduct.
The development of an individual’s ethical values is not exactly a life long process. There is a time period in which one develops his character, tests it, and becomes what he ultimately chooses to become. Once that decision is made an individual’s code of conduct and sense of social responsibility will always be based on these ethical values which are difficult, if not impossible to change. It is very important to note that ethics is not to be associated with emotional feelings, religion, abiding by laws, or doing what is acceptable to society. Ethics aims at making a person study their moral belief and conduct and eventually help shape the standards of the society that they live in. Most simply put ethics helps shape a code of conduct which results in the implementation of social responsibilities.
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