Ethics Reflection

Ethics Reflection

University of Phoenix

Strategic Planning and Implementation - STR581

Professor Aaron Manley

May 15, 2011

Abstract

The world has changed over time as people's desire to become successful increases and they forget their responsibility to be ethical. Over the last few years the secrets of dishonest business have been revealed. This unethical behavior has had a major effect in the world of finance. Businesses have become more concerned with their financial gain rather than maintaining social responsibilities. Ethics involves three components: "the awareness of ethical perspective, articulation of one's ability to explain the principles that underline an individual's position, and the application of one's understanding of ethical decision making" (The Williams Institute, 2011). Below, one will see the necessity of ethics and social responsibility in the development of a strategic plan. Additional discussion will be based on the progression of the writer's personal ethical perspective.

Ethical and Social Responsibility Developing a Strategic Plan

The pressures on organizations to remain ethical is challenging as they strive to make a profit while pleasing both the stakeholders and its customers. Schulman (2006) stated: "in order to integrate ethics, leaders are often put in the position to make decisions where they must choose options that vary in their degree of ethical behavior." In order to integrate ethics and strategy unto an organization, one must respond to the following four questions:

1. What business is the organization in?

2. What does the organization stand for?

3. What is the purpose of the organization?

4. What values does the organization have?

Organizations must develop a code of ethics and have its principles incorporated into its strategic plan to convey their message to its leadership and subsequent personnel. Additionally, all employees (managerial and associate) must be made ethically aware of the impact of their decisions. When making decisions, leaders should retain ethical awareness of the company's values and its obligations to customers, society, and stakeholders.

The author's ethical perspective lends itself to not necessarily what is good to be, but more likely as what is best to do. The author believes that ethics focuses on helping people become morally excellent. When asked to judge ethical actions, the author has looked beyond the actions but instead to an individual's character. Integrity and uprightness are the most important factors for ethics. "Honor, justice, benevolence, believing that a virtue is more than an abstract principle" (The Williams Institute, 2011). To summarize the author's ethical perspective, an individual's character