System Of Inquiry Paper

System of Inquiry Paper

PHL 232 вЂ" Ethics in Management

Tamara Whatmore

November 28, 2005

System of Inquiry

Respect for ethical principals and the values associated with them are the best guarantee for harmonious and sustainable development for the all the company’s employees. A Code of Ethics is drawn up with a view to respecting every different culture and its applicable to the entire company through out the world. Each of us is responsible for breathing life in to the Code of Ethics in out everyday actions. This paper will explore my companies, sanofi-aventis code of ethics and how these ethics pertain to the consumer.

Being ethical is also not the same as following the law. The law often incorporates ethical standards to which most citizens subscribe. But laws, like feelings, can deviate from what is ethical. Our own pre-Civil War slavery laws and the apartheid laws of present-day South Africa are grotesquely obvious examples of laws that deviate from what is ethical (www.ethics.com).

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most challenging sectors. Human health does not permit any error or approximation. This requirement for scientific and ethical stringency must prevail throughout the company.

Sanofi-aventis (a French company) was developed in the end of 2004, when a faltering Aventis Pharmaceuticals was ripe for a take over and Sanofi Synthelabo was that company. It started out as a peaceful merger but then it got hostel and Sanofi Synthelabo won the battle and by August 2004 the CEO’s of Aventis were on their way out the door and the headquarters was on the way to France from Bridgewater, New Jersey. Combined this pharmaceutical company is the third in the United States and first Internationally. This newly developed company still has a lot of organizational glitches to work out still and will not be official one company until mid 2006.

This company took on the French mentality; they did not like the Americans. So the first people that were being laid off was the Americans, they were not going to touch any of the French colleagues and we knew that.

Finances was another thing they sent to France, the United States offices had no control over them any more. We were now the last ones to know what was going on financially and had to go through France every time we need money for the FDA, which is a lengthy process but it is being reworked as of now.

When the new CEO took over he stated that if the profits did not hit double-didgets by July there would be more lay offs and they would not be in Germany or France, again he was targeting Americans. This was a great feeling going into a newly developed company; we were going in as the minorities. This was not a good feeling but there was nothing unethical going on because the Americans were not all “Americans” we were from all different nationalities, ages and creeds.

“Sanofi-aventis is a committed to constructing its business with honesty, integrity, and in accordance with the highest standards of ethics and compliance. Ethics and integrity are individual responsibility” (intranet-us.sanofi-aventis.com). The employees of sanofi-aventis are required to conduct the company’s business consistent with the standards listed in the Code. Managers are responsible for ensuring that individuals under their supervision are aware and comply with the code and all applicable policies, procedures, laws and regulations.

“Being ethical is also not the same as following the law. The law often incorporates ethical standards to which most citizens subscribe. But laws, like feelings, can deviate from what is ethical. Our own pre-Civil War slavery laws and the apartheid laws of present-day South Africa are grotesquely obvious examples of laws that deviate from what is ethical” (www.scu.edu.com).

“With operations through out the world and as one of the leaders in the pharmaceuticals industry, the sanofi-aventis Group is attempting to respond to an essential need: to maintain health by developing innovative, safe, and effective medicines”(intranet-us.sanofi-aventis.com).

As with and decision process respect for ethical principals and the values associated with them is the best sustainable development for the company. All business decisions should be answered with respect for the Code of Ethics. The Code of ethics plays a big part in any decision process:

пÑ"? Respect for individuals. This draws on the diversity of its workforce, the knowledge that differentiates between the employees. This gives each employee the same voice and true open-mindedness and the absence of prejudices concerning other people’s views. This relationship is based on trust between coworkers, suppliers and customers. If there is no trust in the company then the consumer will not have trust in the product and will purchase something else.

пÑ"? Confidentiality and protection of sensitive information. Each individual has a duty to ensure that sensitive information is not passed on to outside parties either intentionally or accidentally.

пÑ"? Rules specific to the Pharmaceutical industry. The laws and regulations in force in these areas and their implementation are designed to guarantee patient safety and product quality and to ensure that all communication on the safety of the product is truthful and accurate.

пÑ"? Good commercial practice. Unfair commercial practices are not compatible with the values and an image the company wants to portray. Information of any kind concerning customers, suppliers or competitors can only be obtained in an legal manor, respecting patients, know-how and trademarks under all circumstances.

With the pharmaceutical industry one of the most challenging, human health does not permit any error or approximation. The company’s management and its workforce must apply these ethical standards at all levels, each being aware of his or her role and personal responsibility.

Sanofi-aventis implements these guidelines by having an open mind and the absence of prejudices concerning other people’s views or attitudes which are a vital prerequisite for performing work effectively. They strive to provide a stimulating and creative working atmosphere and to establish relations based on trust with its workforce and everyone whom sanofi-aventis comes into contact with in the course of their activities.

Confidentiality within the context of professional