Social and ethical responsibilities of management in business environment

Social and ethical responsibilities of management in business environment Abstract Managers in the day-to-day running of affairs in business environment are normally faced with different challenges that vary in nature. It is of great importance that their action or decision be favorable to both the company and the society.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Social and ethical responsibilities of management in business environment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this manner, the company improves its prospects in capturing new market segments, and the society will have confidence in the company. In essence, social and ethical practices may not be profitable or beneficial to the company in the short run, but will have lasting effects in the long run (Averch Johnson, 1990). Discussion Managers pursue multiple objectives and multiple sets of priorities. They need to make choices from these goals after careful considerations. Therefore, the choices they make affect the ability of employee s, customers, suppliers, stockholders and anyone else with interests in the organization. So often managers have to decide who has the right to what and when. No matter what they do, the actions are either of benefit or of detriment to people. Ethics as applied to management refers to the concept of interactive responsibility; it deals with what is good or bad, or what is right or wrong (Drucker, 1990). It can also be described as the study of how our decisions affect other people or as the study of people’s rights and duties and the rules that people apply in making decisions. In business, we cannot avoid ethical issues just like in other areas of our lives. In business, most ethical issues will be categorized in these four levels: Social level, which deals with the basic institutions in society, like the role of the government in the market place. Stakeholders’ level, which deals with employees, suppliers, customers in the way company’s decision affects them. Internal policy level, essentially deals with the nature of company’s relationship with its employees and managers. Personal level, that involves the ground rules of individuals, companies and social behavior.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The laws of the country prohibit any acts that are sufficiently hurtful to others and therefore laws offer guides to ethical behavior. Nevertheless, distinction must be made between what is illegal and what is unethical. Not everything that is unethical is illegal. For example, the law has limits regarding honesty. If one picks a lost item and keeps it, he probably has not done anything illegal but his act is unethical. If a clerk steals from his company in order to feed the poor, he has done an illegal thing but for ethical reasons. Decisions of ethics are quite difficult but all managers need to know is that ethic s goes beyond the minimum requirements by law and by market economy (Buckley Casson, 1976). There are very many unethical things that can be done in business and yet there is no law against them! Business ethics also called managerial ethics is the application of ethical principles to business relationships and activities. Managers who run business are human beings who despite the laws set cannot behave the same regardless of the circumstances. Managers face many ethical dilemmas (two or more situations) where both seem right but at the same time, conflicting. Talking to the manager one of the major pharmaceutical company about managerial ethics, he said that managerial ethics normally apply in the following areas: relationship of the firm to the employees in terms of how they are to be treated and how they are paid. Secondly is the relationship of the employee to the firm in terms of how employees should behave in the firm. Thirdly is the relationship of the firm to the environmen t, where ethical issues arise in how the firm relates to the various elements of the environment e.g. customers, competitors, stockholders dealers and the community. Many industries and organizations companies have formal, written codes of ethics that provide specific guideline for managers and other employees. However, the question is whether when individuals violate the code of conduct, the organization enforces it (Demsetz, 1979) Many companies in an attempt to manage ethics have developed specific codes of ethics. These establish guidelines for ethical decision making in business. Areas covered may be truthfulness in advertising, improper use of company assets political contributions, payments in connection with business transactions, conflict of interest, trade secrets etc.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Social and ethical responsibilities of management in business environment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are advantages for organizations to form industry associations to develop and promote improved codes of ethics. It is difficult for a single firm to pioneer ethical practices if its competitors undercut them by taking advantage of unethical shortcuts. If ethics are to be improved, it is very important for top executives to support and emphasize ethical behavior by adhering to ethic themselves and train their staff in ethics. The tools of ethics include ethical language, which normally refers to values, rights, duties and rules. I questioned one of the workers of an investment company concerning this tool as a way of improving work relationship and he responded by saying that values are permanent desires that seem to be good. He also added that rights entitled a person to do something. On the other hand, since duty is an obligation that takes specific steps, in general, all the traits combined improve work relationships as well as productivity. Common morality as a tool is the body of rules covering ordinary ethical problems, which essentially are the rules that we live by most of the time. During this century, there has been much change in what society expects of its institutions and in what managers’ regard as the proper roles in organization. This change has gradually developed into a new concept of corporate social responsibility. Increasingly many managers are adopting the view that besides the obligations they have to their organizations, they have a personal responsibility to the society. Managers are increasingly being held accountable for the social effects of their actions. The questions however remain of where such social responsibility begins and where it ends (Trevino Nelson, 2007). The issue of corporate social responsibility has been debated for many years but it has never been clearly defined. However, from the various arguments raised, certain things can be said about social responsibility. One of them is that it deals with c orporate conduct in respect to the broader societal values. The other fact is that it questions the responsibilities of business to the entire society. Despite the lack of an accepted theory of corporate social responsibility, it is obvious that CSR draws on the fields of ethics and morals, which are basic to most cultures.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In other words corporate social responsibility may refer to the moral and ethical content of managerial and corporate decisions, that is to mean the values used in business decision making over and above the requirement of the law and market economy (Stephen, Dirk, Daniel, 2007). Closely related to social responsibility is the concept of social responsiveness, which simply means the ability of a corporation to relate its operations and policies to the social environment in ways that are mutually beneficial to the economy and the society. The difference between social responsibility and social responsiveness is that the latter implies actions and the ‘how’ of enterprise responses. Business organizations do not operate in a vacuum but have to interact constantly with society. A business organization is a part of society. It interacts at a primary level with groups such as employees, distributors, consumers, stockholders, banks, suppliers and competitors. At a secondary l evel, it interacts with such institutions as governments, local communities, media social pressure groups, business support groups and the public. With all these interactions, business cannot afford to go on with their businesses without responding to issues affecting these groups. Some people argue that there is no such thing as corporate social responsibility (Adams, 1965). Others argue that CSR must and will eventually result in long run profits, while others feel that modern organizations must undertake social responsibility regardless of the profit. Whatever the argument are, the question of accountability arises! Two areas of corporate accountability exist: Conventionally which shows that management is professionally responsible to the board of directors while the directors run the corporation for the shareholders who are the providers of capital to their corporation. It is logical that the shareholders expect a fair financial return for their investment. Although through sepa ration of ownership and control shareholders do not run the company, thus by implication therefore management has the responsibility to ensure that the shareholders receive an adequate return. Broadly and more modern view, corporations should be accountable to employees, customers, suppliers and the state. In short, corporations should respond to forces external to it but should be those that are of value to it. It is from these external forces that the corporation draws its existence. How then can it operate without of them? CSR involves decisions – the corporation world is decision oriented and corporations have an impact on society through these decisions. CSR therefore raises the question of rightfulness of decisions and further of which decisions are more right. So social responsibility goes beyond short run profitability, merely meeting minimum legal and market directives do not constitute social responsibility. CSR is very subjective in nature and is influenced by the economic and social system within which it operates (Arrow, 1951). From an interview with a branch manager in one of the banks, he said benefits from social responsibility do not directly accrue to the firm making the expenditure on social responsibility. CSR is hence a system holding that the corporation should respond to the moral and ethical values of society within which it is licensed and which it serves. A given corporation will draw from and shape the values of the society from which it draws its existence. CSR tries to fuse social values with profit maximization goals. Many organizations have thus been evaluating the benefits and problems that are associated with corporate social responsibility, some business organization argue for and others against. Those supporting say that since businesses create some problem they should solve them as well as the fact that organizations owe society for supply of resources. Those arguing against say that social responsibility gives corpor ations too much power, and that it will decrease profits thus contradicting the real reason for firms’ existence. According to the research, there are different areas of social responsibility that an organization can exercise. Such undertakings include non-business related activities such as giving donations, being involved in preservation of the environment (ecology) and ensuring environmental quality. These included things like noise control and aesthetic improvement, consumerism like control of harmful products, community needs like improvement of health care and education, government relations like restriction on lobbying and internal relations, labor relations like expansion of employee rights, and stockholder relations like full financial disclosures. Companies often are in a position to do most of this things but the challenge to most corporations is the absence of immediate benefit. Study has also shown that there is a certain pattern of response to social demands, he nce organizations can respond to social demands in three strategic approaches. The first one is adoptive strategy; this involves changing only when you are forced to do so by the society. This is, complying with the law. The law gives business a general guideline of what is expected by a society. Legal compliance is the minimum that is expected by a society. Organizations that use this strategy adopt or react to the environment only when there is strong outside pressure. For example, producers of body perfumes have to be ozone friendly. The second one is pro-active strategy; this involves an attempt at shaping the environment. The company using this strategy tries to manipulate the environment in ways that will be to their advantage. The steps they take may or may not be to the interest of the society in the long run, e.g. paying off politicians to avoid scrutiny. The final one is interactive strategy, when a company is able to anticipate environmental changes and blend its own goal s with those of the society, then it is said to have taken an interactive strategy. This involves reducing the gap between public expectations and business performance. This calls for knowhow and skills on how to manage the company’s social relations with external forces, which may affect the company. The firm tries to interact with the surrounding social environment in ways that will be mutually beneficial. Conclusion In conclusion, an ethical principle is a modern concept that provides businesses and organizations with corporate priorities. They are of significant influence to the way the organizations operate and especially its survival in the near future. Customers are increasingly showing interest in doing business with those organizations that demonstrate responsibility and ethical practices. Those organizations that fail to achieve this suffer the consequences in many different ways, either by lose of market share, which will reduce revenues and in the long run, may pu t organization out of business. One of the senior managers of the bank I interviewed suggested that the modern business world needed to incorporate the four Ps in their ethical management and leadership. They include purpose, people, planet and principles. These represent the four things required for success in any modern business venture. In practice, this model represents the personality of a good ethical organization, manager or leader. Therefore, ethics and ethical decisions are of utmost importance in running of any organization, business ethics is what separates the successful giants and losers in the modern corporate world and the decision a company takes in ethical matters can be binding for or against the company. References Adams, J. (1965). Inequality in Social Exchange. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2(1), 267. Arrow, K.J. (1951). Social Choice and Individual Values. New York, NY: John Wiley. Averch, H., Johnson, L.L. (1990). Behavior of the firm under regu latory constraint. American Economic Review, 52, 1052-1066. Buckley, P.J., Casson, M. (1976). The Future of Multinational Enterprise. London: Macmillan. Demsetz, H. (1979). Ethics and Efficiency in Property Rights Systems. Lexington: Lexington Books. Drucker, P.F. (1990). Ethics in Management. The Practice of Management, 124-125. Stephen, G., Dirk, D.S., Daniel, S. (2007). Managing social and ethical issues in organizations. New York, NY: IAP. Trevino, L., Nelson, K.W. (2007). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right. New York, NY: Hoboken.

Classical and Romantic Operas essays

Classical and Romantic Operas essays W. A. Mozart - Zauberflote and C. M. von Weber - Der Freisschuetz W. A. Mozart - Zauberflote Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in 1756 in Salzburg (Austria), and died in 1791 in Vienna (Austria). He was one of the first composers in Classical Era who showed new ideas in music writing. He used brighter tone, and heroic style of music, lyrical parts become brighter, but not without dramatic sketch. W. A. Mozart got his music education from his father, who was violinist and conductor. Mozart showed right away that he has all talent to become a great musician. At age six years old he was already famous in Europe. He had great technique in his playing, and a couple years later he showed his talent in his compositions. He wrote a lot of compositions, 23 of them for different solo instruments with orchestra, 49 symphonies, and more then 40 solo concertos with orchestra, sonatas for piano, violin and string ensembles. But besides all that, he spent a lot of time writing operas. He wrote his first opera at age 12 years old: in 1768 he wrote La Finta Semplice and Bastien und Bastienne1. He lived in Italy during 1769-1772, and during this time his operas were on stage in theaters, such as Mitridate re di Ponto (1770)1, and Lucio Silla(1772)1. He was very famous for his operas, especially in his small town, where life was not that easy. In 1775 he was in Munich (Germany), where I domen eo Re di Creta (1781)1 was first preformed, which brought big success to W. A. Mozart. His last ten years were the most successful years in his works. He was poor but kept on writing more and more works. He moved to Vienna and wrote The Abduction from the Seraglio(1782)1, Le Nozze di Figaro (1786)2 and Don Giovanni (1787)1 - showed very strong characteristics, true human feelings and reality. His last opera was Zauberflot...

Thailands tourism industry through Royal Thai Airways Essay

Thailands tourism industry through Royal Thai Airways - Essay Example The goal of the research study is to examine the extent and nature of Thailand’s reach as a tourist economy within the global market. Focused on RTA’s Royal Orchid Plus (ROP) market segment, the project proposes to engage the topic of globalization through inquiry into ROP passenger membership, and in particular high wealth, male customers from cosmopolitan hubs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and United Kingdom (UK). At the global level, RTA and by extension the Thai tourist economy has at present, a significant share of the available demand. Well known for its personal service tourism (i.e. sex tourism) economy, Thailand’s beauty and tropical surroundings are compliment the dream world of male fantasies attained through association with luxury market advertising of those services. Nevertheless, Thailand’s sex tourism industry has an alternative image, which is predicated upon the policy concerns of human rights activism against such activities. AIDs an d interrelated discourses on ‘health’ utilized by medical, public health and ‘spa’ businesses are also considered. A full service provider of commercial airline service to customers around the globe, RTA faces a challenge in identity management that is perhaps unparalleled elsewhere in terms of market analysis and communication. Business development, then is fostered through negotiation of gender terms, and precisely so; RTA employs Thailand’s ‘Spa Culture’ as a benefit to ROP members, yet retracts from association with anything pertaining to ‘sex.’

Assessment of the Overall Impact of Colonialism in the Philippines Research Proposal

Assessment of the Overall Impact of Colonialism in the Philippines - Research Proposal Example The strong resistance of the Filipinos to colonial rule paved the way to its national independence in 1946 from the American rule (Weightman 483). Today, the Philippines remarkably is trying to run its own government under a democratic procedure which gives more freedom for all Filipinos to exercise their right for citizenship. Today, 65 years passed after the Philippine independence from American rule, it is still important to look at the following aspects as a particular way to assess the overall impact of colonialism in the Philippines: leadership in governance, political, economic and culture. In 1972, Ferdinand Marcos proclaimed martial law which placed the entire nation under the military authority. Once again, Filipinos had proven that oppression is a significant triggering factor as far as their level of resistance is concerned. Based on these, it is clear that the Philippines together with its people have remarkable characteristics that are in line with its momentous history particularly its experience with colonialism. It is therefore important to asses at this point the level of impact colonialism brought to the Philippines particularly in the country’s leadership in governance, politics, economy, and culture. For instance, corruption in the Philippines is something Filipinos observed from Spaniards, which today became its major and significant problem. In fact, to alleviate if not eliminate it is the very goal of the recent administration.  

Thief of the identity Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Thief of the identity - Article Example (Atkins). With effects such as long term loss of memory, one’s identity deteriorates since one cannot remember what surrounds their lives. (Sabbagh). Not being in cognizant with what is going on around is tantamount to loss of identity. In addition to this, the impacts of the disease on the physical appearance are outstandingly disturbing when one thinks about it. The disease eats up the radiance in one, by working up on the face, the skin and the whole body structure. (Atkins). One looks totally different from the way they used to before the disease comes in. It is by virtue of the loss of the original physical appearance that one is considered as having lost his or her identity to the disease. The disease is therefore tantamount to the thief that steals away one’s identity. To conclude, this disease is quite scary given its impacts and the fact that it cannot be treated. (Atkins). The fact that its cause is yet to be established is also much alarming. In this paper, the fact that the disease is a thief of identity has been looked at. This is through the impact of the disease to the brain and physical appearance. There are many other impacts of the disease that can be traced to loss of identity such as emotional swings. However, not all these could be covered given the scope of this

Any story about the contract applying the terminology of the contracts Essay

Any story about the contract applying the terminology of the contracts in the law - Essay Example Enrick wanted to buy a car. He found out that Mr. Edmund a mechanic who works with General live stores wanted to sell his car. On contacting him, Mr. Edmund agreed to sell his car and hence was the offeror while, Mr. Enrick became the offeree (Twomey and Jennings, 291). An offeror is the person intending to sell their goods. An offeree is the one intending to buy the car. Therefore, Mr.Edmund gave the offer to Mr. Enrick. An offer is the unequivocal manifestation by one of the parties about their intentions to enter into a contact with the other party. An offer may take various forms. It may be written, verbal or merely implied (Twomey and Jennings, 368, 369). A written offer is put into writing while a verbal offer is made when the two parties communicate their intentions through the word of mouth. The two parties to the contract were adults had the capacity to contract (Twomey and Jennings, 308). They had the capacity to contract because they had the legal rights to enter into a le gally binding agreement. During one evening, through a phone call, Mr. Enrick declared his interest to buy the car. The declaration to buy the car demonstrated his interest to get into the contract. However, the contract was a void contract. This is because the contract was not enforceable by law. ... Acceptance of a contract is the expression of complete or unconditional agreement to all the terms set out in the offer (Twomey and Jennings, 294). For the contract between Mr. Enrick and Mr. Edmund to be regarded legal and binding, it has to have express or implied terms. Express terms refer to the terms the parties adverted to during negotiation and agreed. In this case, written terms prevail over the unwritten terms of a contact. Implied terms are terms did not expressly incorporate into the contract, but were only implied. They can also be implied by the acts of parliament (Twomey and Jennings, 384). One evening Mr. Edmund invited Mr. Enrick to a dinner party in which they discussed the mode of payment that would be used to pay for the car, and other formalities that would be essential for the performance of the contract. Performance of contract occurs when the individuals within the contract ensure that they carry out their duties as stipulated in the contract (Twomey and Jennin gs, 411). The formalities that the two parties could have entered into must be in line with the law governing the country. It was agreed that the payment would be made through cash whereby a down payment would be made first, and the rest would be paid later when Mr. Enrick gets the car under his care and in good condition. Mr. Edmund promised to exercise due diligence to ensure that the car was in good order and was delivered at the appropriate time. Mr. Edmund was supposed to exercise due diligence since he has knowledge on the repair of vehicles and hence had a duty of ensuring that the car met all the needs of Mr. Enrick and was properly functioning. During negotiations, Mr. Enrick sought to know the details and any information regarding the offer. The request

Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Film - Essay Example Because of this, her husband is disappointed but he believes that he will find a way to take care of his son. He joins an internship program where he does not receive any payment. His condition grows worse when his scanning machines are stolen. In addition, he his later evicted from the apartment. They live in the streets, while there he nurtures his son with love and tenderness. With this, the essay brings out what â€Å"The Pursuit of Happyness† says about the modern day fathers and the cultural and social changes reflected in the film. The movie clearly portrays the close relationship between father and son. Christopher provides psychological and emotional support to his child, although they live in the streets. They both struggle hard to achieve their goals knowing very well that success does not come easily, it needs commitment. Christopher Gardner as a single father tries his best to bring up his son in the right way possible (Nadine 4). Christopher Gardener the main cha racter in the film tries his best to balance his professional and personal life. He and his son endure many hardships for instance sleeping in bathrooms. In one of the scenes in this film Christopher is jailed for ten days for not paying the parking fees this shows how Christopher undergoes hardships with his son. This shows how the society values money than human life. As a result of his state in one of the scenes, Christopher pushes women in the bus so that he can get a chance to sleep in the homeless shelter (Nadine 4). This confirms that, when people are in desperate situations morals ceasing to exist they only focus on solving the problem. By this experience between Christopher and his son, the role of modern fathers is clearly brought out. Christopher Gardner balances his personal life and professional life in this film just as modern fathers do. He provides the support he should provide as a father and still works as an intern. In this essay, Christopher struggles to obtain t he American dream and the true happiness just as the modern fathers do especially in the United States of America. There are some social cultural changes addressed in this film. Individualism, which takes a big part in the American society, is portrayed in this film. Individualism is a common problem in the American History. In addition, it has taken root in modern America as portrayed in the film. This means that most American’s believe that they can achieve their dreams by their own self. In this film, Christopher Gardner struggles to raise his son as a single father. He focuses on achieving his dream as an individual. This shows that individualism is a social issue that still exists in America. The film shows how people are trying to achieve the American dream. Besides the main character, the movie revolves on the life of San Francisco. In the film, people struggle to fight time by moving hurriedly in the streets. The movement of the vehicle and the beeps of horns show how urgency surrounds the whole city. People show casing their talents along the roads show how most people in the city are jobless. The musicians who are seen at the start of the film show how most people in San Francisco use their free time to obtain quick cash. The main character in the film is a victim of the highly competitive society. This is shown by how he struggles in life. Christopher has not sold any bone