Nature of Morality

WRONGRIGHT

Answer all these questions in just yes or no:1:You did not help a person who met with an accident in front of you and was lying on the road waiting for someone to give him assistance?

2:Have you ever bribed someone for getting your work done?

3:Have you ever discriminated someone because of his color, gender or any other thing?

If the answer of any of the above mentioned points is yes then my friend its time for you to learn ethics!

The word ethics comes from a Greek word

“Etho” Which means character, behavior and custom.

A few years ago, sociologist Raymond Baum hart asked business

people, “What does ethics mean to you?” Among their replies

were the following:

Ethics has to do with what my feelings tell me is right or wrong.

Ethics has to do with my religious beliefs.

Being ethical is doing what the law requires.

Ethics consists of the standards of behavior our society accepts.

Ethics: Man is a social animal. Man himself has derived certain principles to govern his own individual and group behavior , their basic objective is always mutual existence and peace . By ensuring security and protection these standards helps in the survival of the particular community and thus its members. These standards of behavior are called “ethics.”

Ethics: Refers to well-based standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do,

usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society . Ethics, for example, refers to those standards(accepted behaviors) that impose the reasonable obligations to avoid stealing, murder, assault and fraud.

Ethics also refers to the study of

“morality” Morality :refers to the human conduct, which is….

“what is right and what is wrong”…….. Ethicists use the term ethics to refer primarily to the study of morality, just as chemists use the term chemistry to refer to the study of chemical

substances

By business ethics we mean the study of right and wrong (good and bad) human conduct in business.

Examples……. would it be right for a store manager to break a

promise to a customer and sell some hard to find merchandize to someone else.

Would it be right not to hire a person on the base of religion, color, nationality etc.

Promoting a person purely on his competencies.

Good Image/Reputation: Businesses conducted on ethical bases are enjoying good

image. Balance the needs and wishes of stakeholders: Business ethics requires businesses to think about the impact of

its decisions on people or stakeholders who are affected by those decisions.

Employee Retention: A successful Business Ethics program establishes a culture where fair rewards system is practiced that is ultimately satisfying employees/ internal customers.

Setting the Example :Ethical Business Practices points out that businesses is practicing the highest ethical standards are also the most profitable and successful in their

industry.

Organizational level: Ethical issue arises when a person is

asked to perform an unethical or illegal act to earn profit for the company. In such a situation the organizational member should examine the firm’s code of ethics before making any decision.

Example:

Societal level: Business operating in a society should be in accordance with the laws and traditions of that particular society.

Example: Business activities acceptable in USA may not be

acceptable in Afghanistan.

Moral Standards: These are concern behaviorsthat is of serious

results/output to human welfare, it can either

seriously injure or benefit people like…….

Stealing Lying Murdering Helping an injured person Helping needy person

During childhood moral standards are absorbed from family, friends and various societal institutions. Later in life experiences, learning and intellectual development help a person in forming

these standards……………………….

In a business context moral standards would be…..

Whether products are harmful or healthful. Work conditions are safe or dangerous. Personnel procedures biased or fair.

Non moral standards:

Non moral standards are what falls outside the

sphere of moral standards

or Non moral

standards: are those conducts or actions

that is not of that much serious

results/outputs.

Examples…. Coming in informal dress to office is also a non

moral behavior. Attending calls during a meeting is also a non

moral act. Saying “thank you” to someone.

Etiquettes

Law

Religion

Etiquettes refers to any socially acceptable code of behavior

& it comes under the context of Non moral standards, because its results are not of serious nature.

Etiquettes are something that is concerned with manners.

Examples….. 1: Push your chair back into place upon leaving a dinner table is a good

etiquette. 2: It is considered a good etiquette to say “please” or “thank you” to someone.

Law…Means rules and guidelines

approved by a state for the public.

Legal acts… Are those acts which are in accordance with the

law. Illegal acts…. Violating the

law.

Note: laws differs from country to country

A: An action can be illegal but ethically right.

Helping Jewish family to hide from the “Nazis”

was against German law in 1939. but it would have been ethically right.

B: An action that is legal can be ethically wrong.

It may be perfectly legal act for the

chairman of a company to layoff employees, but ethically it is not permissible.

Religion… Religion involves moral instructions,

guidelines and values.like… No one of you is a believer until he loves for his

brother ,what he loves for himself. (Islam)

Good people are those people that consider what is best for others is best for them. (Hinduism)

Hurt not others with that which pains yourself. (Buddhism)

Opinions of philosophers… A: Some philosophers think that ethics is based on religion which means that it is the religion that provides ethical guidelines. B: Some are of the opinion that ethics is not dependent on religion like materialists they don’t believe in any religion then on what basis (personal

standards) they say “this is right and wrong”

Outcome…Religion is a source of morality, but morality is not completely based on

religion.

Relativists are of the opinion that ethics is just what a particular society happens to believe what is “right and wrong”.

or Morality is something that is related to particular society, what is right

in one society may be wrong in other. Example: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

Example.. Abortion is condemned as immoral in Afghanistan but it is practiced as morally neutral form of controlling population in Japan.

Abortion is an immoral act…but permissible in Japan Not permissible in Afghanistan.

Relativist like Albert Carr…. Are of the opinion that, Business has its own norms and rules that is different from society.

“What is right in business may be considered wrong in society”

Example.. Marketing strategy in business is

permissible which is used for deceiving customers, but deceiving someone is not permissible in society.

Conscience is a little voice inside of us that guides us in our actions.

or These are instructions of our parents that

we have learned, we grow up.

Example… When you were child, you were told to speak

truth and if you were caught lying, then was probably punished sometimes.

How reliable guide is this conscience … People say that always “follow your conscience” But following your conscience is not always helpful.

Example… People fall in Love, sometimes when rejected are

thinking consciously that we should now commit suicide but if they thought using their mind, then its not a good action.

A Code is a statement of policies or rules that guides behavior.

International Perspective: Code of ethics for Gov’t Service in USA

1:Put loyalty to the highest moral principle. 2:Uphold the constitution, laws and regulations. 3:Give a full day’s labor a full day’s pay. 4:Seek to find economical ways of getting tasks

accomplished. 5:Never discriminate unfairly by giving privileges or favors to

anyone. 6:Make no private promises of any kind binding upon the

duties of office. 7:Expose corruption wherever discovered.