Kha734 Ethics And Professional Practice Assessment Answers

1. How ethical theories can assist us to make ethical decisions.

2. An assessment of the arguments for both views of Corporate Social Responsibility

3. How does welfare/social security benefit us all?

4. Can an ethical business be a profitable business? 

 

This assessment task will assess the following learning outcome/s:

• be able to outline ethical theories in western moral philosophy and apply them in inter and intra cultural organisational contexts.

• be able to resolve a range of real life ethical dilemmas.

• be able to describe the issues and critique the debates associated with the concept of corporate social responsibility in a global business environment.

• be able to critically reflect on their role as business professionals and how their future actions as business professionals can affect society in positive and negative ways. 

 

In addition, this task is designed to help you to build a learning journal that you can use to revise for the final exam. It will also develop skills that should assist you as you progress through your degree, and address several of CSU's Graduate Learning B Outcomes:

 

CSU Graduates are professionals who:

 

Demonstrate the literacy .... skills necessary to understand and interpret information and communicate according to the context Demonstrate capability as inquirers to locate, evaluate, manage, and use information and research to develop and guide their own knowledge, learning, and practice Exhibit ethical decision making and reasoning to identify creative solutions to ethical problems Demonstrate knowledge, capabilities, practices, attitudes, ethics and dispositions of their discipline or profession. Critically appraise and continue to develop personal and professional capabilities CSU Graduates are agents of change who: Use their understanding of diversity and the 'common good' to work constructively, respectfully and effectively with local and global communities and workplaces Engage with ethical and sustainable  practices that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs and those of the environment. 

Answer:

Task 1 –Assessment related to both views of CSR

Introduction 

Corporate social responsibility is considered to be a concept related to management which is related to the effective management of the responsibilities that modern organizations have towards the society and community in which they operate. The previous researches that have been conducted based on the activities related to CSR depict that it is an important part of the effective operations of modern organizations. The CSR based activities have been successful in paying off to the organizations in an effective manner. The organizations also need to implement CSR within different operations in order to improve the operations and manage the customers as well (Saxton et al., 2017).

Reflective analysis 

Corporate social responsibility has been able to play a major role in the ways by which organizations can develop their reputation in the industry of operations. CSR has been defined as a responsibility which is fulfilled by the organizations in order to maintain the levels of morality and ethics. The contribution which can be provided by the organization in economic development is also considered to be a major factor that can affect its future and sustainable operations as well. Corporate social responsibility has been divided into two major views which are narrow view and broad view (Klimkiewicz & Oltra, 2017).

According to me, the two views are considered to be highly extreme in nature and they differ from each other in a huge manner. Narrow view or classical view had been implemented in the organizations previously which stated that they need to focus more on the profits that are gained rather the responsibilities towards the society. The goals which are set by the organizations are thereby based on the profitability of the organization in the industry. The companies in this case carry on the business operations only for satisfying the demands and needs of the shareholders (Carroll, 2015). I have learnt that the maximization of profit levels is considered to be the most important part of the operations of organizations which implement narrow view of CSR. Many modern organizations which have implemented narrow view of CSR include, Ford Motor Company and Nestle. These organizations have faced major issues based on their reputation in the industry and have further tried to implement effective strategies with the aim to improve the goodwill and reputation (Carroll & Brown, 2018).

The socioeconomic view of CSR is another concept which is followed by some major organizations in the industry. The responsibilities of organizations in this case are not only restricted to the increase of profits. The organizations also aim at fulfilling their responsibilities towards the society or community. The financial aspects related to organizations are also based on the social responsibilities which are fulfilled by them. The corporate social responsibilities are thereby considered to be an important part of the organizational operations and levels of sustainability (Bansal & Sharma, 2015).

The socio economic view of corporate social responsibility has become much more evident in the current operating environment of the modern organizations. Examples of modern organizations which have started implementing the broad view or socio economic view of corporate social responsibility include, Google, The Walt Disney Company, Ikea, Michelin. Google has developed a major reputation in the technology industry with respect to the CSR based activities that are performed in order to maintain the sustainable operations (Scandelius & Cohen, 2016). Google has contributed greater than 1 billion Dollars in the projects based on renewable energy. The environment impact of the operations of Google have been reduced in an attempt to fulfil their social responsibilities (Saxton et al., 2017).

The two major views related to corporate social responsibility have been scrutinised by different researchers. I have been able to learn from the analysis of different research articles that the broad view of CSR is accepted by different organizations in a huge manner as compared to the narrow view. The responsibilities which organizations have towards the society and environment are considered to be highly important which has further led to the implementation of broad view of CSR. Corporate social responsibility of organizations has thereby become highly significant for the operations and profitability (Carroll & Brown, 2018). The organizations thereby need to ensure that the responsibilities are fulfilled in an effective manner in order to increase the levels of sustainability.

Conclusion: 

I have been able to come to the conclusion from this analysis that the broad view of CSR can be considered to be more important as compared to the narrow view in modern business environment. I can also state in this case that broad view can be more effective for the organizations to maintain the levels of sustainability. The sustainability of business organizations is considered to be highly important for the ways by which they can maintain the future operations. The broad view of corporate social responsibility has gained high levels of importance in the recent years in order to operate in the industry in a profitable and sustainable manner.

Task 2 – Ways by which ethical theories can help in taking ethical decisions 

Introduction 

Ethics is considered to be a branch related to philosophy which mainly deals with principles of the morality based on well-defined standards of wrong and right which can describe the human character with respect to rights, rules, benefits to the society and obligations. Ethics on the other hand is totally based on the human responsibilities and rights which can help them to lead a good life and differentiate between what is good and what is bad. Ethics can be divided into three major areas of study which are, meta-ethics, applied ethics and normative ethics (Crane & Matten, 2016). The five types of ethics that are considered by the business organizations include, egoism, deontology, utilitarianism, virtue ethics and care ethics. Ethics are also able to play a major role in the effective operations of business organizations and increasing their profitability levels as well. The reflective analysis will be based on the ways by which ethical theories are able to affect the operations of different organizations (Chell et al., 2016).

Reflective analysis

 I have learnt from the analysis of different ethical theories that the ethical operations of the business organizations can be affected in a huge manner by proper implementation of the respective theories. The egoism based theory is mainly based on the ways by which the organization can perform with respect to self-interest or the interest of others as well. The business organizations can thereby decide whether they want to operate in the industry keeping in mind the interest of others or the society at large. The utilitarianism based theory on the choice which the organization needs to make based on its choice of action (Schaltegger & Burritt, 2018).

The positive actions will be able to increase the levels of happiness and satisfaction in the industry. On the other hand, the negative action can reduce the levels of employee satisfaction within the organizations. The ethical theory based on deontology is related to the principle which is followed by the organizations related to the fulfilment of their duties in an effective manner. The actions of the organization need to be chosen in such a manner which can help in proper fulfilment of the duties. The care based ethics can be implemented by the organizations in order to maintain the care which is taken by the management with respect to the support that is provided to people who need it (Cavusgil et al., 2014). The action is thereby chosen in such a manner which helps in nurturing the employees within the organization. The productive or reflective character of the employees is based on the virtue ethics. The character of employees and the management is affected by the ways by which virtue ethics can be implemented (Broad, 2014).

I can thereby deduce that the ethical theories are able to play a key role in the proper operations of the modern organizations in the competitive environment. The organizations will be able to operate in a profitable manner and sustain in the industry with the help of proper implementation of different ethical theories. The decisions made by the management are also affected in a huge manner by the proper implementation of ethical theories. The ethical theories are considered to be an important support that can be provided to the management of different organizations in the industry (Enderle & Murphy, 2015). Ethical theories can be considered to be an important factor which can affect the ways by which modern organizations operate and further take care of the employees as well.

Conclusion: 

I have learnt from different researches that ethics have become important for the ways by which organizations maintain their reputation in the industry. The profitability levels of the organizations are also affected by the ways by which ethics are implemented and support is provided by the ethical theories as well. The ethical theories are thereby considered to be highly important and an effective support for the modern organizations for taking different important decisions.  

References: 

Bansal, P., & Sharma, G. (2015). Making Social Issues Count: How Businesses Make Responsible Strategic Decisions. In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2015, No. 1, p. 16173). Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510: Academy of Management.

Broad, C. D. (2014). Five types of ethical theory. Routledge.

Carroll, A. B. (2015). Corporate social responsibility. Organizational dynamics, 44(2), 87-96.

Carroll, A. B., & Brown, J. A. (2018). Corporate Social Responsibility: A Review of Current Concepts, Research, and Issues. In Corporate Social Responsibility (pp. 39-69). Emerald Publishing Limited.

Cavusgil, S. T., Knight, G., Riesenberger, J. R., Rammal, H. G., & Rose, E. L. (2014). International business. Pearson Australia.

Chell, E., Spence, L. J., Perrini, F., & Harris, J. D. (2016). Social entrepreneurship and business ethics: Does social equal ethical?. Journal of business ethics, 133(4), 619-625.

Crane, A., & Matten, D. (2016). Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press.

Enderle, G., & Murphy, P. E. (Eds.). (2015). Ethical innovation in business and the economy. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Klimkiewicz, K., & Oltra, V. (2017). Does CSR enhance employer attractiveness? The role of millennial job seekers' attitudes. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 24(5), 449-463.

Saxton, G. D., Gomez, L., Ngoh, Z., Lin, Y. P., & Dietrich, S. (2017). Do CSR Messages Resonate? Examining Public Reactions to Firms’ CSR Efforts on Social Media. Journal of Business Ethics, 1-19.

Scandelius, C., & Cohen, G. (2016). Achieving collaboration with diverse stakeholders—The role of strategic ambiguity in CSR communication. Journal of Business Research, 69(9), 3487-3499.

Schaltegger, S., & Burritt, R. (2018). Business cases and corporate engagement with sustainability: Differentiating ethical motivations. Journal of Business Ethics, 147(2), 241-259.