In the western world these standardsare, in large part, based on Judeo-Christian principles. Generally referred to as mores, ethical standards are what the majority accepts as good, and the way they behave without imposed rules and regulations.
Within our societal structure, sanctions are often imposed on those who fail to follow ethical standards, and laws dictate consequences for those found guilty of unethical behaviors. Ethical thinking involves the intricate process used to consider the impact of our actions on the individuals or institution we serve.
While most decisions are routine, we can unexpectedly face an ethical dilemma when unusual situations occur suddenly for which an immediate response is needed.
The foundation of ethical decision-making involves choice and balance; it is a guide to discard bad choices in favor of good ones. Therefore, in making ethical decisions, one of the first questions to consider is 'what a reasonable man would do in this situation? When people work closely together on a project, individuals tend to take on the core values of the group. Individuals within a group often compromise their own values in favor of those held by the group.
Because of this, groups should use the three rules of management to assess whether their organizational decisions are ethical. Since group dynamics are an increasingly vital measure of organizational success, and standards of behavior are viewed within the context of profit and integrity, it is imperative that the group conceptualize the impact of their decisions. To be truly comprehensive, advisor development programs must address ethics and the role culture and values play in ethical decision-making.
Our institutions have become more diverse. This is true in regard to easily recognizable differences, such as race and age, but also in terms of hidden differences, such as culture and disability.
Care must be given to the reexamination of values and perspective,and how these influence so many ethical dilemmas. We must understand that values are acquired in childhood and manifest themselves on our campuses as permanent perceptions that shape and influence the nature of our behaviors.
Values involve emotion, knowledge, thought, and ultimately choice of response. Values vary between individuals and, because values govern behavior, they color the way individuals view and respond to their world.
It is important to understand the impact values have on choice. While values can, and do, change over time, they represent a significant component of personality. It is through individual values that culture is defined, and provides broad social guidelines for desirable standards.
Generally described as normal societal standards, or norms, values influence how people make choices. When working with people, it is imperative that we appreciate that each person's intrinsic values are different.
Because values are so ingrained, we are not often aware that our responses in life are, in large part, due to the values we hold andare unique to our own culture and perspective. Furthermore, we seldom reflect on the fact that the people with whom we associate hold their own unique set of values that may be different from our own. Advisors need to be aware that, like their students, they bring their own set of values to the advising session.
Thus advisors must be aware of, and open to, these differences in values as they work within their institution's regulations and standards. Sometimes these are, or seem to be, conflicting. The number one rule you must learn to follow is not to offend the religion of the person you are dealing with.
This will require that you do your homework before entering into any negotiation or business transactions. There are different political, tribal and religious systems that you must understand. In all social and business transactions that include eating a meal, it is essential that you follow the customs of the people with whom you are eating. Violation of the rules of etiquette will adversely affect any business deal you are contemplating. Businesses in Latin America run much like a family through a principle called paternalism.
Employees become dependent upon leaders who are responsible to take care of their needs much as a father takes care of his children's needs. This approach requires employees to accept the decisions of company leaders without question, but also creates an environment in which employees avoid confrontational situations.
Offensive behavior brings quick and decisive disciplinary action. However, avoid generalizing Latin American cultural influences on business in rapidly developing countries such as Argentina and Brazil. Businesses in developing economies are adopting the business practices of the countries they where they are doing business. Western countries such as the United States, Britain and Germany are experiencing a large influx of people from all parts of the world.
While ethical beliefs are held by individuals, they can also be reflected in the values, practices, and policies that shape the choices made by decision makers on behalf of their organizations. The phrases business ethics and corporate ethics are often used to describe the application of ethical values to business activities.
Ethics applies to all aspects of conduct and is relevant to the actions of individuals, groups, and organizations. In addition to individual ethics and corporate ethics there are professional ethics. Professionals such as managers, lawyers, and accountants are individuals who exercise specialized knowledge and skills when providing services to customers or to the public.
By virtue of their profession, they have obligations to those they serve. For example, lawyers must hold client conversations confidential and accountants must display the highest levels of honest and integrity in their record keeping and financial analysis.
Professional organizations, such as the American Medical Association, and licensing authorities, such as state governments, set and enforce ethical standards. The concept of corporate social responsibility emphasizes ethical behavior in that it requires organizations to understand, identify, and eliminate unethical economic, environmental, and social behaviors. Moral reasoning is the process in which an individual tries to determine what is right and what is wrong.
Moral reasoning is the process in which an individual tries to determine the difference between what is right and what is wrong in a personal situation by using logic. To make such an assessment, one must first know what an action is intended to accomplish and what its possible consequences will be on others. People use moral reasoning in an attempt to do the right thing.
Such judgements are made by considering the objective and the likely consequences of an action. Moral reasoning is the consideration of the factors relevant to making these types of assessments.
Studies have uncovered four skill sets that play a decisive role in the exercise of moral expertise. When a student identified a critical design flaw in the building during a routine class exercise, LeMesseur responded not by shooting the messenger but by developing an intricate and effective plan for correcting the problem before it resulted in drastic real-world consequences.
Culture reflects the moral values and ethical norms governing how people should behave and interact with others. Culture describes a collective way of life, or way of doing things. It is the sum of attitudes, values, goals, and practices shared by individuals in a group, organization, or society.
Cultures vary over time periods, between countries and geographic regions, and among groups and organizations. Culture reflects the moral and ethical beliefs and standards that speak to how people should behave and interact with others. Cultural map of the world : This diagram attempts to plot different countries by the importance of different types of values. One axis represents traditional values to secular-rational values, while the other axis accounts for survival values and self-expression values.
Different groups of countries can be grouped into certain categories, such as Catholic Europe, English speaking, and Ex-Communist.
Cultural norms are the shared, sanctioned, and integrated systems of beliefs and practices that are passed down through generations and characterize a cultural group. Norms cultivate reliable guidelines for daily living and contribute to the health and well-being of a culture.
They act as prescriptions for correct and moral behavior, lend meaning and coherence to life, and provide a means of achieving a sense of integrity, safety, and belonging. These normative beliefs, together with related cultural values and rituals, impose a sense of order and control on aspects of life that might otherwise appear chaotic or unpredictable.
This is where culture intersects with ethics. Since interpretations of what is moral are influenced by cultural norms, the possibility exists that what is ethical to one group will not be considered so by someone living in a different culture.
According to cultural relativists this means that there is no singular truth on which to base ethical or moral behavior for all time and geographic space, as our interpretations of truths are influenced by our own culture.
This approach is in contrast to universalism, which holds the position that moral values are the same for everyone. Cultural relativists consider this to be an ethnocentric view, as the universal set of values proposed by universalists are based on their set of values. Cultural relativism is also considered more tolerant than universalism because, if there is no basis for making moral judgments between cultures, then cultures have to be tolerant of each other.
The French and Americans have different views on whistle-blowing. Compared to the French, American companies consider it to be a natural part of business.
So natural, in fact, that they set up anonymous hotlines.
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