What is Business Ethics?
Breaking the word “Business Ethics”, it defines “Business” as an entity engaged in commercial, industrial, and professional activities with the primary motive to earn profit and serve for society. On the other hand, “Ethics” refers to the moral values and code of conduct that restricts a person or an entity to violate the rules. For example,
For an employer, ethics can be values like working fairly and effectively completing the tasks assigned, whereas, for a doctor, it can be to prioritize treating the patients.
Similarly, there is some defined code of conduct for the business entities and organizations which need to be followed to ensure the smooth functioning of their firms.
Precisely, we can define Business ethics as the social and moral principles, which govern business activities for achieving the goal of the organization in pace with satisfying the needs and responsibilities towards society, government, environment, and the people involved in the firm.
Business ethics is a broad concept involving the responsibilities of the entity towards different aspects and different areas of the world. It includes legal, philosophical, and scientific aspects through which it can be viewed.
Why should Business Ethics be considered?
Considering Business Ethics helps to maintain a good bond with the consumers, employees, society, government, and all other parties involved in the organization.
● Bond with Consumers:
Business ethics will end up creating a good and trustable bond with consumers. If the consumers will ensure the good quality and adequate quantity of the product along with affordable prices, in pace with no unfair practices, they may continue and stick to the same enterprise.
● Investors and Shareholders
Another most important aspect is the usage of fair means towards the investors and shareholders of the company. As they prove to be the base of any organization. Following the code of conduct and keeping them satisfied will surely add success to the enterprise.
● Employees and society
Employees are termed as the base and the boon for any organization. Having an ethical, equal, and balanced view towards them will ensure to speed up the growth of the entity.
Ethics for executives
There are different ethical businesses for numerous departments. Let’s get a brief about them.
● Loyalty:
Nothing can be pursued without trust. And for trust, there should be loyalty. For any organization, the loyalty of the people towards each other in an entity plays a vital role. This includes keeping the information safe, avoiding conflicts, and accepting new employees as a part of the organization.
● Integrity:
The executives need to demonstrate personal integrity but doing what is right and not accepting or pursuing unfair means to maximize profit. These are the honorable principles which are required to fight for the beliefs of human resource.
Honesty: Every person involved in corporate should be honest towards his/her work and towards the other members too. Being truthful and elegant in one’s work will enhance the cooperation and coordination amongst them.
- Respect and concern:
A feeling of respect towards the employees and not harming their dignity, safety, and rights is one of the major principles. On the other hand, concerning their needs and wants and being generous and kind towards employees is another count.
- Fairness:
The officials should be fair. This not only means being fair towards work and employees but also involves a violation of overuse of powers or taking advantage of the same. They should be tolerant, open-minded, willing to admit their own mistakes.
Types of business ethics
There are numerous types of business ethics:
● Personal responsibility – It refers to a man’s personal code of ethics.
● Representative or Official Responsibility – This includes the responsibilities of the officials and executives of the enterprise.
● Personal Loyalties – include the loyalties of a subordinate to his superior and superior’s loyalty towards his subordinate.
● Corporate Responsibilities – Corporations are entities that are “artificial persons”, therefore they too have moral responsibilities towards the society.
● Organizational Loyalties – this includes the loyalties of employees towards organizations.
● Economic Responsibility– This states that every organization should contribute towards the society economically.
● Technical Morality – technology has a great influence on the working of an entity. Therefore, it should always be kept in mind while producing a good quality of a product.
● Technical Morality – It describes the framework within which a business should exist to avoid more government interference.
Business Ethics is not only the responsibility of the top-level management, but it’s for every member included in the entity. With cooperation and coordination, following the ethical code of conduct is where you will stand with a successful business.
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