Legal & Ethical Environment Of Business Unit 1 Discussion Bo ✓ Solved

Legal & Ethical Environment of Business Unit 1 Discussion board 2

The issue of right and wrong has always been open to debate and scrutiny. In people's private lives, it is open to interpretation and is quite subjective. However, in the business world, there is not that individual definition of right and wrong, at least there should not be. Reflect back on your professional life and recall any time you can identify when, in your own opinion, your organization may have done something unethical. Please do not state or specify the name of the business, just the incident.

Then, support your opinion with some research to substantiate your assertions. Search the library and the Internet for information pertaining to the ethical violation made by your organization, past or present, and be sure not to identify the organization. See if this incident has occurred in other organizations; give 2 examples and their outcomes. Can you think of any legitimate justification for the organization’s actions with 2 examples? Explain and justify your explanation. Take a position and argue or defend your position.

Responses to Other Students: Respond to at least 2 of your fellow classmates with at least 200 words reply about their Primary Task Response regarding items you found to be compelling and enlightening or that you disagreed with. Take the position that makes sense to you and debate selected classmates positions they have taken.

Paper For Above Instructions

In today’s business landscape, ethical considerations are paramount. Organizations often face dilemmas that challenge their ethical foundations. Reflecting on my professional experiences, I recall an incident where my organization faced scrutiny for unethical practices related to employee treatment. Although I cannot reveal the organization's name, I will discuss the implications and relevance of this ethical violation.

In one situation, my organization was involved in questionable labor practices. Employees were incentivized to meet unrealistic sales targets, leading to excessive working hours without appropriate compensation. This created an environment where staff felt pressured to engage in practices such as understating their actual hours worked in order to meet expectations. Such practices erode trust and undermine the integrity of the organization.

To substantiate this assertion, I researched similar ethical violations encountered by other organizations. One notable case is the 2018 scandal at Wells Fargo, where employees created millions of fake accounts to meet sales targets. This unethical strategy resulted in huge fines, loss of customer trust, and a tarnished reputation (Wells Fargo, 2018). Another example is the 2015 Volkswagen emissions scandal, where the company falsely reported the emissions of its diesel engines. This incident led to significant financial penalties and a drastic decline in consumer confidence (Ewing, 2017). Both examples illustrate the severe consequences organizations can face when ethical standards are compromised.

While ethical violations are often indefensible, one could argue that, in some instances, organizations may justify their actions. For example, they might claim that the pressure to meet targets is common in competitive industries, arguing that the promotion of aggressive sales techniques is essential for survival. However, such justifications do not hold when considering the long-term ramifications of unethical practices. Employees suffer burnout, customer trust is eroded, and the overall brand suffers severe damage. Companies need to recognize that sustainable success can only be achieved through ethical practices that prioritize the welfare of employees and customers alike.

Examining the justification for questionable practices in my organization leads me to a crucial ethical principle: ends do not justify means. Even when managers pressure employees to achieve business goals, it is crucial to find a balance that maintains ethical standards. Responsible leadership requires prioritizing integrity over short-term gains, as demonstrated by companies like Patagonia, which actively promotes ethical labor practices in its supply chain (Patagonia, 2020).

In conclusion, reflecting on my organization’s unethical actions highlights the necessity of adhering to robust ethical standards. Business leaders should emphasize transparency and accountability, ensuring that employees are treated with dignity and respect. The consequences of ethical failures can be dire, as evidenced by real-world examples from other organizations. Therefore, organizations must prioritize ethics to navigate an increasingly complex business environment.

References

• Ewing, J. (2017). Volkswagen’s emissions scandal: What happened? The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com
• Patagonia. (2020). Our Mission. Retrieved from https://www.patagonia.com
• Wells Fargo. (2018). Wells Fargo confirms sales practices are in error. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com
• Friedman, M. (2007). The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com
• Crane, A. & Matten, D. (2016). Business Ethics: Managing Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability in the Age of Globalization. Oxford University Press.
• Carroll, A. B. (1991). The pyramid of corporate social responsibility: Toward the moral management of organizational stakeholders. Business Horizons, 34(4), 39-48.
• Weller, C. (2015). The ethics of employee surveillance: Is it justified? Business Insider. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com
• Sood, A., & Awasthi, K. (2016). Ethics in Business and Management: Concept of Social Responsibility. Global Journal of Management and Business Research.
• Menon, S. & O'Connor, G. (2013). Business ethics: A philosophical approach. International Journal of Business and Management.
• Treviño, L. K., Hartman, L. P., & Brown, M. (2000). Moral Person and Moral Manager: How Executives Develop a Reputation for Ethical Leadership. California Management Review.