In almost every business class I’ve taken here at Troy University, “ethics” has at least been mentioned, if there wasn’t a whole chapter on the subject. That being said, I’m at that point again this semester, so I figured that now would be a great time to share a little bit about ethics and its significance in the business world.
Ethics Defined
Ethics can be defined as “principles of right conduct or a system of moral values.” This can come off as a little subjective, according to the varying definitions of what is “right” among different people. So, let’s explore the concept a little more.
Understanding Ethics
While studying ethics, I have found that the most effective way to understand the idea is through question examples, and some are more obvious than others.
Is it ethical to cheat on a test?
Is it okay to lie to your boss about why you were late for work?
Is it ethical to take a couple of pens and a stack of paper from the office for home use?
According to most experts, the answer to all of these questions would be no, these actions are unethical.
Ethical Dilemmas
In some cases, the line between what is considered “right” and “wrong” can be extremely blurred. These situations are called ethical dilemmas. You can be stuck in the middle of two choices that can both seem ethical to some extent. Here are some examples:
Telling the truth v. Loyalty to someone
or
Focusing on the short-term v. Thinking about the long-term
There are benefits to both sides in these situations, but unfortunately, we can’t have our cake and eat it too. Some tips to help you choose a path when faced with these problems is to do what’s best for the greatest number of people, and do what you want others to do to you.
Ethical Experts
It’s not always simple to choose the ethical path, especially when there’s no clear right or wrong. So remember, even something as harmless as a pen can get you into trouble for unethical actions, so always be cautious of your actions and think carefully about important decisions, and you’ll be an ethical expert in your business!
Until next time,
K
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