Essay About Meaning Of Professional Ethics And Essence Of Ethics

Moral Reasoning and Ethical Theory
TOPIC 1 MORAL REASONING 2 AND ETHICAL THEORY
Ethical problems are also pervasive because managers make decisions and
take actions that affect other people. If those decisions and actions affect
other people adversely, or if they hurt or harm them in ways beyond their
individual control, then we have an ethical problem which requires some
degree of moral analysis in addition to the more common economic
analysis.
1.1.1 The Meaning of Ethics
Ethics are generally defined as the principles of morally acceptable conduct of
individuals. We define ethics as an individualÊs personal beliefs about right
and wrong behaviours. Although this simple definition communicates the
essence of ethics, three implications warrant additional consideration:
(a) Ethics are individually defined people have ethics, whereas organisations
do not;
(b) What constitutes ethical behaviour can vary from one person to another;
(c) Ethics are relative, not absolute. This means that although what constitutes
ethical behaviour is in the eye of the beholder, it usually conforms to
generally accepted social norms.
1.1.2 The Meaning of Professional Ethics
Professional ethics designate the moral values that a group of similarly trained
people develop to control their performance of a task or their use of
resources. People internalise the rules and values of their professional
culture just as they do those of their society. They reflexively adhere to
professional rules and values when deciding on how to behave.
Some organisations have many groups of professional employees nurses,
lawyers, researchers, doctors and accountants whose behaviour is
governed by professional ethics. Professional ethics help shape the
organisationÊs culture and determine the values its members use in their
dealings with other stakeholders. Most professional groups are allowed to
enforce the ethical standards of