Assignment:
Organizational Values and Codes of Ethics
The purpose of this assignment is to engage in critical thinking about organizational missions, values, and codes of ethics in order to interpret challenging ethical situations.
Preparation
Using the Internet, identify several companies that interest you. Obtain information about the companies by reviewing their Web sites. Read the missions, value statements, and codes of ethics for at least two companies. Keep track of what you find, so you can cite your sources as you complete this assignment.
Next, locate and read at least three additional scholarly articles on mission statements, organizational values, and codes of ethics.
If needed, review the second study in Unit 3, Online Research Skills: Finding Resources, in order to locate and select articles.
Instructions
Based on the unit readings and the articles you found in your research, write a four-page paper using the outline provided below, in which you:
- Define missions, values, and codes of ethics, and explain the purpose of each.
- Provide examples of a mission statement, a statement of organizational values, and a code of ethics you found in your research.
- Recommend ideas important for RPZ Marketing to include in these structural components, based on the mission statements, organizational values, and codes of ethics you found.
In addition, analyze the relationship between values and ethics to:
- Explain the ways they related to each other.
- Describe a situation in which an employee of RPZ might face a conflict between the company's organizational values and its code of ethics, and it might be resolved.
Outline
To make certain that you address all of the aspects of this assignment, follow this outline:
Part 1: Definitions of Terms, Examples and Key Ideas to Include
1. Mission:
- A brief description of what a mission is.
- An example of a mission statement that you found in your research. Remember to make notes about your source so you can cite it in your assignment.
- Three key ideas you think should be included in RPZ Marketing's mission statement.
2. Values:
- A description of what organizational values are.
- An example of a statement of values that you found in your research.
- Two key values that you think would be appropriate for RPZ Marketing. These should be consistent with the mission statement ideas you provided.
3. Ethics:
- A definition of organizational ethics.
- An example of a code of ethics you found in your research.
- Two key ideas to include in RPZ Marketing's code of ethics. These should be consistent with the mission statement ideas and organizational values you provided.
Part 2: Interrelationships
- Analyze and describe how organizational values and code of ethics are related.
- Provide an example of a situation in which these intersect, such as how an element in a code of ethics might be influenced by organizational values.
Part 3: Application to RPZ Marketing
Based on your understanding of the RPZ Marketing business, provide an example of a situation in which an employee of RPZ might face a conflict between the company's values and its code of ethics. For example, an employee may take action that is consistent with the code of ethics, but in conflict with the organization's values.
- Describe the situation.
- Explain why you see this situation as a conflict between ethics and values.
- Analyze the situation and provide a recommendation for how the employees should act to effectively resolve the conflict.
Part 4: Sources
Cite your sources used in your paper:
- If you paraphrase, summarize, or quote information from a source within the body of your paper, include an in text citation.
- Provide a reference list that includes all sources cited as in text citations. Place the list at the end of your paper.
Submission Requirements
- Written communication: Communication should be clear, well-organized, and support a central idea, with no technical writing errors, as expected of a business professional.
- References: References and citations are formatted in consistent style, with a preference for using APA style and formatting.
- Number of resources: Use a minimum of three scholarly resources related to the content of the assignment.
- Length of paper: Approximately four typed, double-spaced pages.
- Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.