Assignment:
Discussion-Ethics in Business
Tim Smith is purchasing a business named Underground Shoes and Accessories near Lutz, Florida. The business has had several brushes with the law during the past few years, dealing with claims of false advertising and wrongful termination of employees. As a result, Smith is concerned about the ethical culture of the firm.
You will review the concept of ethics discussed in this module to critically evaluate the existing or potential ethical problems in Smith's business and help him propose solutions to eliminate the problems.
Tasks:
Answer to the following points:
What specific techniques could Smith use to increase the emphasis on business ethics when he takes control of the firm? Explain.
What, in your opinion, can be done to improve the human resource management (HRM) of the firm, to avoid future legal problems?
Ethics in Business
The concept of ethics entails the idea of understanding what should be right or wrong based on understanding. What may have seen as wrong by some people, may be right by some others. Taylor, (2015), defined business ethics as "The application of moral principles, standards of behavior, or set of values regarding proper conduct in the workplace as individuals and in a group setting".
What specific techniques could Smith use to increase the emphasis on business ethics when he takes control of the firm? Explain.
According to the assigned reading on Ethics and Social Responsibility, it stated that "Entrepreneurs should pursue ethical leadership to build an ethical organization and incorporate social responsibility into their business ventures". Some specific techniques Smith could use to increase the emphasis on business ethics when he takes control of the firm includes developing and implementing a strong ethical culture in the organization and effectively communication these ethical standards to current and new organizational team members.
The need for the organization to understand the nature of its business and develop the appropriate ethical standard vital to guiding the organization to success. For example, an organization that engage in the services of food production must ensure a clean work environment and for the employees to abide by such directives. Developed ethical culture in the organization must be effectively communicated to the employees. This will include ensuring periodical training on work ethic for current employees and including the ethical training to new hires. An organization equipped with strong ethical background creates a work environment that encourages organizational team who abides by the organizational ethics to strive to protect the assets of the organization.
What, in your opinion, can be done to improve the human resource management (HRM) of the firm, to avoid future legal problems?
What can be done to improve the human resource management (HRM) of the firm, to avoid future legal problems is to ensure that the right and qualify personnel are hired. These human resources personnel must be mandated by the organization upper management to engage in continuous research for up to date training programs for the different level of the organizational personnel.
References
Taylor, K., (2015). Ethics in the Workplace.