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ETHICAL ISSUES IN PUBLIC ORGANISATIONS
ETHICAL ISSUES IN PUBLIC ORGANISATIONS
Name: Vash-Ti Paylor
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ABSTRACT
A public organization is a government run organization that mainly deals with service delivery to the public. The organization is managed and sponsored by the government meaning the tax payer pays its bills and does the creation of all the policies related to the organization. Employees of such organizations face a lot ethical challenges in the quest for service delivery. The challenges can be in form the policy makers or the politicians to their bosses giving unethical orders. Sometimes it may be a conflict of interest due to friends or relatives having dealings with the organization. The challenges vary over time and the ethics to be applied are quite debatable and which ethical theory should be applied. The decisions to be taken to ensure the proper running of the organization have to be considered and the necessary steps to be taken in this ensuring lack of interference and ensuring that the proper management is put in place. Due to it a public organization the involvement of the public is important to have it from having a negative perception. This will ensure no alienation by the public that can result in the decline of the organization as the target goals include service delivery to them.
INTRODUCTION
A public organization is any institution which offers services by citizens or residents of a specific area or locale and is owned or controlled by the government. The organization in this case study is a government run facility that offers medical service and advice to the residents. This include normal consultation that is done privately and in confidential. Due to the fact that it’s a public organization, the number of clients coming in on a daily basis is quite high due to affordability of services offered in relation to the expensive private institution. Hence the needs to preserve the code of ethics in the organization and maintain fairness while serving all that come ad are in need of attendance. The order and required procedure has to be observed and the first to arrive are the first to be served and vice versa. The organization is run and sponsored by the government and by this it means they employ the staff while also providing all the other equipments and resources (Robert &Vinzant, 2009).
Ethical issues
As a public officer the choices faced daily may be tough especially due to the ethical choices that will be faced, understanding the implications of the decisions made and resolving the dilemmas that may arise poses a big task, at the some time the ability to understand the position of being in a public organization will be essential in the to your success in such a situation. Cases may arise that pushes one to the brink, these may include lying, cheating or feeling compelled to refuse an order given by the boss. In public organization one of the major things to consider includes responsibility as a professional, confidentiality and its limits and public disclosure. Others include the gender issue, institutional norms, loyalty, conflict of interest and reforms in relation to the organizations cultures as to encourage and accommodate equality irrespective of ethnicity or race. The other issues that always key in all situations s the financial allocation that normally brings about a lot debate and friction. All the above should be observed by all that run the organization irrespective of level or description from the financial officers the administrators in the organization. The need for uniformity and consistency in the system to success in a public organization, this is due to if the same is lacking then it presents a problem of cumbersome consumer service due to lack of order (Maguire, 1998).
Conflict of interest
This is always an area of ethical problems for any individual working in a public organization. Coming up with a plan to avoid the same is very crucial especially if it involves resources like finance, where even the idea of one having an expenditure not sanctioned by the organization can lead to trouble. Due to the fact that the organization is run by coffers of the public then its only that total integrity is needed to be given to the staff and it’s their duty to honor the same by performing the duties allocate dwell within the specified standards for code of conduct. Some of the standards that have been set include that no one among the organizations employees are entitled to accept gifts given especially in the place of work. The other controversial issues include misuse of the organizations property and the limits to which one is given in relation to seeking or having outside employment concurrently. The limits legally include excluding the members of the organization from being involved in any personal and financial deals that may be involving a family member or close friend as a conflict of interest may arise (Menzel, 2001).
Politics and administration
The administrators in such organizations find themselves in controversy especially if dealing with politics. The politicians with their influence may try to force some interests for public gain and due to the fact of them being opinion makers try and portray a bad image on the organization while blaming on the administrators. This leads to the begging issue of such employees needing some form of protection from such individuals either using legal means or any other possible measure that can be put in place. This protection can be based on the fact that policy making varies greatly the process of policy implementing and the individuals in politics to stick to making of policies while the administrators do the implementation (Stillman, 2006).
Citizen engagement
According to Maguire (2006), citizens who are normally served by the organization reserve a democratic right to be in giving the reforms to be carried out in the organizations they are the main target or reason for the existence of the organization. Hence there ids need to inform and educate the public on important policy issues in relation to the organization. The other issue is the need to better the governments’ supply of information from the decision down to the citizens like the change in certain policies or costs to avoid misunderstanding. The organization also needs to ensure that the voices of the citizens are heard and these are normally given through opinions which should be heard addressed and a feedback given. They should also be given the opportunity to monitor the implementations and outcomes of new policies if need be. Through this method the organization will be able to adopt amore active stance towards the citizen in service delivery and democratic rights.
Privatizations
Privatization of many public organizations has been one of the approaches taken by many governments in the hope of improving the service delivery to the citizens. This involving the sale a certain percentage to private ownership and in the process transferring the control on the organization to an individual or group, these results in changes being made that will benefit these individuals like profits instead of the main goal being service delivery. In this case all the employees in the organization are forced to implement these changes in policies although the policies may not be appropriate in terms of ethics that are relevant in a scene of public organizations or as previously stated (Morgan, 2001).
Downsizings
This normally is the effect of shareholders trying to reduce the risk or cost of the business and it may in terms of the employee number or service delivery. Either way its going to affect the service delivery as a downsize limits the service capacity of any organization and if it used to serve a lot of people then the effect maybe felt by the citizens who will have to wait longer to get the required service or put too much strain on the organizations employees resulting in the drop in terms of quality of service delivery. In the end the citizens who are the clients will be the ones who will suffer from such actions which may also b related to be the effect of privatization (Richter, 2010).
Restructuring
This is another profit aimed action that can be taken in any organization and result in a negative effect on service delivery. A perfect example be the inclusion of a private section in the organization which may be a profit generating venture. The creation of these will mean that the wealthy and better endowed financially will get services faster and more efficiently albeit in comparison to the other citizens, this will lead it them being put first in all considerations in terms of service where the main principal of equality in service delivery will have been broken and the wealthy favored (Morgan, 2001).
Utilitarianism
This is a theory that states that what is morally right or wrong will be judged or determined directly or indirectly using the acts consequences and not the intrinsic feature. By this If an act is committed and the consequences are grave then its morally wrong but irrespective of the act and the consequence are not that bad then it’s accepted as morally correct. Applying this theory in the case of a public organization can be quite disastrous in that the organization will not be affected too negatively but the terms of service delivery will be very unfair. The reason of the argument is that in a case of some simple issue like the delivery of service where those who have friends or family will always get attended first an although this wont affect the quality of the service because all persons will be attended to, the biased rate of attendance to these citizens will not be fair in the real sense and neither moral. In the case of politics the influence in implementation will be affected negatively as the service delivery will not be as planned due to input by the political elite so as to favor one or two of their family members of friends. This changes if effected can result in poor service delivery as they will not an expert kind of input but just a biased one and in terms of the theory in question it will be a great consequence and morally wrong hence not applicable.int he fields of down sizing and privatizations, the same theory may apply as the service delivery will still be effective just a change in the policy and approach which will not have dire consequences (Adams, 2001).
Deontological Ethics
This holds a different perspective where it states that morals are related to rules. By this it implies that rules are basis of morality so if one takes action within he rules it’s moral but if an action is taken which contradicts the rules set, it qualifies to be declares as immoral. Applying this theory in an organization can be very advantageous to as all the set rules and policies are well within the stated code of morals for them. This will result in the citizens or the people being served loosing because each time the organization especially if its private-public run will always change the set rules to favor them in this case making the financial gains. Some of the rues may include the increase in cost to be served and this will adversely affect the citizens who are to be served (Adams, 2001).
Social justice themes
The case of human rights where they are entitled to many freedoms like expression and this should not be discriminated on any basis. In this case and referring to the relevant points only, every person has the right to be heard and their grievances, no single should be discriminated due to belonging to certain cultures or communities. In the case of these issues and them being considered the violation of on individual rights are very clear as many decisions affecting the same person occur without any consultation while some policies like creation of private wing services amounts to discrimination which should not be allowed. The other supporting fact is this is unjust and no human should be treated unjustly in comparison to another (Caiden, 2001).
The equality in this case is affected seriously as the services are no longer fair or just if any of the theories are applied, this is because the treatment varies and some of the employers may be trying to favor friends or family resulting in nepotism which indicates the lack of fairness.
The liberty which is the freedom of any single person will be clearly not adhered to if the governments go ahead and privatize or form partnerships with private developers without consulting the necessary stakeholder in this case those affected and who use the facilities but then again the private developers have the right to exercise this as its in their interest which represents what they plan without being interfered with.
Justice on the other hand is relative to the situation; by this it’s unfair for the stakeholders not be consulted or treated unequally in getting services but at the same time the service providers also have the right to implement policies believed to favor their organization as they try and make it stay afloat, but if it’s a government organization, the citizens have the right to get the services required which pay through the tax and if this is considered first then it can said to be just and vice versa(Gellner, 2006).
Challenges
One of the more significant problems encountered is that of political influence. This is where the policies come from the government and with the interests of the same government changing too often results in regular changes that lead to poor implementation
The size of the organization can also play key as it can become a huge stumbling block if too big, this is due to the fact that before a decision is communicate from the top management to the intended target it will take a long time and if there is to be a feedback, then it may be distorted in the course of communication leading to poor communication that can impede proper running of the organization while implementation of policies will be impaired by the same reason (Pfeffer, 1998).
Public perception will play a key role in any public organization as a poor one will result in a bad review by the public and the same might result in forced policies by the government in an attempt to change this despite the fact that it was true or false and this changes may include management which if done too often can affect the organizations productivity due unstable management. . The same public perception may be an effect of negative media publicity or the public perception can lead to poor media coverage that will result in negative results as the poor outlook will turn away potential clients eventually leading to decline in productivity of the company (Brodie, 2007)
Recommendations
The best course of action to ensure none of these occurs is to ensure the selection of good policy makers as this will be back bone of all public organizations.
The next cause of action is the ensuring the administrative managers in place are competent enough to avoid scenarios where due to incompetence the implementation of the policies passed is done inappropriately leading to poor service delivery.
The organization to incorporate the public in their activities through he open door policy to ensure a good impression as their opinion can be bring about the organizations success putting into consideration they are the target subject which needs to be serviced and if this is not done the organization will have failed.
The organization to be well structured to ensure the communication process is done sufficiently without any glitches to ensure proper implementation. This will result in poor implementation and poor service delivery hence a poor public impression on the organization.
Some of the factors that may affect the implementation may include:-
Poor management by the administrator may have a wrong interpretation resulting in poor implementation that will be of low standards. The other reason may be lack of political support, them being the policy makers may keep changes the policies to be implemented resulting in lack of implementation. If all these factors are considered ad appropriate measures put in place, the end result will be a well run and successful public organization.
REFERENCES
Adams, G. (2001). Administrative Ethics and the Chimera of Professionalism -The
Historical Context of Public Service Ethics. In Cooper, T. Handbook of
Administrative Ethics. 2. Ed. New York: Marcel Dekker.
Brodie D. (2007) 4 Specific Challenges of Leading in Public Sector Organisations. Ezine Articles web retrieved on 12/02/2011 < HYPERLINK “http://ezinearticles.com/?4-Specific-Challenges-of-Leading-in-Public-Sector-Organisations&id=4516751″http://ezinearticles.com/?4-Specific-Challenges-of-Leading-in-Public-Sector-Organisations&id=4516751>
Caiden, G. (2001). Dealing with Administrative Corruption. In Cooper, T. (ed.) :
Handbook of Administrative Ethics. 2. ed. New York: Marcel Dekker.
Gellner, E. (1996) Conditions of Liberty, Civil Society, and its Rivals. London: Penguin
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Robert B, Vinzant J. (2009) Public Administration: An Action Orientation Cengage Learning Inc. Pg 130 137
Maguire, M., (1998) Ethics in the Public Service-Current Issues and Practice. Ethics and Accountability in a Context of Governance and New Public Management, IIAS/EGPA, IOS Press: 23-34.
Menzel, D. (2001). Ethics Management in Public Organizations. In Cooper, T. Handbook of Administrative Ethics. 2. Ed. New York: Marcel Dekker
Morgan, D. (2001). The Public Interest. In Cooper, T. (ed.) Handbook of Administrative
Ethics. 2. Ed. New York: Marcel Dekker.
Pfeffer, J. (1998). Seven Practices of Successful Organizations. California Management
Review, 40: 2.
Stillman II, R. (2006). Exploring films about ethical leadership: Can lessons be learned?
Public Administration and Management, Vol. 11, No. 3, ss. 103-305.
Richter L. (2010) Ethical issues Concerning Downsizing. Bright Hub. Retrieved on12/02/2011 web. < HYPERLINK “http://www.brighthub.com/office/human-resources/articles/84692.aspx”http://www.brighthub.com/office/human-resources/articles/84692.aspx>
Yoder, D. & Denhardt, K. (2001). Ethics Education in Public Administration and Affairs.
In Cooper, T. (ed.) : Handbook of Administrative Ethics. 2. ed. New York: Marcel
Dekker.
Ethical Issues in Long-Term Care
Ethical Issues in Long-Term Care
Author
Institution
Introduction
The provision of healthcare remains one of the most fundamental pillars of any nation. It goes without saying that the health of a nation comes as one of the fundamental determinants of the wealth of the economy, especially considering that only healthy people would be able to channel their energies to creating wealth. This explains the increased government investment in the healthcare sector. Needless to say, ethics play a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of services offered in healthcare institutions. This is especially in the case of long term care, where varied services that assist in meeting nonmedical, as well as medical needs of individuals who have chronic ailments or disabilities and who do not have the capacity to take care of themselves for a long time are offered. Long-term care increasingly involves the provision of a level of healthcare service that necessitates skilled practitioners’ expertise, so as to cater for the usually numerous chronic conditions that are associated with the patients. While this type of care is usually needed by senior citizens, individuals of any age may require it (Harrington & Carrillo, 1999). Ethical issues pertaining to long-term care have become quite crucial in long-term care especially thanks to the increase of the aging population. In some instances, ethical issues arising in long-term care are not unique from those in other settings. However, there exist some issues that manifest themselves in a different manner, in long-term care setting compared to other settings, or are unique or specific to long-term care settings (Harrington & Carrillo, 1999). The uniqueness of these issues underlines the significance of examining ethics pertaining to long term care. It goes without saying that the incorporation of ethics in healthcare facilities or in offering long-term care has a positive impact on the quality of services offered in such facilities.
On varied occasions, however, the ethics outlined in the code of ethics seem to contradict each other. This paper will examine the contradiction that revolves around beneficence and non-malfeasance, autonomy, and truth-telling. Questions have been raised about the importance of ethics in long-term care. There exists varied factors that distinguish this environment from others. First, long-term care patients currently have the capacity to choose from varied invasive procedures that were previously availed to acute care patients. The choices come with complex questions pertaining to care options. In the past, there existed no requirement that healthcare staffs have the skills to provide these services, whereas long-term care workers are now required to be proficient in them. On the same note, the long-term environment is distinguished by the problematic decision-making that may result from the situation in which numerous patients find themselves. It is worth noting that residents of long-term care settings remain there for extended periods. In addition, the population is quite large and diverse, with a large number of them not incorporating the mental faculties that are required to making sound health decisions. In such situations, family members and other concerned parties want to be part of the decision makers for the healthcare of the patients. On the other hand, healthcare professionals are not only in close attendance but also concentrate on the medical model of care. Needless to say, there exist varied forces trying to determine the most appropriate care for the patients, which complicate the capacity to determine the appropriate course of action. In such scenarios, decisions pertaining to the healthcare services that will be availed to the patients are determined by the ethics in light of the ethical features pertaining to an individual case.
While there are numerous ethical issues pertaining to long-term care, none comes with the controversy that is prevalent with the issue of truth-telling. The controversy surrounding full disclosure of diagnosis is compounded by the ambiguousness or equivocal nature of the guidelines or the code of medical ethics (Pratt, 2004). It is worth noting that the Hippocratic Oath does not incorporate an explicit statement pertaining to telling the truth. There is a conflict between demands that are difficult to reconcile. On one hand, physicians are expected to practice their art with holiness and purity, in which case veracity would have to be incorporated. On the other hand, the physicians are expected to follow only that regimen or system that, in their view, would be beneficial to the patients while abstaining from things that would be seen as mischievous and deleterious (Pratt, 2004). According to the International Code of Medical Ethics, a physician is required to be honest with his or her colleagues and patients, a matter that mainly concerns professional conduct and competence and not telling patients the things that are wrong with them. The World Medical Association also stated that the patient is entitled to the right to refuse or accept treatment once he has sufficient information. This seems to underline truth-telling pertaining to diagnosis not as a requirement to one’s choice of treatment but rather a mere prerequisite. In addition, the World Psychiatric Association stated that the physician must give the patient information pertaining to the condition from which he is suffering, the possible procedures and their alternatives, as well as any possible outcomes. They also stress the fact that, such information must be offered or provided in a considerate manner with the patient being given provided an opportunity to select between the available and appropriate techniques. This statement, however, does not clarify on whether the physician is obligated to offer information in instances where the ailment does not have any treatment. There is also ambiguity on how truthful the “considerate way” is supposed to be. Nevertheless, it is recommended that physicians provide patients with the information that they seek pertaining to their condition, possible treatment, as well as prognosis in a manner that they can comprehend. There are varied pros to telling the truth. Truth is recognized as the fundamental basis for informed consent. It is well acknowledged that the patient must have full knowledge of their condition so that they can give consent. This is the same case for respect for the patient’s autonomy, where it is acknowledged that deceit is a breach to the person’s autonomy. Patients are incapable of making valid decisions unless they have full information. In addition, truth-telling comes as one of the ways of enhancing trust in the relationship between the physician and the patient. It is worth noting that concealment of information must be continued even if it was done with honorable intentions. Its continued use may easily result in harm and abuse of individuals who are not sufficiently fit to be informed by individuals who have the capacity to manipulate them in line with their own beliefs and needs (Agich, 1993). Truth telling is also an acknowledgement of the reciprocal fidelity, promise keeping and obligations. Social contracts revolve around mutual obligations and rights. The contract, in therapy, revolves around the health of the patient in which case it must incorporate the entitlement to honest information pertaining to prognosis and diagnosis.
Another set of ethics that are controversial in long-term care are beneficence and non-maleficence. Beneficence revolves around balancing the benefits that come with a certain treatment against the costs and risks that the treatment poses. Non-maleficence, on the other hand, revolves around avoidance of causing harm. Non-maleficence implies that the benefits of a certain treatment must supersede the harm, considering that every treatment involves a certain degree of harm (White & Truax, 2007). However, it is worth noting that respect for these two principles may in some circumstances mean failure to respect an individual’s autonomy, which is also an ethic in long-term care. For instance, a patient may have take on a certain form of treatment so as to hinder the development of another serious health problem (White & Truax, 2007). This treatment may be painful, uncomfortable, as well as unpleasant but may be less harmful to the patient than failure to take it. In instances where the patient does not have the legal competence to come up with a decision, the medical staff is required to act in the patient’s best interests through considering the two principles (White & Truax, 2007). It would, however, be helpful for the physicians if the patient had made a directive in advance. Even in such instances, however, problems arise in cases where the advance directive is in conflict of what the physician may see as the patient’s best interests, especially in instances where there is no clarity as to whether the individuals would still have chosen the same directive that he or she had made (MacCullough, 1995). This was the situation in a case where a doctor carried out blood transfusion to a woman who would otherwise had not survived. Unfortunately, the woman had a directive that her religion does not allow blood transfusion, in which case she successfully sued the physician (White & Truax, 2007). While it may be thought that catering for the patient’s best interests is the in-thing, the last few decades have seen a change in focus towards autonomy for the patient, with the patient or resident obtaining an active role in decisions pertaining to his or her treatment.
Autonomy is also one of the controversial ethics in long-term care. This ethic is based on an individual’s capacity to direct his life in line with rational principles. Autonomous individuals are seen as ends to themselves considering that they are able to determine their destiny, which essentially has to be respected. The concept of respecting the patients’ autonomy revolves around the capacity of an individual to think, make a decision, as well as act based on that decision and thought in an independent and free manner (Kayser-Jones et al, 2003). This concept is to be exercised as long as the action would not harm other people. Scholars note, that the patient is morally entitled to refuse medical treatment and the physician has to refrain from making any intervention against the wishes of the patient. In the past, it was believed that the prevention of individuals from harming themselves in cases where their action is not fully informed is acceptable. Today, autonomous decision is seen as on that is made without undue pressure by a competent individual who knows and understands the relevant information required for making such a decision. Self determination has been a fundamental principle in long-term care and the general healthcare sector (Buppert, 2004). It has been gradually moving towards a considerably individualistic and client-centered approach rather than the paternalistic approach. In this case, the patient plays a considerably more active role in his wellbeing and health, taking responsibility for their decisions, as well as bearing the consequences of their choices (Kayser-Jones et al, 2003). Some scholars, however, think that autonomy should be relegated to the sidelines. For instance, as much as the Danish Council of Ethics acknowledges the importance of allowing individuals to be responsible for their own lives and decisions, it notes that personal autonomy is founded on extreme individualism, a viewpoint that eliminates the focus from the fact that individuals are influenced and are dependent on other people. Every person is a product of his interactions with other people and history (Kayser-Jones et al, 2003). In essence, self-determination and autonomy, while protecting the patients from abuse and allowing them to be active in making decisions pertaining to their health, have to be incorporated alongside other principles such as community and equity, as well as the common good.
Needless to say, ethical issues such as self-determination and autonomy, confidentiality, beneficence and non-malfeasance, and truth-telling are quite controversial. The key issue remains that most of them are always contradicting with each other. For example, the principles of non-malfeasance and beneficence sometimes may contradict with patient’s autonomy. A physician is supposed to do everything to the best interests of the patient, yet, the autonomy of the patient would limit such action (Buppert, 2004). Telling the truth is crucial in strengthening trust between the patient and the physician, yet some patients especially in long-term care may be suffering from ailments whose knowledge may jeopardize their lives. In any case, the code of ethics does not spell out the extent to which such truth should be disclosed (Harrington & Carrillo, 1999). These contradictions can only be eliminated through examining the most beneficial course of action to the patient. As much as long-term care patients may be entitled to their own autonomy, medical practitioners must act in line with the best interests of the patient. This would also apply to the case of non-malfeasance and beneficence, where the best interests of the patient would be considered. As much as it is imperative that the patient makes an informed decision, most scholars have underlined the fact that most of them do not want to know or even they do not have the capacity to comprehend this information. Healthcare practitioners should gauge the willingness of the patient to hear this information, as well as their capacity to comprehend the same before disclosing.
In conclusion, ethics form a fundamental aspect in the provision of healthcare. In long-term care, varied codes of ethics are outlined in an effort to enhance the quality of service offered to patients. However, these ethics sometimes seem to contradict each other. For example, physicians are required to act in the best interests of the patient by the principle of beneficence and non-malfeasance, something that may sometimes contradict the patient’s autonomy. This is the same case for truth-telling, as well as self-determination. While there may be varied views are expressed, I think that leaving the decision to one party would be imperative as long as the best interests of the patient are considered.
References
White, B. S., & Truax, D. (2007). The nurse practitioner in long-term care: Guidelines for clinical practice. Sudbury, Mass. ; Toronto: Jones and Bartlett.
Buppert, C (2004). The Nurse Practitioner’s business Practice and Legal Guide (2nd Ed.) Gaithersburg MD: Jones &Bartlett
Harrington, C & Carrillo, H (1999). The Regulation and Enforcement of Federal Nursing Home Standards, 1991-1997. Medical Care Research and Review, 56, 471-494
Kayser-Jones, J., Schell, E, Lyons, W., Kris, A.E., Cha, J., Beard, R.L (2003). Factors that influence end-of-life care in nursing homes: the Physical Environment, Inadequate Staffing, and Lack of Supervision. The Gerontologist, 43 (Spec No 2)
MacCullough, L. B. (1995). Long-term care decisions: Ethical and conceptual dimensions. Baltimore [u.a.: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press.
Pratt, J. R. (2004). Long-term care: Managing across the continuum. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett.
Agich, G. J. (1993). Autonomy and long-term care. New York: Oxford Univ. Press.
Ethical issues in global business
Ethical issues in global business
Name
Institution
Course
Tutor
Date
Introduction
As stated by Martens (2004), regardless of the similarities in the approaches of various countries’ companies to business ethics, basic dissimilarities are evident in every aspect of each country’s ethic programs. This has resulted to various similar programs initiated by different countries. This report seeks to explain various business ethical issues in Europe (Spain). The report elaborates on the areas where each country may have, and strength and their weakness to deal with ethical issues.
Case study of ethical issues in Europe (Spain)
As stated by Martens (2004), it is not possible to say that there exists a unified business ethics concept in Europe since there is a diversity of various practices among nationwide cultures. Nonetheless, in a summary of the significant approaches in European business ethics, a general distinction holds between academic business, ethics, and the corporate social responsibility movement in various European countries for instance Spain (Martens, 2004).
As mentioned by Webley (2004), in Europe and Spain especially, business ethics is connected to general society standards. The business community in Spain promotes the best principles of practice. Kelleher (2004) emphasizes that the business ethics is becoming more powerful as corporations, citizens, and even government are starting to understand the significant of moral business practices in the society. According to Kelleher (2004), in Spain bribery occurrences and money laundering indicates significant concerns and the government has enforced various strict laws and adopted ethics programs. In summary, Webley (2004) notes that local and international companies presently have an enhanced interest in dealing with ethics in business and especially dealing with corruption.
Apart from the country’s strength in dealing with ethical matters, Webley (2004), there are various weaknesses. First, as stated by Toffler (2004), many business leaders do not recognize the importance of having ethics policies in their companies. Secondly, Toffler (2004) adds that lack of attention given to the moral code related matters of medium-sized and smaller companies is another area of worry. There is a hypothesis that all private-sectors act similarly of experience similar problems. As a matter of fact, nearly 95% of the companies in Spain is composed of fewer than 50 employees they give the majority of the jobs (Webley, 2004). It is surprising that the differences between the small and influential companies have not been broadly acknowledged regarding ethical behaviors. Finally, as stated by Webley (2004), a weak point is seen in the value basis of various commercial ethics programs. Research has indicated that given value terms like fairness and trust happen again in the mission statements or prefaces to organization codes (Martens, 2004).
In his recommendations, Kelleher (2004) states that even though various companies in Spain have been able to deal with business ethics, the government ought to have improved educational opportunities to enhanced public knowledge. Kelleher (2004) further emphases that the workforce needs to be familiarized with business dilemmas and the way they ought to conduct themselves in the workplace and outside.
Kelleher (2004) states that former social mores have been entrenched in Europe for quite a time, though the Western business ethics concept is still an emerging discipline in the whole Europe. The interest in business ethics and business practices trainings has been increasing in various European countries and specifically referring to Spain for the last ten years (Kelleher, 2004). According to Webley (2004), the weight is gradually moving from academia, where intellectuals have been learning business ethics theory, into the normal business setting. The new sense of significance can be contributed by various factors.
In 1997, European economic meltdown resulted to governmental reforms founded on anticorruption actions (Webley, 2004). The reliance on overseas direct investment required companies to enhance transparency and make better their commercial governance systems. As well, a rise in the quantity of business done globally has resulted to rise in consumer activism, making complicated consumers who are dissecting business practices more (Webley, 2004). Various European governments and especially Spain is enacting accounting improvements to minimize devastating consequences of the past corporate scandals. Even though, the future impacts of the improvements are not clear, the reforms are noteworthy in Spain. In some European countries, Spain inclusive, enactment of anticorruption laws is not consistent and politicians do circumvent or ignore regulation of the government (Toffler, 2004).
As stated by Kelleher (2004), majority of Spain business training programs give general information on business ethics and include explanations of the topic relevance. Furthermore, as stated by Toffler (2004), various organizations are starting to give issue-related training designed for given departments or functions. To achieve the full understanding of business ethics importance, organization in Spain have frequent communications regarding the topic and change the medium through which the information is passed (Kelleher, 2004). For instance, companies can include references to various businesses conduct in organization’s newsletters, messages and even staff meetings (Toffler, 2004).
There are various methods that can be used to enhance business ethics in Spain and other countries. For the business ethics to become established in Spain and other countries, there need various reforms within various organizations. First, on a national level, government needs to enforce various regulatory bodies. The police force has to follow normal procedures in dealing with crime and corruption. Anti- corruption committees have to publish reports that identify law breakers and prohibit them from public bidding. Secondly, the self-owned businesses should make a greater effort make codes of conduct, give business ethics training to its workforce, and monitor workforce behavior (Webley, 2004). Thirdly, learning efforts are fundamental suppose business ethics is to be successful in Spain and other countries. Functions like round tables, conferences and seminars, ought to be continuously conducted to boost ethical standards and objectives. Additionally, not for profit organizations ought to have regularly made business ethics information freely available (Toffler, 2004).
In conclusion, today’s business arena is one that requires the upholding of ethics especially if an organization is to attain a competitive advantage and be effective in all that they do (Colson, 1996). Employees of every organization and institution normally have a code of ethics by which they must abide to if they are to be part of that organization. The code of ethics is normally used by organizations as guides for acceptable and ethical behavior among other things (Kelleher, 2004). In their day to day lives, employees are normally faced with a number of ethical challenges of which they must deal with. With such challenges, Reynolds and Phillips (2005) state that employees must employ ethical standards as guidelines to solving whatever dilemmas that may arise.
Diversification in the global market
Wright (2007) defines globalization as a term used to describe the process by which the world economics, societies, and cultures have been integrated in a global network of network communication, transportation, polity and trade. Essentially, the term is used to describe the global economic integration where various national economies have been integrated to become one international economy through various aspects including trade, capital flows, foreign direct investments, migration and the spread of technology (Wells et al., 2001). In essence, the concept of globalization is supported by all facets of life including economic, socio-cultural, technology, political, and even biological factors. It is through business globalization that business gaining ‘California’ Syndrome.
The number of multinational and transnational companies is on the rise due to changes in business dynamics and an increase in pressure on businesses to diversify their operations and make the most out of opportunities in far away nations (Carlson, 2006). Every company strains to get a greater market share and be innovative. Competition has also had substantial impacts on the marketing of any company’s product. Companies still feel immense pressure to ensure that they redesign their operations so as to make the most out of the available opportunities (Wright, 2007). The level of competition faced by international Companies is high which had led to increased emphasis on the strategies that they can use to improve its positioning in various market segments. As stated by Wiedmann (2005), it is through innovation that a can produce a new product in the market and hence capture a greater market value.
To be able to recognize the values as well as rules that are essential to a secure and just world, and to be able to benefit from global and innovative market, operation managers are to improve global politics (Maheswaran and Yi, 2006). According to the two scholars, markets of International level offer a varied range of opportunities for firms that have products together with services which are in high demand. The newness, the nature of attractiveness, cultural adaptation as well as the suitable marketing strategies that are being put into practice by various companies can assist a vast deal. Geisler (2003) asserts that to be able to assess the potentiality of the market a firm will seek to identify the summative demand for a given product and be able to relate it with the introduction of the product and its distribution. The growth in terms of population provides a coarse estimate of the anticipated future market potentials (Raggio and Leone, 2009).
Companies are required to deliver a strong sales growth coupled with margin expansion and at the same time embrace their revised strategy of coming up with brands that are unique in their own way (Carlson, 2006). As stated by Roehm and Brady (2007), this leads to the creation of scale advantage through horizontal integration, creation of a strong structure of business globalization and commercialization of innovations. Making a balance between globalization as well as localization is one of the key challenges in the international market. In general terms, the closer the definition of the market segment, the less essential are the national stereotypes (Carlson, 2006). Within the national market, according to Carlson (2006), there exists a trend towards higher levels of greater similarities on the specifications of the product, price and packaging. Conversely, Taylor (2005) argues that cultural as well as national differences exist and need a high level of flexibility in terms of communication with clients.
Though competition with local businesses is one of the reasons for the high levels of competition faced by international companies, both have an influence on the strategies that are adopted at national levels (Taylor, 2005). Furthermore, international businesses are responsible for nearly 60% of global trade volume which implies that their performance may affect national economies and influence global economic trends (Raggio, & Leone, 2009). It is imperative on individual businesses and researchers to come up with strategies through which local and international businesses can strategize their operations such that they aid improvement of global economic conditions and their profitability and so the business plan (Taylor, 2005).
Many international companies have adopted extensive branding strategies to help improve their brand image and sustain their operations during economic hard times (Taylor, 2005). A critical review of branding reveals that it is a strategy that is commonly used in markets so as to create awareness on a product, develop a unique image of a product and help improve loyalty to product (Taylor et al., 2009). The uncertainty that has gripped the international market due to market shocks has forced various companies to review their operations and come up with clear roadmaps to improving market of sunlight product (Raggio, & Leone, 2009). Furthermore, extensive branding strategies at the international marketplace are being driven by an increase in the number of players at both national and international level that compete with international companies. It is important to understand the requirements in branding and the brand development process. This should be while injecting creativity and innovation in developing brands remain a critical requirement for international businesses in strengthening their operations (Carlson, 2006).
The increased use of celebrity endorsements amongst businesses and strengthening of corporate social responsibility strategies are seen as direct efforts by local and international businesses aimed at improving and maintaining their brand images (Raggio, & Leone, 2009). Evidently, innovation plays a crucial role in determining the overall gains that an international business will make. The multiple challenges faced by international businesses which include; having to operate in different markets segments, varying cultures, and complex business models and differing expectations by organizational stakeholders may hamper and complicate the brand development and branding processes (Wiedmann, 2005). The geographical diversification of business operations may also affect coordination of branding and brand development activities (Raggio, & Leone, 2009).
In summary, every business strives to gain ‘California Syndrome’ through various strategies. It is however important to note that due to the changing technology and customer preferences plus competitors businesses are to redesign their competition strategies.
Academic reflection
Basing on the report presented, it is worthwhile noting that the success of the business organization is dependent on the proper decision making models. This is because it will aid in solving the most prevalent problems that are usually experienced in the business organizations. It will also weigh the advantages and cons that may be associated with the implementation of certain decisions (Wiedmann, 2005). The study pints out that for success of an organization proper business ethics has to be maintained. Proficient decision making strategies are essential for the success of a business or company. Decision making depends on both internal and external factors affecting an organization and so the importance of studying business ethics.
This is also one of the imperative stages that researchers recommend being followed. However, most individuals and organizations tend to ignore this pivotal stage and eventually end up incurring losses as a result of lack of the attainment of their set goals (Carlson, 2006). Though it is difficult to ascertain all the facts needed in order to take a decision, it is significant to note that without proper search for “some” of the facts will lead to the failure in the attainment of the organization’s set objectives. The organization’s activities are usually carried out timely, and this has an insinuation that the facts should also be allocated a specified period so that they can be processed within the limits of the time given and facilitate the measurement of the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization under question (Sanders, 1999). In the collection of the facts and the requirements that the solution should meet; which is the decision in this case, there is the need to evaluate the objectives of the firm in relation to the intended decision to be made (Bateman and Snell, 2007). This will aid in the analysis or evaluation and comparison with the other available alternatives that can be used.
This stage is crucial, especially in an organization as it involves consultations with individuals or the shareholders who will be affected by the choice of the decision to be undertaken. This is pivotal because by seeking input or suggestions from the share holders will not merely aid in giving necessary information but also will act as an initial step in their acceptance of the implementation of the decision (Johnson and Turner, 2003). Essentially this is the core phase of the decision making that the firm should adopt in the process of seeking and gaining consensus in the implementation of the necessary decisions (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2008). Involving the arguments and suggestions from all the concerned parties makes them feel they are part of the decision making process. This reduces chances of aggression and lobbying of the complaints in case the postulated solutions that are finally implemented backfire or fails to meet the set goals. This is an art of problem solving which is usually attained through better decision making and implementation process and reduces aggression in the organization (Stamatis, 2002).
Proper planning and management of the business organizations results in the attainment of the organization’s set missions or objectives (Ricks, 2006). However, the attainment of the set goals is dependent on the decisions taken by the management of business. The study is significant as it points out the strategies employed by Spain in dealing with business ethics. This should be done in accordance with the laws or guidelines that are set so as to have mutual consent or consensus before the implementation of the decisions (Sanders, 1999). From this account, it can be deduced that the proper management of the business operations where by every individual is given a chance to express his or her state of the mind as far as the decisions of the business organization are concerned (Wiedmann, 2005).
With the varying needs of the companies and the dynamic changes in both the structural and organizational structures of the firms, the leaders of the organizations are supposed to be endorsed with the necessary practical and theoretical data. They can also be endorsed by information on the best strategies to be implemented in the conduct of the business activities (Bateman and Snell, 2004). For instance, decision making which is a key factor to any event or action that is to be undertaken. Consideration should be taken that the decisions taken and implemented by the management of the business organization can only be functional and lead to the attainment of the objectives set, this will yield to the mutual satisfaction of the share holder’s demands and thus the firm will be managed without any qualms (Bateman and Snell, 2007).
The study of business ethics in Spain does not only help its organizations in managing business ethic but other countries as well. The recommendation provided for Spain is applicable in almost every organization form Spain and other countries and thus the significance of the study. References
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