Words: 1521
There are many types of ethics and many ways to incorporate practices to enforce ethics as well as punish violators Of ethics acquirement. Two categories of ethics that are similar yet different are ethics in Corporate America and ethics in the United States Army. First, we need to understand what ethics are in these different environments. Ethics contributes to the learning what is right or wrong. “Doing the right thing is not as straight forward as conveyed in a great deal of business ethics literature” (Mascara, C. 2003, 6). When most people think of ethics (or morals), they think of rules for distinguishing between right and wrong, such as the Golden Rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”), a code of repressions conduct like the Hippocratic Oath (“First of all, do no harm”), a religious creed like the Ten Commandments (thou Shall not kill… “), or a wise aphorisms like the sayings of Confucius. This is the most common way of defining “ethics”: norms for conduct that distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behavior” (Resins, 2011).
However, the Military Code Of Ethics is simply and clear cut where every member is instinctively capable of doing what is right. Engaging in what feels good for the moment rather choosing conduct based on moral definitions of right or wrong. When personal ethics are lacking the consistency of laws must be established. The Business ethics concept have many different meanings to different people. It really boils down to knowing what is right or wrong in the workplace. Simply put, doing the right thing in the workplace (Mascara, C. 003, 8 ‘According to Carter Mascara, business ethics is summarized into “Two Broad Areas of Business Ethics” defined as managerial mischief and moral mazes. ” (Mascara, C. 2003, 10). The first discussion will be managerial mischief. “Madsen and Shaft, in their book “Essentials of Business Ethics” (Penguin Books, 1 990) further explain that “managerial mischief’ includes “illegal, unethical, or questionable practices of individual managers or organizations as well as the causes of such behaviors and remedies to eradicate them” (Mascara, C. 2003, 10). Business ethics is merely teaches the basics of what is wrong and right.
Business ethics is a matter of dealing with situations that have no clear indication of what is wrong or right. Moral mazes of management include the many ethical situations that managers deal with daily. The wrongful use Of resources and mismanagement Of contracts and agreements, potential conflicts of interest, etc. Cause many problems in the workplace. Case Study #1 – Contract Conflict of Interests The following case study shows a potential “conflict of interest” on a contract, and shows how an organization handled identifying and resolving the conflict in a positive way.
Alan Rose is a Senior Logistics Analyst with Dynamic Research Corporation, a company that provides logistics analysis as one of its key services. He is currently under contract to support the Joint Strike Fighter (SF) Program Office performing simulation and analysis of all logistical assets to include Supply, Manpower, and Support Equipment. His company has been under the same general contract for several years. In the last year, the prime contractor has determined there is a requirement to build a separate simulation tool, which will support their supply and supply chain management analysis.
This will be separate from the work done under the general contract. The SF Program Office had established a new contract and ??lan’s company won this contract. The contract required that both teams remain separated and not share data or information. The first attempt at isolating the teams had the first group of analyst move their office from one floor of the building to the other. However, for contract/legal purposes this was not a complete solution.
The result determined that the first team would be relocated from their new office location to another company building located several miles away. Ethics in the Military “Military ethics is rooted in three So: owing, ordering, and shouting. “(Toner, 2003, 4) “Military ethics is about knowing whom and what we owe. Military ethics cannot properly exist without the concept Of owing. If we know why we owe what we do, we are able to recognize the obligation, responsibility, and duty that give us a rise to moral thinking and ethical reasoning.
This is an understanding of my moral indebtedness to those who have given me life and learning. “By not having a sense of owing, I am little more than a self-indulgent child, of whom we say, quite properly, that “he has no sense of responsibility” (Toner, 2003, 5 “Neither can military ethics properly exist without the concept of ordering. I refer, instead, to moral structuring and ethical priorities. In the movie A Few Good Men, a Marine lance corporal tells his lawyers that the “code” based upon “unit, corps, God, country” (Toner, 2003).
However, he has it all wrong. “In fact, many illegal activities or stupid mistakes in the military services are the result of leaders’ failures to give the correct order. ” (Toner, 2003, 6). The orders are, in some cases interpreted to fit the moment. The three Or’s that follow are the guidelines to shouting, but the key for military ethics is this: What certain units do may not be the same thing as what they ought to do or what other units do. Take things in the 82nd Airborne Division versus things in a regular unit that is not airborne.
Ethics are different which leads most people to say that the 82nd Airborne Division is a army within the army. Therefore, sometimes lead to tension between the demands Of authority in the military and the demands Of ethical judgment. “so we have here not just what is (which is might and power or the man made or positive law) but also what ought to be (which is right or ethics or the natural or moral law) some things we cannot deny knowing. Anyone of normal mental and moral placement must understand certain things (such as knowing that the slaughter of the innocent is wrong)” (Toner, 2003, 9).
The following case study, which shows a military ethical conflict in a case where one individual misused the military leave policy. As a Supervisor, my husband was responsible for the day-to-day operations of approximately 22 personnel. Some Of the duties that he was responsible for included, shift scheduling, monitoring appointments, and administering the leave of Soldiers to ensure that his day to day operations would still flow properly. When Soldiers were repairing for leave they had to ensure that they put their request in a timely manner which was usually no less than two weeks.
The first day Of leave was the day a person left the local area. If an individual forecast to start his or her leave on a Monday, he or she is required to remain in the local area until that day unless they were a Sergeant First Class or above. The case in hand had a young Soldier who had forecast his leave to start the day after a 3-day weekend. I must add that if there is a 3-day weekend the Soldier have to Come to work one day before starting his/her leave. Instead of waiting until his actual start date to leave, he left on the Friday evening before.
On his return from leave 2 weeks later, he filed his leave paperwork and listed his first day of leave as Tuesday even though he knew it was incorrect. This was against military regulations. Several Soldiers were well aware that this Soldier had incorrectly documented his paperwork. The platoon Leader and the Soldiers first line supervisor confronted him about the issue. At first, he denied leaving the area early but then finally admitted; he left early and filed a false leave statement. Because of his actions, he subsequently appeared before the Company commander for disciplinary action.
Do to his choice to violate the leave policy; the Soldier was found guilty and was gave non-judicial punishment. Although his actions did not affect the mission as a whole, the Soldier knew he was wrong for leaving early. Corporate and Military ethics have some of the same characteristics but also some very different characteristics as well. Corporate ethics are those ethics determined by day- to-day operations and a need to attain financial stability. Military ethics are hose ethics determined by the need to maintain discipline and a cohesive unit.
Conclusion Ethics are the ability to do something, based on what an individual knows is right or wrong. Corporate ethics are those, which are established and implemented by the need to maintain a profit and not necessarily always documented. Military ethics are those determined more by the need to maintain discipline and cohesiveness in an organization and generally documented to provide specific guidance. No matter what the root cause Of Ethics in Business or the Military, most ethical conflicts came to leaning with contracts and agreements between themselves and their customers or their employees.