Why Ethical Behavior Is Vital in All Organizations Essay

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Ethical Codes

General Motors

What are the primary strengths and weaknesses of the code?

In the General Motors (GM) Code of Conduct (COC) it is clear "Who" must adhere to the COC (GM, 2016). This code has strength because "consultants, agents, sales representatives, distributors, independent contractors and contract workers" are expected to follow the COC (GM, p. 5).

Since ethics means "doing the right thing at all times" (chron.com) another positive COC aspect is in the "Equal Employment Opportunity" section: GM mentions federal laws pertaining to discrimination on page 6. Employees may not discriminate against another worker based on "age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation" (GM, p. 6) These categories are standard; but GM also includes "gender identity," which is worthy of praise in a time when several states have passed legislation allowing / promoting discrimination (i.e., so-called "bathroom laws") against transgender citizens.

One potential weakness in the COC relates to "gifts" and "entertainment" of value to "non-U.S. government officials" (GM, p. 12). GM of course has manufacturing plants around the globe; let's say GM wanted to expand its manufacturing plant in Nigeria. If a local city councilman met for coffee with a GM manager, and they decided to stay for lunch and the manager picked up the tab, would that violate the rule ("you may not give anything at all to a non-U.

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S. government official" without written permission from the Global Ethics and Compliance Center)?

Question #2: How do individuals reconcile ethical conflicts with an organization? Refer to the media tool, "Ethics Diagram."

There is no one way to surround the concept of ethics with sub-topics. New York University surrounds Ethics with "Rules and Regulations," "Values," "Research," "Moral Principles," "Ethical Practices," and "Rules of Conduct" (nyu.edu). The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics (Santa Clara University) claims most discussions of workplace ethical issues " ... take an individualistic approach." They allude to individual rights and the "good of the individual" (scu.edu).

Certainly individuals must come to terms with what is acceptable vis-a-vis their ethical behavior -- or pay the price in penalties (or dismissal). And the reconciliation of a company's code should be thoroughly understood during the hiring process.

But rather than just the individualistic approach to ethical behavior, which many companies focus on, the Markkula Center asserts that "The communal approach ... focuses on the common good." The example given by the Center suggests that….....

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