Ethics has been the subject of research for more than 2,500 years, since the time of Socrates and Plato. While many ethicists now view emerging ethical beliefs as values that guide how one should behave, many philosophers view ethics as the “science of behavior.” The duration of the ethical code over time has changed in perception, although recent academics and practitioners continue to place a high value on ethics in the organization, perhaps higher values than ever before.
Organizational ethics are norms that govern the behavior of an organization. These standards can apply directly to an organization, or even to an industry as a whole. Codes of ethics are considered by many organizational leaders to be the most effective way to encourage ethical organizational behavior. A leader must establish, communicate, and support such a code through the overall climate of her organization.
It is the expectation of ethical behavior that often means a broader standard. According to Schermerhorn, Hunt & Osborn (2000), “Ethical behavior conforms not only to the dictates of the law but also to a broader moral code that is common to society as a whole.” The social code of conduct usually parallels written laws, but sometimes the ethical code of a section of humanity can simply be instilled invisibly through generations of teaching and preaching.
Review of “Organizational Behavior” by Schermerhorn, Hunt & Osborn
As an authority, author and researcher Hunt Schermerhorn made a connection between moral and amoral behavior in an organization through an ethical focus on the leadership involved. It is very important for leaders to understand that their followers need to better understand their ways of thinking and the behaviors they are likely to adopt when working with others.
Summary of Schermerhorn’s Understanding
Schermerhorn’s general definition of understanding was: “Ethical behavior conforms not only to the dictates of the law but also to a larger moral code that is common to society as a whole.” In one of his private compilations, Schermerhorn, et al. identifies “four ways of thinking about ethical behavior in and by the organization” (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2000).
The utilitarian vision
Utilitarianism derives its meaning from the word utility, and when used to describe a form of ethics, it speaks of an act that is weighed for its moral value. Utilitarian ethical philosophy is opposed to principled philosophies that allow conscience to decide right and wrong. He also opposes philosophies that decide the rightness of an act based on its contribution to the happiness or pleasure of the performer. The total result of this point of view is often measured by the phrase “the greatest good for the greatest number of people.”
The vision of individualism
The ethical philosophy of the Golden Rule arose in the Judeo-Christian tradition, and teaches that everyone should “love his neighbor as himself.” The central tenant of this philosophy is that an individual should be as humane as possible and never harm others through callous actions. Deriving from the individual perspective, Christianity teaches that all people are created in the image and likeness of God and justifies the protection and promotion of human dignity. Various authorities have said that “to be a good person, one must take ethics seriously” (Hausman & McPherson, 1993).
The vision of moral rights
The Absolute Moral Law was a philosophy that emphasized that it is a crucial moral duty that trumps individual desire in the production of a humane society based on reason. This theory argues that what is right is never wrong and must be achieved under any circumstances. Consistency is the key, and once a pattern for an action or idea is determined, all behaviors and beliefs must always be applied accordingly.
It was in the late 1970s that a vision of ethics emerged that left no place for them in the business world. It was shown, over time, that “business ethics served a necessary social and business function” and through this understanding, public opinion has largely embraced, developed and integrated business ethics into most corporations ( DeGeorge, 2000).
The sight of justice
This philosophy was developed to give an alternative perspective to utilitarianism and was also called the veil of ignorance. Under this point of view, all people are equal; therefore, no class of people is entitled to unique advantages over others. Usually stresses the importance of moral argument, especially in political thought.
Relation of the ethical code of my organization with the vision of Schermerhorn
My organization’s code of ethics speaks of discipline with a business ethic that tends to produce great results. This belief is more in line with the Moral Rights view expressed by popular author John R. Schermerhorn, (et al.), a leading authority on the study of ethics and ethical behavior.
Similarly, just as today’s business leaders manage diversity, not only because it “makes business sense as a strategic imperative” but also because it also addresses legal and moral issues (Schermerhorn, Hunt & Osborn, 2000). .
I believe that my organization’s code of ethics subscribes to the particular vision of Moral Rights, because issues relating to moral rights and duties between the company, its contractors and its shareholders are the driving forces that “guarantee the delivery of products and quality services to the combatant”. .
Leader Responsibilities and Privileges
Leaders will often have special relationships with an internal group of assistants and subordinates, who gain high levels of responsibility and access to resources. Ingroup characteristics often include empathy, patience, sensitivity, and responsibility. Employees within the group work harder, are more committed to task goals, and share more administrative duties. In return, they are expected to be fully committed and loyal to their leader. They are mostly considered the trusted associations of the leader.
Leadership skills impact vision, organizational effectiveness, and strategy. Examining and comparing key aspects of the Leader-Member Exchange (LME) theory revealed the responsibilities and privileges of leaders (their use, authority, and power), providing an opportunity to Think strategically and holistically about leadership.
“The changing demographics of today’s workforce make diversity management a key strategic issue for organizations. The current research premise is that leadership, specifically, inclusive forms of leadership, is critical to successfully leveraging diverse human capital. In addition to the moral argument for developing an inclusive work environment, the results of this research suggest that inclusive leaders can also help the bottom line” (Nishii & Mayer, 2009).
Expected ethical decision-making process
The process of leading others can begin by sharing the vision and strategy with everyone in the organization. The strategy can focus on the areas of change; For example, a change in the dress code or the work environment can initiate a cultural change that can introduce an ethical philosophy into the picture. This chain of events regularly influences the decision-making processes of today’s American organizational leaders. Since leaders regularly face crises, they must practice ethical and moral decision-making and consider the needs of employees, customers, stakeholders, shareholders, and even the community.
Consideration of gender issues in leadership
Women versus men as leaders is a trap 22, at best. Most authorities are subject to the same diversity, ethics, and gender issues that leadership must succumb to and manage. Thus, the most frequently cited studies claim that their research conclusion shows that male and female leaders are equally effective. Still, women are less likely to be shortlisted as leaders, and followers often rate the same leadership behavior better for men than for women (Kolb, J. 1997, p 504).
Regardless of researchers’ support or opposition to gender theories of organizational development, sexuality continues to influence organizational control, and organizational leaders must accept its role in organizational growth. Leaders can help foster gender sensitivity within their companies. Organizational leaders will need to assess their environments and stay on top of developments affecting ever-changing gender-related concerns.
Brief review of culture
Leaders must deal with two important cultural aspects on a daily basis: organizational culture and cultural diversity. Applying a “multidimensional assessment” (Ruiz-Palomino & Martínez-Cañas, 2014) and carefully adopting strategies to manage this type of culture has an important place in today’s workforce. Organizational culture is a unifying force that strongly appeals to the entire organization and is the sum total of the organizational image. With more and more organizations going global, cultural diversity is quickly becoming commonplace in most organizations.
Possible obstacles that gender can have in effective leadership
Many of the traditional ways of talking and thinking about leadership can continue to mask the strengths that women bring to succeed as leaders. The results of some studies show that with or without early professional support, women have made extraordinary achievements in their respective fields. What is important to keep in the mind of leadership is that it is the leaders’ own tenacity and optimism that plays a significant role in their achievements; any other features, especially visible ones, are secondary and generally irrelevant.
References
From George, R. (2000). Business ethics and the challenge of the information age. Business Ethics Quarterly, 10(1), p. 63-72.
Hausman, D. & McPherson, M. (June 1993). Taking Ethics Seriously: Economics and Contemporary Moral Philosophy. Journal of Economic Literature, (31)2 (June 1993), p. 671-731;
Kolb, J. (1997). Are we still stereotyping leadership? Small Group Research, 28(3), 370-371.
Kouzes, J. & Posner, B. (2008). Leadership Challenge (4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc. (Wiley).
Nishii, L. & Mayer, D. (2009). Do inclusive leaders help reduce turnover in diverse groups? The moderating role of the leader-member exchange in the diversity-turnover relationship. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(6), 1412-1426. Retrieved from the Business Source Premier database.
Northhouse, P. (2007). Leadership: Theory and Practice (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks: Wise Publications, Inc.
Ruiz-Palomino, P., & Martínez-Cañas, R. (2014). Ethical culture, ethical intention, and organizational citizenship behavior: the moderating and mediating role of person-organization fit. Business Ethics Magazine, 120(1), 95-108.
Schermerhorn, Jr., Hunt, J., & Osborn, R. (2000). Organizational behavior. (7th ed.). NY: John Wiley and Sons Inc. Retrieved December 13, 2009 from Argosy Online L7101 XB: Foundations in Leadership Document Sharing and http://www.amazon.com/Organizational-Behavior-John-R-Schermerhorn/dp/0471681709 #noop