Download MGMT200Ethical Values and UniversalismAmerican Military Univ and more Lecture notes Accounting in PDF only on Docsity! MGMT200 Ethical Values and Universalism American Military University MGMT200: Ethics Fundamentals Abstract As a manager, it is critical that one understands ethical values and universalism within a workplace. Ethical values are used to determine the best course of action while in universalism, the end justifies the means. Understanding ethical values and universalism can help a company succeed in more ways than one. This essay will define ethical values and universalism. I will discuss why the two topics interests me most when it comes to being a manager. I will then proceed to discuss how each ethical topic relate to the Enron Company scandal of 2001 which was a real-life situation where unethical actions were done by the company because all the company focused on was gaining profit. Making unethical decisions can cause an organization’s failure. This is why it is important for an organization and the leaders and managers within it to understand ethics when it comes to helping the organization succeed. Ethical Values and Universalism Ethical value signifies the degree of importance of something to determine the best course of action. Ethical values are essential in an organization because they guide and define how organizations need to operate. There are recommended core ethical values that should be observed in every organization. The ethical values include integrity, honesty, fidelity, charity, responsibility, self-discipline, among other values (Driscoll, McIsaac, & Wiebe, 2019). On the other hand, universalism infers that it is possible to apply generalized norms, concepts, and values regardless of the prevailing conditions. Universalism in ethics is a concept whereby the ethical implications of action apply to people regardless of the circumstance that they are in (Blomqvist & Winblad, 2019). In ethical universalism, the end justifies the means. Ethical values in an organization are essential in the operations of the organization. The values help organizations in dealing with ethical dilemmas that arise in the organization. Applying ethical values will also eliminate behaviors that may be seen as wrong and detrimental to the people involved with the organization. Ethical values also give directions to how organizations treat the people that are associated with them. The organizations will always seek to operate in the best way possible to ensure that all the parties are satisfied. Ethical universalism is also essential to organizations, and they need to be adhered to. The concept states that the ethical implications of actions apply to any person in society, regardless of the prevailing circumstances. A system that determines the implications of an action needs to be defined so that ethical universalism may be applicable (Driscoll, McIsaac, & Wiebe, 2019). An example of ethical universalism is about human rights. As much as we advocate for all humans to have rights, the rights ought to be the same and applicable to everyone in the same measure. Why Ethical Values and Universalism Interests Me In studying ethical values and universalism, I find the topics interesting because they talk about the values people need to adhere to in organizations. Universalism advocating that every person is responsible for their actions is also essential to study how organizations operate and conduct their activities. People need to understand that they will be accountable for whatever they get involved with. Unethical behaviors are a norm in most organizations, but the organizations try as hard as possible to ensure that they are ethical towards the people and organizations that they associate with.
