Assignment 1: Discussion—Ethics in Business
Tim Smith is purchasing a business named Underground Shoes
and Accessories near Lutz, Florida. The business has had several brushes with
the law during the past few years, dealing with claims of false advertising and
wrongful termination of employees. As a result, Smith is concerned about the
ethical culture of the firm.
In this assignment, you will review the concept of ethics
discussed in this module to critically evaluate the existing or potential
ethical problems in Smith’s business and help him propose solutions to
eliminate the problems.
Tasks:
Respond to the following points:
What specific techniques could Smith use to increase the
emphasis on business ethics when he takes control of the firm? Explain.
What, in your opinion, can be done to improve the human
resource management (HRM) of the firm, to avoid future legal problems?
STUDENT RESPONSE:
What specific techniques could Smith use to increase the
emphasis on business ethics when he takes control of the firm? Explain.
Business ethics is very important when it comes to working
in today’s business climate because as being more successful than the
competition becomes the primary focus, more people feel the pressure to act
unethically to get the wanted results. It is extremely important in Smith’s
case to set clear expectations and lead by example. Employees must continuously
be reminded of the importance of using ethics in the workplace by incorporating
an ethics section into the employee handbook and also into training modules.
This helps to keep them focused on doing what is right because they are aware
of the consequences when it comes to making ethical decisions. Smith must walk
the walk and lead by example because employees will watch their leaders in an
effort to model their behavior. If they see the leader acting in ways that are
unethical, they will think the behavior is acceptable.
What, in your opinion, can be done to improve the human
resource management (HRM) of the firm, to avoid future legal problems?
I think it is very important for the firm to establish
policies for ethical conduct in the workplace. These rules should be consistent
at all levels in the organization, and there should be disciplinary actions in
place for employees who violate any of the rules. Managers should be trained so
they have a firm understanding of the policies because this will increase their
ability to lead by example as well as train employees. This will ensure that
everyone within the firm are acting consistently and in compliance with the
policies in place.
