In this essay we will discuss about ‘Ethics’. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Ethics’ especially written for school and college students.
Essay on Ethics
Essay Contents:
- Essay on the Concept of Ethics
- Essay on the Importance of Ethics
- Essay on the Principles of Ethics
- Essay on the Code of Ethics
- Essay on the Implementation of Ethics in the Workplace
Essay # 1. Concept of Ethics:
Ethics concerns Morals and Philosophy. The study of moral, as contrasted with legal, obligations is called ethics. Ethical rules are not enforced by public authority, whereas legal rules are. Business ethics is the study of the moral problems that confront members of business organizations and others who engage in business transactions.
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One main thing that ethics tells is the plain, everyday honesty Businessmen should not cheat, steal, lie, bribe or take bribes. But nor should anyone else. Men and women do not acquire exemption from ordinary rules of personal behaviour because of their work or job. Nor, however, do they cease to be human beings when appointed vice-president, general manager or chief executive of a firm.
And there has always been a number of people who cheat, Steal, lie, bribe or take bribes. The problem is one of moral values and moral education, of the individual, of the family, of the school they have studied. But there neither is a separate ethics of profession, nor is one needed.
All that is needed is — stiff punishments to those — whether businessmen, professionals or others — who yield to temptation and go against the moral values of life. The ethical environment—which could well be included as an element in the social environment—includes sets of generally accepted and practiced standards of personal conduct.
These standards may or may not be codified by law, but for any group to which they are meant to apply, they sometimes have virtually the force of law. Ethics is a conception of right and wrong conduct. Ethics tells us when our behaviour is moral and when it is immoral.
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Ethics deals with fundamental human relationships—how we think and behave towards others and how we want them to think and behave towards us. Ethical principles are guides to moral behaviour.
For example, in most societies lying, stealing, deceiving, and harming others are considered to be unethical and immoral. Honesty, keeping promises, helping others, and respecting the rights of others are considered to be ethically and morally desirable behaviour.
Such basic rules of behaviour are essential for the preservation and continuation of organized life everywhere. These notions of right and wrong come from many sources. Religious beliefs are a major source of ethical guidance for many.
The family institution—whether two parents, a single parent, or a large family with brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts, cousins, and other kin—imparts a sense of right and wrong to children as they grow up.
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Schools and school teachers, neighbours and neighbourhoods, friends, admired role models, ethnic groups influence what we believe to be right and wrong in life. The totality of these learning experiences creates in each person a concept of ethics, morality and socially acceptable behaviour. This core of ethical beliefs then acts as a moral compass that helps to guide a person when ethical puzzles arise.
In the context of ethics, “Mahatma Gandhi” mentioned the seven ills of the society which should be avoided:
(a) Politics without principle,
(b) Wealth without work,
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(c) Pleasure without conscience,
(d) Knowledge without character,
(e) Science without humanity,
(f) Commerce without morality, and
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(g) Worship without sacrifice.
These statements are particularly true in the context of any profession or any department in the organization and hence is bound to be a wisdom of temptations and allurements and compromises in the form of wine, women, wealth, arts, commission, kickbacks, donations, winding up charges, bribery, fraud, gifts, hospitality, complementaries and entertainment. How we avoid these temptations is a difficult question to answer. But ethics is the first and foremost engine to shape the moral character to its best.
To Conclude:
Ethics represent the eternal and prevalent moral standards, personal values, corporate code of conduct and are generally part of the cultural tradition of a country.
Essay # 2. Importance of Ethics:
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Ethics are a personal set of values used by an individual to guide their actions, and to recognize any obligation. Ethics are not objective, but are subjective to the individual. Ethics are a continuously evolving code of conduct dependent upon circumstances and the life experiences of the individual.
Ethics is a requirement for human life. It is means of deciding a course of action. Without it, actions would be random and aimless. There would be no way to work towards a goal because there would be no way to pick between a limitless numbers of goals.
Ethics should be used to help each people define their life so that they live according to the highest ideals that they, as individuals, prescribe to. Ethics, and an adherence to their ideals, are the guidelines that people use to judge their actions. It is a form of self-measurement of growth, of commitment to the ideals people strive towards.
Ethics should not be used to pit one set of dogmatic beliefs against another. Ethics should not be followed blindly. Nor should societal morals dictate the ethical norms for all individuals.
Essay # 3. Principles of Ethics:
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The following are some ethical principals that various codes address:
1. Honesty.
2. Objectivity.
3. Integrity.
4. Carefulness.
5. Openness.
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6. Respect for Intellectual Property.
7. Confidentiality.
8. Responsible Mentoring.
9. Respect for Colleagues.
10. Social Responsibility.
11. Non-Discrimination.
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12. Competence.
13. Legality.
1. Honesty:
The employees should strive for honesty in all scientific communications. They honestly report data, results, methods and procedures, and publication status. Employees do not deceive colleagues or the public.
2. Objectivity:
The employees should strive to avoid bias in experimental design, data analysis, data interpretation, personnel decisions, and other aspects where objectivity is expected or required.
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3. Integrity:
Another principle of ethics is integrity. The employees should keep their promises and agreements; act with sincerity; strive for consistency of thought and action.
4. Carefulness:
The employees should avoid careless errors and negligence. They should carefully and critically examine their own work and the work of their peers. They should keep good records of research activities, such as data collection, research design etc.
5. Openness:
Openness is another principle of ethics. The employees should share data, results, ideas, tools, resources etc. they should be open to criticism and new ideas.
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6. Respect for Intellectual Property:
The employees should honour patents, copyrights, and other forms of intellectual property. They do not use unpublished data, methods, or results without permission.
7. Confidentiality:
The employees should protect confidential communications, such as papers or grants submitted for publication, personnel records, trade or military secrets, and patient records.
8. Responsible Mentoring:
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The employees should help to educate, mentor, and advise students. They should promote their welfare and allow them to make their own decisions.
9. Respect for Colleagues:
The employees should respect their colleagues and treat them fairly.
10. Social Responsibility:
The employees should strive to promote social good and prevent or mitigate social harms through research, public education, and advocacy.
11. Non-Discrimination:
The employees should avoid discrimination against colleagues or students on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, or other factors that are not related to their scientific competence and integrity.
12. Competence:
The employees should maintain and improve their own professional competence and expertise through lifelong education and learning; take steps to promote competence in science as a whole.
13. Legality:
The employees should know and obey relevant laws and institutional and governmental policies.
Essay # 4. Code of Ethics:
The code of professional ethics is considered to be principles of ethics. These principles are intended to aid members individually and collectively in maintaining a high level of professional conduct. A code of ethics is a set of guidelines, which are designed to set out acceptable behaviours for members of a particular group, association, or profession.
Many organizations govern themselves with a code of ethics, especially when they handle sensitive issues like investments, health care, or interactions with other cultures. In addition to setting a professional standard, a code of ethics can also increase confidence in an organization by showing outsiders that members of the organization are committed to following basic ethical guidelines in the course of doing their work.
A well-written code of ethics will be easy to follow and very clear, with sections that people can point to in order to illustrate specific issues. In the business world, some companies like to use a code of ethics to ensure that their employees act in a responsible manner. A business with a code of ethics may also be viewed more favourably by members of the public, which means that a code of ethics is a sound business decision.
Adherence to a code of ethics may also be required for continued employment. Many people also live by a personal code of ethics. Some people believe that having a strong personal ethical code and abiding by it is a very important tool for maintaining self-integrity.
Essay # 5. Implementation of Ethics in the Workplace:
The use of proper ethics in any workplace is very important to the success of the organization. Unfortunately, organizations fail and sometimes people face many problems because of unethical decisions made at work.
Some of the ways of implementation or managing ethics in the workplace are:
1. Effective Communication.
2. Provision of Resources.
3. Creating Atmosphere of Trust.
4. By Setting an Example.
1. Effective Communication:
The organization should communicate the company’s ethics policy clearly to the employees. The policy should be fixed in around the office and distributed to the employees. The management should conduct regular meetings in which everyone spends some time discussing ethics. The organization should make it clear that it won’t tolerate unethical conduct and outline the consequences for it.
2. Provision of Resources:
The organization should make it easy for employees to seek guidance when they need help in making a decision. Employees may not always be sure what the ethical solution is. Therefore, it’s the organization’s responsibility to provide the resources that they need to make the right decision. Someone should be available at all times with whom employees can discuss these issues.
3. Creating Atmosphere of Trust:
The organization should create an atmosphere in which employees can trust their supervisors and know they can report violators of the ethics policy. Supervisors should keep employees who report violators anonymous and not make them face penalty. However, employees shouldn’t feel like it’s their responsibility to report violations.
4. By Setting an Example:
Supervisors cannot expect employees to respect them if they don’t follow the rules that they set. The supervisor should model decision-making that embraces the ethical values that the company embraces. Employees will respect their supervisors more and will likely follow their example.