Running head: ETHICS SHORT PAPER
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Ethics Short Paper
In this paper we will analyze ethics, the principles and standards that are put in place to
help in determining what is expected in regard to right and wrong. Ethics in business guide and
outline expectations for not only the company but also the workforce (Kinicki & Fugate, 2018).
We will then define and examine ethical climates; the environment business and organizations
have and foster to create and maintain standards and policies. While examining ethical climates
ETHICS SHORT PAPER
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we shall take a deeper look into the role leaders have in cultivating and developing cultures
where responsibility, communication and trust is expected. Lastly, we will address ethical issues
in regard to morality, bias, as well as how ethical issues can be avoided.
The purpose of this paper is to analyze ethics in business, what purpose an ethical climate
serves and why it is important to any business or organization. Furthermore, this paper is meant
to examine the impact bias plays in our decision making. Lastly, this paper is meant to
understand how to avoid ethical issues based on ethical climates, morality and leadership actions.
Analysis
The purpose of an ethical climate is to set company standards for the workplace and its
employees. This climate is a stance on how the company expects to operate and how it handles
issues (Albrecht, Hoopes, & Thompson, 2011). These situations can include many factors such
as responsibility and trust. The ethical climate helps companies manage operations and make
decisions while remaining morally accountable. By defining the standards, a company has the
aptitude to more easily follow its desired path of what is right and wrong. An organization is
fueled by these standards and these habits lead back to leadership. Leaders have the ability to
develop and maintain an ethical climate within the business atmosphere and company culture
(Lewis, 2017).
Ethics are principles set to lead and guide what is considered right (Kinicki & Fugate, 2018).
In business ethics are what guide a company and their workforce in everyday operations. Ethics
can help the company in all areas. A few examples would include how ethics plays a role in day
to day operations and how the company balances profit goals in regard to community relations
and environmental concerns.
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It is important for a company to have a strong ethical climate to not only set company
standards and remain responsible, but to foster an environment where ethics and morality is
expected. Leaders and managers take the company standards and instill policy and expectations.
A leader must have a solid understanding and position on responsibility, communication and
trust (Carlson & Perrewe, 1995).
Impact of Bias
Biases impact our decision making as they are deeply ingrained in us, sometimes so far that
we do not even know we show a bias (Dwyer, 2018). These biases can stem from cultural and
even environmental reasons. While we may not know we show bias, others may notice. It is also
possible to track interactions and decision making for the purpose of analytics to decipher if bias