RUNNING HEAD: ANALYSIS ETHICAL ISSUES IN ORGANIZATIONS
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University of Technology, Jamaica
Business Ethics HUM4001_AS1()
Semester 1 2021/2022
Title of Paper – Analyzing Ethical Issues in Organizations
Group Members:
Tutorial day and time: Fridays, 11:00am-1:00pm
Date of Submission: November 22, 2021
RUNNING HEAD: ANALYSIS ETHICAL ISSUES IN ORGANIZATIONS
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Table of Contents
Title Page Number
Introduction ………………………………………………………………. 3 – 4
Literature Review …………………………………………………………. 5 – 12
Discussion …………………………………………………………………. 13 – 16
Conclusion …………………………………………………………………. 17
References…………………………………………………………………. 18 -19
Appendices………………………………………………………………… 20 – 26
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Introduction
Business ethics refers to implementing appropriate business policies and practices
about arguably controversial subjects. Ethics emerged in the 1960s as businesses become
more cognizant of a growing consumer-based culture concerned with environmental issues,
social causes, and corporate responsibility. The decade was marked by a greater emphasis on
” concerns.”(Twin,2021)
Ethical concerns cover a wide range of topics that fall within the ethical guidelines of
a company. Important ethical challenges include supporting behaviour based on honesty and
trust, but more sophisticated issues include integrating diversity, sympathetic judgment calls,
and consistent compliance and governance with the organization’s fundamental principles.
According to Davis, (2020) Ethic issues may occur when a decision creates a conflict
with the morals and principles of the organization. Over the years, it is evident that
disgruntled workers breach their code of conduct by engaging in unethical practices. With the
implementation of laws and policies to eliminate and reduce the high level of ethical issues
that arise within the organization, it is unlikely that they will prevent managers and
employees from behaving in an unethical manner.
Therefore, an organization should understand the importance of minimizing these
issues before they turn into problems that may cause the growth, productivity level and
profitability of the organization to be stagnant.
The purpose of this paper is to look at the ethical concerns that arise in organizations.
To combat unethical workplace behaviours, the concept of doing what is right should be
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adopted. This paper will highlight and discuss the impact of five main issues that are very
prevalent in many organizations across the world today.
Throughout this document, a process of analysing various ethical issues will be
demonstrated, firstly starting with the identification of common ethical issues with the
organization. There are four main ethical concerns that this paper will be providing a detailed
analysis of harassment and discrimination, health and safety in the workplace,
whistleblowing, and accounting practices. Secondly, detailed information about the impact
that these ethical issues have on the organization and individual will be looked at from
different perspectives to provide a better understanding of these issues.
Solutions and tactics to mitigate or prevent these difficulties will be highlighted
through this study, just as they would be highlighted for other challenges and concerns
encountered inside a company.
To solidify this research a case reference for each ethical issue will be utilized as a
relative scenario that can foster more understanding and eventually provide more insights in
analysing these concerns. By the end of this paper, individuals will have greater
comprehension and make good judgements regarding ethical issues. Individuals will also
understand with the knowledge gained from this research the reasons why both the
management and employees are required to behave ethically and adopt the principles and
morals of the organization that may result in a strong ethical culture. Undoubtedly having a
strong ethical culture will create a healthy and conducive working relationship and
environment that is most likely freed of ethical issues but rather disciplined for the greater
outcome of the organization.
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Literature Review
According to the Accounting Dictionary, Ethical issues in business is a situation
where a moral conflict arises and must be addressed. In other words, it is an occasion where a
moral standard is questioned. In this section, we will be highlighting some of the literature
that is related to the five main ethical issues, namely: Harassment, Discrimination, Health and
Safety in the workplace, Whistleblowing and Accounting practices.
Harassment
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Harassment is
defined as unwelcome conduct that is based on race, colour, religion, sex (including sexual
orientation, gender identity, or pregnancy), national origin, older age (beginning at age 40),
disability, or genetic information (including family medical history). There are 3 types of
workplace harassment:
● Verbal/Written – is probably the most obvious workplace harassment example – and
the one you come across most often. Some instances where this can occur is Sending
emails with offensive jokes or graphics about race or religion or repeatedly requesting
dates or sexual favours in person or through text etc. (Everfi, N.D).
● Physical – might be a little harder to recognize because it can sometimes be very
subtle. This can be by lewd hand gestures or other gestures meant to convey curse
words, unwanted touching of a person or their clothing, frequently following or
standing too close to a person on purpose or making sexually suggestive facial
expressions (Everfi, N.D).
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● Visual – is probably the hardest to spot because it’s the most subjective and really
requires you to put yourself in the shoes of the other person. Some examples of this
are wearing clothing with offensive or vulgar language, displaying posters or pictures
of a sexual nature, or showing other people sexually suggestive text messages or
emails among others (Everfi, N.D).
Ninety per cent of workplace harassment is never officially reported (Daskal, N.D).
Some way of dealing with harassment is
1. Make a report
2. Write it down
3. Get witnesses
4. Gather information
5. Don’t get thrown off
6. Ask for support from family and friends
The Advocates for Human Rights states that Employers should provide a mechanism
for addressing sexual harassment in a confidential and sensitive manner after a grievance has
been filed. A well-constructed and well-implemented plan within an organization may stop
inappropriate conduct before it creates a problem for individual employees or the company.
Discrimination
According to the American Psychological Association (2019), Discrimination is the
unfair or prejudicial treatment of people and groups based on characteristics such as race,
RUNNING HEAD: ANALYSIS ETHICAL ISSUES IN ORGANIZATIONS
gender, age, or sexual orientation. The types of discrimination as stated by the Centers for
disease control and prevention (Office of equal employment opportunity, N.D.) are:
1. Age Discrimination
2. Disability Discrimination
3. Sexual Orientation
4. Status as a Parent
5. Religious Discrimination
6. National Origin
7. Pregnancy
