Abstract
Ethical integrity means possessing principled character like empathy, honesty and loyalty. Each person possesses ethical character that he or she exudes on a regular basis. They can be personal ethics, work based ethics or familial ethics. Ethical integrity is when people implement these ethics and stick by them regardless of the consequences. Individuals with apt ethical integrity will always stick with their preferred choice of action consequently taking responsibility for such actions.
Ethical integrity is a vital quality that individuals should possess. Ethics is also called moral philosophy as it describes what is morally apt or inapt. Whether an individual considers him righteous or not does not pass. This is so because, at any particular time, everyone must think in ethical ways. We all think about what is good or bad, what being fair means and justice accorded to everyone.
Practicing ethical integrity
Ethical integrity is an essential quality in everyone’s life. Thus, it must be practiced in everything we do. Ethical integrity is practiced at every aspect of life. This includes at home, at work and in personal life.
Work based ethics
Ethical integrity is important at work as it results in many actions that enable an individual to perform, and relate well with their colleagues and clients. Ethical integrity is not about what we tell others or what we want to do. It is what we do, or the actions we perform. The best way to show integrity at the work place is to be consistent in ethical principles and practice. Some scholars refer to ethical integrity as a measure of character.
In any organization, there must be a set of ethical values that the employees understand and adhere to, in accordance to their responsibility, in that organization. Ethical integrity at work mainly refers to the loyalty and commitment of employees and clients. In my view for employees and clients, to be completely loyal and committed they must be contented that their organization has ethical practices.
The employers have the responsibility of presenting employees and clients with labor practices, policies, fairness, integrity and values. They also have to ensure that all employees are contented with the presented moral practices, and follow up their implementation.
The organizations should always put the client interest at heart. For instance, James Burke who is the previous CEO of Johnson and Johnson displayed his moral integrity when he addressed consumers’ interest before the company’s objective. He recalled all Tylenol, which was manufactured by the company.
The initiation charge of these drugs was $ 100 million, but to James Burke the consumers’ health was paramount (Guy, 1990). Currently Johnson and Johnson has benefited from an apt reputation arising from application of ethical integrity thus, earning public trust. It is not forgotten that in any business organization, nothing is preferred more than an apt reputation. The long-term trust between the organization and clients is vital to profitable business in the future (Guy, 1990).
Personal ethics
Personal ethics refer to how an individual wants to live his life thus; it constitutes self regarding and other regarding ethical practices. Self regarding includes immorality and grounds of survival, self concern and rational anticipation. Other regarding includes mainly interpersonal-moral relations.
Some scholars refer to personal relations as morality. They argue that it represents the expectation of an individual in a society. The main concern, in personal ethics, is the way an individual conducts his life. Those ethical integrity values that an individual possesses constitute the personal ethics. Personal ethics are the moral commitment to do the correct thing, and it might include financial, emotional and social cost. It is noteworthy that ethical principals be used as the foundations in decision making.
There are various principles of personal ethics which an individual must posses. One principle is an individual’s interest in the well being of others. One must make decisions in life while considering the well being of others. Another principle is the respect for others freedom. An individual must revere the independence of others by not interfering or obstructing.
One must also be honest and trustworthy. An individual must always say the truth; furthermore, it is vital to comply with the law and be fair in his judgment. One must refuse to take unfair advantage over others. Personal ethics also constitutes the ability of an individual to prevent harm. Individuals, who never want to accept a loss, must engage in strategies that foster success (Schminke, 1998).
Familial ethics
Family affairs are recorded as ethically momentous. This ethical character spawns familial compulsion. In view of the fact that, the family is considered a social unit that involves a passionate, long-term, supportive, cooperative and protective relationship among its members. We usually think of family affairs as necessarily including some basic mutual sharing, company, aid and care.
This scenery of family affairs obliges one to make suitable retort to family members’ interests, problems or needs. Familial integrity involves the developing of family traditions that are translated to the other family members. Familial ethics majorly involves the relationship within a family. It highlights how the family members relate with one another. A family with good familial ethics encourages well and better living conditions. In such a family, there is always tranquility and affluence.
In a family, ethical decision making always take the center stage for the development of a good family relationship. The conduct, especially that of the head of the family serves as a model to the family. Decisions must be made by the implementation of ethical integrity (Schminke, 1998). For example, the sex scandals about Tiger woods that were recently in the media were against familial ethics. However, he applied ethical integrity when he apologized to his family and fans and accepted his mistakes.
The implementation of familial values is the most outstanding way to nature ethical integrity within the family. The ethical principles in a family will help nature the family off springs in to responsible adults. The family is the bed rock for the foundation of all the other forms of ethics. The way one relates to the family will affect that person’s relation at work and any other place (Schminke, 1998).
Ethical and social obligations
There is the need for ethical and social obligations in the society which result in good moral and interpersonal relationship. It has been evident that it is always difficult for an organization to put in place ethical standards and then comply with them. Whether the ethical principles of an organization are set or not, employees should stand by their personal ethics.
This helps in bringing about unity and understanding in the organization. It requires consciousness and audacity to take action in that instant thus clasping out for a preference. This is in configuration with the affirmed ethics of the organization and the integrity of those involved. Ethical Integrity provides the motivation to translate awareness into action. There is fundamental fulfillment in accessing courage at times when ethical integrity is tested (Wolfe, 1989).
Ethical and social obligations examine the need for appropriate action. There are various factors that bring about the need for appropriate action. The chief motive is to bring about steadiness within a society. There are various ways that result in the satisfaction of ethical and social obligation. When one is, open to feed back, he will interact well with the society as he will provide opportunities for others to comment on his deeds thus accepting criticism.
This will bring out the need for appropriate action. In order to examine, the need for appropriate action an individual should accept personal responsibility. This helps in the establishment of fine interpersonal relations. Essence of appropriate action is also portrayed when one balances his needs with the needs of others. Here, the individual considers others in his actions. This brings understanding and apt relations.
Need for appropriate action comes out when one practices understanding and compassion. When one posses this ethical integrity trait he avoids conflict with colleagues who have divergent views as evident at work or home. This brings unity among individuals working together or living together as a family thus, the need for appropriate action. Seeking advice from others enhances the need for appropriate action (Wolfe, 1989).
Since, consultation strengthens relations as people are free with one another. This portrays the need for appropriate action as it results in better understanding and communication. Being respectful of views that are different is a clear indication of the need for appropriate action. It streamlines the relationship among individuals and encourages prosperity especially at work and at school. This shows that appropriate action brings prosperity at the different levels of life (Wolfe, 1989).
So as, to reflect the need for appropriate action an individual must act with integrity even when it is inconvenient. This shows the care one has for his colleagues or family. This builds strong familial units or an excellent reciprocated relationship at work. The need for appropriate action is portrayed when an individual keeps agreements he has made with other people. This establishes trust between individuals in an organization or at home.
Establishment of trust amongst individuals reflects the importance of appropriate actions. The essence of appropriate action comes out when one knows the difference between humor and hostility. This enables and individual avoid offensive statements and actions that may necessitate appropriate action.
Optimal ethical Decision making processes
There are three main ethical decision making processes. These include dictatorship, democracy and consensus decision making. In dictatorship, only one individual is involved in decision making as no one’s view is considered. In most occasions, those individuals are normally the head of such organizations or departments.
This ethical decision making process has merits and demerits that come with its implementation. One major merit is that the decisions are made quickly and in time. A major demerit is that a wrong decision may be unnoticed which hurts the organization or family in days to come (Brown, 2005).
The other decision-making process is democracy. In a democracy, the stakeholder’s views are considered before a decision is made. This involves a wide range of consultation that comes with the decision made. Everyone is given the chance to air their views before the people present (cannon, 2003).
It suits a situation where many people are involved. Its merit is that a consultative and appropriate decision is made about an issue. Its demerit is that it takes a long time to arrive at a decision that suits the entire stakeholder. It is one of the processes preferred by many individuals and organizations.
The last decision making process entails consensus. This is a process that involves few people. Here, the individuals indulge in a round –table-discussions (cannon, 2003). Each presents his decisions and discussion begins thus assessing the tabled ideas. A decision is reached when all the ideas are merged to form one decision that suits all the parties involved. The demerit of this process is that it takes time before a pronouncement is reached. It has a merit which is, it results in a consultative-effective and appropriate decision (cannon, 2003).
These decision-making processes have to be improved so as to suit every one involved. My first suggestion is the abolishment of the dictatorship process. This is so because it mostly results in wrong decisions, as they only suit the decision maker. This decision-making process also brings conflict whenever a wrong decision is made.
My other suggestion is the improvement of the consensus process since the parties involved should strictly constitute of experts and not people interested in the decision. This will enable the process to take a shorter period, and the decision will be comprehensive.
Decision-making and deeds among the customer and the professional are altered by the influence of the organization. Each organization has a diverse way of managing the decision-making process; furthermore, organizations decide the way it will work with reference to the ethical behavior. An individual’s principles and morals are dissimilar to others thus the way they interpret social regulations or expectations is different. Professional restrictions and behavior plays a major role during decision making.
These factors might influence someone to act dissimilar to others if put in the same situation. In actuality, all of these factors and others not stated are factors that affect daily professional work. The present economic and political situation contributes to the complexity of this concept. It is hard to make excellent decisions without being questioned as a result of ethical positions or suitability (cannon, 2003). Professionals at work must do their best in making apt decisions.
If an individual encounters ethical dilemmas, decision-making steps are used i.e. concerns explanation, principles acknowledgment, addressing opposition, issue resolution, stakeholder investigation and decision accomplishment. Many ethical decision making methods exist; most of the methods constitute comparable steps in unraveling ethical dilemmas (cannon, 2003).
Conclusion
Ethical integrity is essential in one’s life. It constitutes how one conducts himself and makes a decision. Work based ethics are the ethical behaviors at the work place thus bring efficiency and productivity at the work place. Familial ethics are ethical integrity principles in the family; they mainly enhance unity and understanding.
Personal ethics pertain to the manner in which an individual wants to live his life. It constitutes self regarding and other regarding processes. Ethical and social obligation helps realize the need for appropriate action by viewing the results of an individual’s positive, ethical integrity behavior. There are three main ethical decision making processes thus totalitarianism, democracy and consensus decision making.
References
Cannon, B. (2003). One Sigma Decision in a Six Sigma World. The Cannon Advantage. Web.
Brown, M. (2005). Corporate integrity: rethinking organizational ethics, and leadership. New York. Cambridge University Press.
Dorrien, G. (2008). Social ethics in the making: interpreting an American tradition. Oxford. Wiley-Blackwell.
Guy, M. (1990). Ethical decision making in everyday work situations. New York. Greenwood Publishing Group.
Schminke, M. (1998). Managerial ethics: moral management of people and processes. New Jersey. Lawrence Erlbaum associates Inc.
Wolfe, A. (1989). Whose keeper? Social science and moral obligation. California. University of California Press
Wesley Cragg. (2005). Ethics codes, corporations, and the challenge of globalization. Massachusetts. Edward Elgar Publishing