Introduction
Ethical Awareness Inventory is an instrument that helps in the evaluation of one’s ethical perspective. The judgment of an issue as being right or wrong is relative as individual judges; that is, individuals judge an act as being right or wrong from their own perspective.
The ethical perspective that one belongs to determines the ethical decisions made by the person as well as how the person relates with other people. The Ethics Awareness Inventory program involves the use of a series of questions, followed by the analysis of responses.
The answers, usually four, are given and classified ranging from the most ethical decision to the least ethical decision an individual can make to show the type of ethical perspective an individual belongs.
There are four main ethical perspectives that most people base their ethical views on, viz. character, obligation, results, and equity. The knowledge of one’s ethical perspective is vital in making good moral judgment and also in good interpersonal relationships.
Ethical Perspectives
Ethical perspectives are different and are important in personal and professional development. The obligation ethical perspective is based on an individual’s sense of duty or obligation to do what is morally right. This perspective considers the person’s actions to determine intention, rather than looking at the results of an action.
It holds true Kant’s deontological ethics that an action is good or bad depending on one’s motives not results achieved thereafter. Equity ethical perspective is based on an individual’s daily experience as a guide to making ethical decisions.
The perspective holds that there are no absolute standards for a right or wrong actions because the circumstances of actions may be different. Other people view actions from a character ethical perspective. They tend to look at the virtues of an individual instead of concentrating on the action itself.
They believe that the person should have good character and strive to live up to high moral standards. The results of ethical perspective on the other hand, consider the results of an action to determine whether an action is morally good or not.
Personal Ethics
The Ethical Awareness inventory program is important in evaluation of an individual’s ethical style, which has profound effects on professional and personal life. Culture, religion, and family issues heavily influence personal ethics of an individual.
The awareness of right or wrong from early childhood helps a child to develop the same values and morals later in life. Religious teachings also influence individual’s ethical perspective as people are taught that good ways prevail over evil behaviors.
Cultural norms also impact upon the ethical perspectives of the individuals. Certain actions are considered to be against cultural norms of some communities. However, cultural influence on the ethics is varied as culture varies from community to community. Going against cultural norms attracts a punishment including being labeled an outcast.
Professional Ethics
Personal ethics focus on the behavior of an individual in the workplace as opposed to the behavior at home. The professional ethics entail integrity, honesty, and respect to the seniors and the co-workers for the proper working relationships in the workplace. The professional ethics is also under the influence of culture, family and religion.
In professional ethics, acts such as corruption are seen as morally wrong. The professional ethics and the personal ethics in most times are interrelated as an individual with good personal ethics always has a good professional ethics.
Importance of Personal ethics
It is important that people adhere to ethical norms either at an individual level or at a professional level. Adherence to ethical norms promotes the development of research and truth in people’s social lives. Understanding one’s ethical perspective is important in making sound and ethical decisions and in promoting good interpersonal relations.
People with good character ethical perspective try to achieve moral excellence by focusing on the virtues or character of an individual. They focus on the integrity, honesty, justice, honor and wisdom of an individual. This is important as an individual’s virtues supersede the action itself.
The ethical perspective of equity judges an act objectively from a practical point of view as the circumstances of an action are different. In this perspective, right, or wrong does not exist, as an action is judged based on the practical outcome.
The results of equity perspective focus on the results of an action, whether they are morally good or wrong while the obligation ethical perspective looks at an individual’s sense of duty as a basis for doing what is right or wrong.
Conclusion
People view ethics from different perspectives but majority are influenced by four main perspectives that is, character, obligation, results and equity. These different ethical perspectives translate to conflicts among people if not well understood.
Understanding one’s ethical perspective therefore helps in promoting ethical decision-making and promotes good interpersonal relationships. Without knowing one’s ethical perspective, it will be almost impossible to know and appreciate other people’s ethical perspectives.
Consequently, people will live in conflicts because no one will appreciate the other for he/she does not understand his/her ethical perspective let alone understanding others’ perspectives.