Reflection on Personal Values
Introduction
Ethical decision-making is a useful skill that business leaders and entrepreneurs need to possess. These individuals should engage in continuous learning to identify emerging issues in their respective organizations and respond accordingly using the best moral values. This concept allows people to expand their abilities, collaborate with others, and eventually achieve their maximum potential. Failure to embrace lifelong learning means that someone will be unable to develop the best ethical principles and eventually fail to achieve both personal and organizational aims. The combination of my religious worldview and Kantian ethics delivers a powerful philosophy characterized by integrity, privacy, equality, respect, transparency, empathy, justice, and commitment.
Personal Values
The concept of ethics is critical since it guides people to be aware of their situations and respond to emerging issues more efficiently. Personally, I have managed to develop several values that have continued to define my moral principles and philosophy. For instance, I remain accountable for the decisions, ideas, and activities I undertake. It is my obligation to ensure that such undertakings are acceptable and capable of resonating with the demands of the greatest majority (Shdaimah & Strier, 2020).
I take the issue of justice seriously whenever tackling differences or addressing identifiable challenges. I engage one another and focus on the best ways to achieve meaningful results in different capacities. I promote privacy to ensure that the needs of key stakeholders, such as customers, are taken into consideration.
Integrity and honesty are unique values that guide me whenever making organizational, societal, and personal decisions. These attributes ensure that I focus on the truth and engage myself in actions that are unquestionable or capable of delivering acceptable results. These values have made me successful in my learning and professional life.
The idea of equality is what guides me whenever I liaise with others and address some of the recorded challenges (Shdaimah & Strier, 2020). I appreciate the fact that all people should be treated equally and equipped with similar resources. Additionally, respect and empathy are powerful attributes that make it easier for me to identify questionable situations and address them from an informed perspective. Such approaches could explain why I usually succeed in various situations.
Finally, Kantian ethics is the leading moral theory that determines my strategy for dealing with ethical dilemmas. This framework presents the categorical imperative for doing what is right as if it were a universal law (Abakare, 2021). This understanding means that I would not have to consult others or consider actions that appear to maximize happiness or meet the expectations of more people. This moral principle makes it easier to identify and apply most of the outlined values whenever I am required offer judgment in ethically ambiguous situations.
Personal Timeline
My past life and experiences present a timeline that details most of the achievements and gains I have recorded in the past. For instance, throughout my childhood years, I came across several opportunities that helped me develop some of my current values and practices (see Fig. 1). For instance, my religious background made it easier for me to acquaint myself with the teachings of empathy, sympathy, honesty, and responsibility (Shdaimah & Strier, 2020). These aspects continue to encourage me to remain ethical and act in a professional manner. While in school, I interacted with teachers and friends who widened my scope or understanding of ethics. This achievement would explain why I am currently able to relate with other people positively, make timely decisions, and help those in need.
Fig. 1: Personal timeline
After joining college, I managed to come across several teachers and educationists who widened my knowledge about ethics. The application of the concept in the world of business became a common theme in most of the learning materials (see Fig. 1). In the recent past, I have appreciated the idea of lifelong learning, a practice that has resulted in additional values and appreciation of moral principles.
For example, the process has made it possible for me to learn more about some of the ethical leaders whose missions and achievements helped change the world forever (Abakare, 2021). The case of Martin Luther Junior, the African American civil rights activist, explains why the values of equality, fairness, and integrity have become part of my ethical philosophy. The ongoing coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has encouraged me to examine the importance of ethical practices, empathy, and commitment in organizational settings.
To achieve additional gains, I will continue to study widely and examine some of the achievements different companies have recorded in the past regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR). This effort will shed more light on ethical practices and how I can apply acceptable values to judge ethically ambiguous situations. A proper plan for expanding my philosophy continuously would be necessary depending on the lessons gained from various events, experiences, and occurrences (Gómez-García et al., 2022). The ultimate aim is to become a skilled, ethical leader whose actions and decisions have the potential to make a significant difference in different organizational settings.
Emerging Philosophy
From the above analysis, it is evident that I have managed to develop a superior philosophy of ethics that can make any business organization successful. As a future leader, I am planning to rely on Kantian ethics to make decisions whenever complex situations emerge (Abakare, 2021). To deliver positive results, I rely on the values of commitment, transparency, responsibility, empathy, and equality. These aspects inform most of the decisions I make in my personal life and workplace.
My religious worldview is integrated into the philosophy to guide the choices I pursue in life. These insights have made it possible for me to address a wide range of ethical dilemmas in the past. I will continue to undertake additional studies, collaborate with others, and identify emerging insights to support and improve this philosophy. The expansion of my abilities in accordance with the outlined values means that I will eventually succeed in my position as a leader.
Conclusion
Ethics is critical for people who want to succeed in their careers and lives. By engaging in continuous learning, I will combine my past lessons, current developments, and future observations to expand my philosophy continuously. The attributes associated with Kantian ethics guide me to promote integrity, empathy, privacy, sympathy, responsibility, and justice as key values that dictate my practice. The acquisition of additional ideas and the ability to apply them would take me closer to my personal and professional objectives as a future leader.
Amazon as a Company Meeting Personal Ethical Values
Amazon is the selected retailer focusing on a robust model informed by ethical business practices. Its mission is to serve all customers through its physical and online stores while focusing on competitive prices, convenience, and satisfaction. The vision revolves around making the company customer-centric, whereby individuals can get reduced prices while promoting sustainability (Alshmrani, 2021). The continued use of e-commerce means that the company can protect the natural environment due to the reduced use of paperwork. Including the e-kindle software for its e-books is a superior strategy that makes it a sustainable business enterprise.
With the increasing use of online outlets and the Internet, Amazon has been on the frontline to ensure that customer privacy remains a topmost priority. It relies on emerging state-of-the-art technologies to protect confidential information while relying on the collected data to customize the consumer experience (Alshmrani, 2021). The established business model is characterized by efficiency, sustainable supply chain processes, and consideration of delivery services, which makes the company ethical. Over the years, the leaders at Amazon have been keen to promote integrity, maintain the highest level of privacy, and solve complaints amicably.
The emergence of ethical issues compels most of the leaders at Amazon to make timely decisions, engage key stakeholders, and apply moral principles to improve operations. Consequently, Amazon has successfully offered healthy, safe, and clean workplaces for most workers (Sadq et al., 2018). This company guides most stakeholders to take responsibility and safety issues seriously. While some challenges and complaints tend to be reported, Amazon relies on them to apply ethical attributes and address them accordingly. These aspects make it a good case study for taking ethical practices to the next level.
References
Abakare, C. O. (2021). Kantian ethics towards a justifiable business and trade practices: Envisaging a humanitarian society. Pinisi Business Administration Review, 3(1), 1-8. Web.
Alshmrani, H. M. (2021). An analytical view of Amazon success in the worldwide. Life Science Journal, 18(6), 71-90. Web.
Gómez-García, R., Lucas-García, J., & Bayón-Calvo, S. (2022). Social workers’ approaches to ethical dilemmas. Journal of Social Work, 22(3), 804-823. Web.
Sadq, Z. M., Nuraddin, S., & Hama, S. (2018). Analyzing the Amazon success strategies. Journal of Process Management – New Technologies, International, 6(4), 65-69. Web.
Shdaimah, C., & Strier, R. (2020). Ethical conflicts in social work practice: Challenges and opportunities. Ethics and Social Welfare, 14(1), 1-5. Web.
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