One of your friends uses the terms ethics and morality interchangeably. You do not think this is correct. How would you explain the difference between ethics and morality? Provide an example of morality and one of ethics in your explanation.
Select two major ethical theories covered in your readings for Week One. What are the major differences between these two theories? Which one of these theories is most aligned to your personal beliefs? Explain.
What are examples of virtues, values, and moral concepts? How does each of these relate to one another? In what ways are they separate and in what ways are they connected?
What are potential results if members of a community accept their community's benefits, such as emergency services or school systems, but decline to contribute to the community beyond paying taxes? Explain.
Provide an example of a socially responsible effort within your community. In what ways does this influence the community? How do these efforts affect the individuals within the community?
Consider the community in which you live. What is your responsibility within your own community? Explain and provide examples of what you consider your responsibilities.
In the last year, what is an example of something you have done that can be considered a socially responsible effort? How do you think this has helped your community? Explain.
Consider an organization where you work, or one with which you are familiar. What is an issue within the organization that could benefit from applying ethical principles? How can these principles be used?
Legal and ethical issues can arise in any organization. How might these issues be different? What sort of relationship exists between the two? Provide an example of each from current events. What might the organizations involved have done differently to prevent these legal and ethical issues?
Think of an organization with which you are familiar. How has that organization's ethical policies changed as a result of external pressure? Provide examples.
XYZ School District is having budget issues and is facing the possibility of cutting some programs. How could one use ethical principles to address their budget issues?
After a series of public accounting violations and several lawsuits about hiring practices, ABC Corporation added an Ethics Hotline and Ethics training to its organization. What are some other ways that external pressures from its clients, media, and so forth, might change how it views organizational ethics?
Two organizations exist in a community. One organization's policies reflect its beliefs that the organization's taxes and employment contributions are sufficient as a social effort. The second organization pursues multiple socially responsible efforts including financial efforts, changes to be a more green organization, and donations of time for employees to contribute to the community. Why might these two organizations differ in their approaches? Do either have any obligations to the community? Why or why not? What are the advantages of the second organization's approach? What about the first organization?
What are some strategies an organization might use when developing its organization's socially responsible efforts? What potential factors can contribute to its decision making?
Discussion Question: 3
Much like individuals, organizations also exist within the community. How does an organization's responsibility within a community differ from the individuals?
Not all organizations have moved to develop socially responsible initiatives. Others may have a socially responsible effort but it may not be a fit for the organization. What might make some initiatives more appropriate for an organization than others might? What might make an initiative not an appropriate choice? Cite specific examples.
Identify an organization with which you are familiar. What are some factors in this organization that might affect the strategies it takes in developing its socially responsible efforts? What are some of these efforts?
The organization where you work is expanding into the global market by opening an office in China. What are some potential ethical and social issues that may arise as the company expands into this new area? Can these issues be avoided or mitigated? Why or why not?
Identify a cultural practice that is considered acceptable in one country but is not acceptable in another. What are some cultural considerations that affect the resulting ethical perspectives in differing cultures?
What new ethical and social responsibility issues might present themselves when moving from a domestic-only organization to one that now reaches a global arena? Why are they different? Explain.
What is an example of an ethical perspective that is considered very American? What is an example of an ethical perspective from another culture that deals with a similar subject? Identify the culture and the ethical perspective. Why are the perspectives of these two so different? How are they similar?
What are the potential implications of globalization without consideration of cultural differences on ethical issues? Cite specific examples.