normative ethics

Examples of normative ethics in the following topics:

• A Brief Definition of Business Ethics

  • Business ethics is the written and unwritten principles and values that govern decisions and actions within companies.
  • Ethics is the branch of philosophy concerned with the meaning of all aspects of human behavior.
  • Theoretical ethics, sometimes called normative ethics, is about delineating right from wrong.
  • It helps us develop the rules and principles (norms) by which we judge and guide meaningful decision-making.
  • Business ethics, also called corporate ethics, is a form of applied ethics or professional ethics that examines the ethical and moral principles and problems that arise in a business environment.

• What is ethics?

  • Ethics is the branch of philosophy concerned with the meaning of all aspects of human behavior.
  • Theoretical Ethics, sometimes called Normative Ethics, is about discovering and delineating right from wrong; it is the consideration of how we develop the rules and principles (norms) by which to judge and guide meaningful decisionmaking.
  • Business ethics is not chiefly theoretical in character.
  • It is best understood as a branch of ethics called applied ethics: the discipline of applying value to human behavior, relationships and constructs, and the resulting meaning.
  • Here are four ethical approaches that have stood the test of time.

• Culture and Ethics

  • Culture reflects the moral values and ethical norms governing how people should behave and interact with others.
  • Norms cultivate reliable guidelines for daily living and contribute to the health and well-being of a culture.
  • This is where culture intersects with ethics.
  • Since interpretations of what is moral are influenced by cultural norms, the possibility exists that what is ethical to one group will not be considered so by someone living in a different culture.
  • Explain the role of culture in shaping moral and ethical behavior

• Defining Ethics

  • Ethics are the set of moral principles that guide a person's behavior.
  • Ethics are the set of moral principles that guide a person's behavior.
  • These morals are shaped by social norms, cultural practices, and religious influences.
  • The phrases business ethics and corporate ethics are often used to describe the application of ethical values to business activities.
  • In addition to individual ethics and corporate ethics there are professional ethics.

• Cultural Values

  • Whether doing business abroad or locally, marketers must understand the cultures that govern customers' buying habits and ethical norms.
  • (d) business norms: In Russia, plans of any kind must be approved by a seemingly endless string of committees.
  • Cultural differences include language, color, customs, taboos, values, aesthetics, time, business norms, religion, and social structures.
  • Ethics is generally referred to as the set of moral principles or values that guide behavior.
  • Having a corporate ethics policy also seems to facilitate the process of recovery after an ethical scandal—although firms may wish otherwise, unethical acts do occur and do not often go unnoticed (see and ).

• Applying the Ethical Decision Tree

  • Decision trees are useful analytic tools for considering the ethical dimensions of a decision.
  • Ethics are moral principles that guide a person's behavior.
  • These morals are shaped by social norms, cultural practices, and religious influences.
  • All decisions have an ethical or moral dimension for a simple reason—they have an effect on others.
  • Decision trees can be applied to ethical matters as well.

• Ethics in Organizational Communications

  • Organizational ethics is interdependent with the organizational culture.
  • Strong organizational ethics can inspire both customer and employee loyalty.
  • Effectively communicating ethical norms is key to realizing these benefits.
  • Commonly used tools include codes of ethics and employee handbooks.
  • The Enron and WorldCom scandals were two corporate downfalls due to ethical failings.

• The Manager's Role in Ethical Conduct

  • Employees can more easily make ethical decisions that promote a company's values when their personal values match the company's norms.
  • Personal values in this way exist in relation to cultural values, either in agreement with or divergent from prevailing norms.
  • Employers do their best to hire individuals who match match well with the organization's norms and values.
  • In this way they seek to promote their standards of ethical behavior.
  • To make ethical and moral choices, one needs to have a clear understanding of one's personal values.

• Blurring Ethical Lines

  • Law and ethics are not the same thing.
  • In organizations, employees can look to the code of ethics or the statement of values for guidance about how to handle ethical gray areas.
  • The same goes with ethical decisions.
  • Social norms aren't identical in different countries, and ethical standards can vary as well.
  • Analyze the gray areas of ethical expectations within the context of corporate decision making and ethical business practice

• Ethical Decision Making

  • Ethics are moral principles that guide a person's behavior.
  • These morals are shaped by social norms, cultural practices, and religious influences.
  • All decisions have an ethical or moral dimension for a simple reason—they have an effect on others.
  • Sometimes ethical decisions involve choosing not between good and bad, but between good and better or between bad and worse.
  • Identify the elements of decision making that are directly affected by ethical considerations and social expectations