ManagementLesson 2 of 8 in the course Ethics, Corporate Responsibility, and Sustainability

Individual Ethics: Values, Influences, and Organizational Pressures

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Ethics is personal, but individual choices are shaped by the people and environments around us. This lesson examines how personal values interact with laws, social norms, relationships, and organizational culture.

Individual-level ethics concerns a person's values, beliefs, judgments, and actions about what is right or wrong. People do not all approach an ethical situation in exactly the same way: their experiences and communities influence how they understand it.

All flashcards

What is individual-level ethics?
A person's values, beliefs, judgments, and actions concerning right and wrong.
What are terminal values?
Desired goals or end states that a person wants to reach.
What are instrumental values?
Preferred behaviors or means used to pursue desired goals.
What is an ethical dilemma?
A difficult choice in which no option offers an entirely optimal ethical solution.
How can organizational culture affect ethical choices?
It can encourage ethical conduct or normalize unethical behavior through workplace expectations and pressures.

Quiz questions

  1. A person seeks security by acting honestly. Which classification best describes these values?Answer: Security is terminal; honesty is instrumental.
  2. Which situation best fits the definition of an ethical dilemma?Answer: A difficult choice among options, none of which is entirely ethically optimal.
  3. Which workplace condition can make it harder for employees to raise ethical concerns?Answer: Employees feel psychologically unsafe speaking up.
  4. Which organizational practice can reduce pressure to pursue results through unethical means?Answer: Setting realistic performance targets.
  5. Why does following written rules not by itself complete ethical reasoning?Answer: People must also consider whether choices treat others fairly and responsibly.

Based on Principles of Management by David S. Bright, Anastasia H. Cortes, Eva Hartmann, K. Praveen Parboteeah, Jon L. Pierce, Monique Reece, Amit Shah, Siri Terjesen, Joseph Weiss, Margaret A. White, Donald G. Gardner, Jason Lambert et al. (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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