Workplace Morals and Ethics

Workplace Morals and Ethics Introduction Over the past few years, principles of morals and ethics have become an integral part of the cultural structure of the workplace. Thus, most organisations and industry associations now incorporate these principles within their code of practice. The inclusion of these principles is intended to improve the professionalism of the business employees. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate how this aid to professionalism is achieved within a property industry environment. Definition of Morals and Ethics Whilst the terms â€Å"ethics† and â€Å"morals† have different meanings, both are intrinsically linked. The RICS professional ethics guide (2000) rely on the definition as ethics being the code of moral principles, with morals being defined as the linked to the expected standard of conduct from the individual. When translating this to a business environment, the society have used the term â€Å"giving of one’s best to ensure that clients interest are properly cared for, but in doing so the wider public interest is also recognised and respected.† However, as a survey carried out by the same organisation (Poon 2004), this code is not unanimously achieved within the property and construction industry, where reduction in ethical standards was perceived by thirty eight percent of the respondents, despite the fact that, when faced with ethical issues, the clients interest were seen as the most important. Moral and ethical principles in the workplace Principles of morals and ethics are uniquely connected with the concept of â€Å"right and wrong† (Harris and Moran 2000, p.321) and therefore, one would expect them to be a primary focus for any organisation and its work ethics. Society itself is based upon the maintenance of certain standards which one would expect to be transferred to the workplace (Harris and Moran 2000, p.7). The same researchers have stated that part of the problems linked with the failures in work ethics can be linked with the way that the media promotes recreation and leisure as more important (ibid p.235). Nevertheless, as the public perceptions of standard has moved more towards standards of quality and service in recent years, organisations have begun to focus on the need for the introduction of ethical codes and standards. All organisations, irrespective of whether they are in a commercial environment or not, are performing a public service. The aim is to provide a product or service to the end user that is fit for the purpose, offered fairly without biased, does not offend, is legal and satisfies the demands and expectations of the consumer. For example, within the construction industry this would mean producing a product (a house) that is fit to be lived in and of a standard that householders would expect. In other organisations connected with the property industry, such as surveyors, fairness and honesty in their service is also expected by the consumer. There are numerous incidence where properties have been found unfit, despite assurances of standard from both the construction and property services organisations. Such issues also arise in the public sector. Despite moves towards a â€Å"market-oriented† system (Gilroy and Woods 2002, p.203), consumers still expect standards to be maintained. Harris and Moran (2000, p.279) state that public service, and for this can be included any service or product delivered to the consumer, â€Å"is a moral responsibility.† However, to achieve this position, moral and ethical principles must be applied both all the business stakeholders, both internal and external. This will include suppliers, employees and consumers. If each is treated fairly and ethically, then they in turn will treat others in the same manner. For example, if a supplier of raw materials is treated unfairly by a construction company, in terms of being pressured to unacceptably reduce prices or wait for payment, in other words treated unfairly, they are likely to feel that it is acceptable for them to treat the construction customer in the same manner. This will reflect on the moral standard the end user receives. Internally within the organisation, the same scenario would apply. If employs are treated unfairly or unequally, it will affect their working ethic. Unfair methods of the promotional choice methods can often reflect this (Harris and Moran 2000, p.187). People who are unfairly excluded from promotion will fell that the company has not treated them ethically or equally, which is part of the reason that equality has become a central part of employment laws (Kirton and Greene 2002, p.201). Moral and ethical codes can only be implemented if based around a â€Å"culture of dialogue† (Farrell et al 2003, p.103). As Simon Webley (2001) of the Institute of Business Ethics suggests it is a matter of asking question, of both oneself and others within the organisations. For the instigator of any decision, Webley suggest that they should consider the following points. Are the reasons for my decision transparent and is there an objection to others knowing the decision-making process? If I make this decision, whom will it affect and will it cause harm? Would others consider this decision fair to all who are affected by it? In essence, it is a question of â€Å"treating others as one would expect to be treated.† Therefore, ethics rely not only upon the behaviour of the individual, but also upon the interaction between groups of people, including management, especially within the workplace (Harris and Moran 2000, p.14). An ethical code will have a positive impact in the workplace and the stakeholders attached to it. Taking the example of the construction industry, if a supplier is treated fairly and in the right manner, they will respond in kind, providing a quality of goods and service that will enhance the delivery ability of the constructor. Similarly, if the construction employee is treated with fairness and consideration, they will become more productive in their work and respond in a positive manner to the customer. Lastly, if the constructor takes an ethical approach to the house that they are building, incorporating the right standards and quality, then the consumer will be satisfied. The result of this ethical process being met at all stages is that the business and all connected with it will be satisfied and secure and the organisations involved will achieve economic growth ((Bellamy and Warleigh, 1998: 453-6). Quoted in Mary Farrell et al 2002, p.114) Conclusion As can be seen from this research, the introduction of ethical codes does improve the actuality of fairness and, from the end users view, the perception of standard. Therefore, the employees of the business, in any position, will be considered to be behaving in a more professional manner. It follows that ethical and moral codes are a significant aid to professionalism. References Farrell Mary et al (eds) (2002). European Integration in the 21st century: Unity in Diversity. SAGE Publications. London, UK. Gilroy Rose and Woods Roberta (2001). Housing Women. Routledge. Oxford, UK. Harris, Philip. R and Moran Robert T (2000). Managing Cultural Differences: Leadership Strategies for a New World of Business. Gulf Publishing. Houston, US. Kirton Gill and Greene Anne-Marie (2001). The dynamics of managing diversity. Butterworth-Heinemann. Oxford, UK. Schneider Susan and Barsoux Jean-Louis (2003). Managing Across Cultures. Prentice Hall. Harlow, UK. Webley, Simon (2007). Eight Steps for a company wishing to develop its own corporate ethics programme. Institute of Business Ethics. Retrieved 14 May 2007 from http://www.ibe.org.uk/developing.html Poon, Dr Joanna (2004). The study of ethical behaviours of surveyors. Retrieved 17 May 2007 from http://www.rics.org/NR/rdonlyres/B5CE6FFE-C764-4648-81DF-C2C6079E68E1/0/ethical_behaviour.pdf Professional ethics (2000). Professional ethics guidance note: Part 1 introduction. Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. London, UK.

Consumer behavior Essay

1. Why would someone shop on the internet ? buy an ipad ? eat at T. G. I. Fridays frequently ? -Because of the fast-paced world that we live in it would be more practical to shop through the internet because of its accessibility. Through online shopping customer can get the product and avail the services they need in just a simple click of button it saves them time and energy. An ipad is a tablet computer developed by Apple. It is smaller than a typical laptop, but significantly larger than the average smartphone. The iPad does not include a keyboard or a trackpad, but instead has a touchscreen interface , which is used to control the device. Due to it’s portability, accessibility, ease of use, and the great applications you can avail with it millions of people around the world are ipad user and hundreds are still planning to get their self one, so they can ride along in the bandwagon and be one with the trend. Having an ipad can also defined one’s social status so, even though it is expensive with it’s benefits and the image it can give to a person we find iPAD’s as a practical thing to buy. T. G. I. Fridays is an American restaurant chain focusing on casual dining. It offers it’s customers good food and an American dining experience though it maybe expensive compared to other restaurant but, it is a great place to relaxed after a hard days work. a) Why would someone else not make those purchases? -Other People find it much more complicated to shop through the internet and prefer the old fashion way of shopping, some find iPad’s expensive and impractical and other people find eating at an expensive restaurant just a waste of time and money and they just prefer to eat home cooked meal. b) How would you choose one outlet, brand and model over the others? – If they have a good ambiance and feel of their store, the sales person offers good service and if their product are worthy and reasonable enough for their price. c) Would others make choice the same way ? -I guess not, because other people prefer to go with products with cheaper prices.

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Biography of Zheng He, Chinese Admiral

Zheng He (1371–1433 or 1435) was a Chinese admiral and explorer who led several voyages around the Indian Ocean. Scholars have often wondered how history might have been different if the first Portuguese explorers to round the tip of Africa and move into the Indian Ocean had met up with the admirals huge Chinese fleet. Today, Zheng He is considered something of a folk hero, with temples in his honor throughout Southeast Asia. Fast Facts: Zheng He Known For: Zheng He was a powerful Chinese admiral who led several expeditions around the Indian Ocean.Also Known As: Ma HeBorn: 1371 in Jinning, ChinaDied: 1433 or 1435 Early Life Zheng He was born in 1371 in the city now called Jinning in Yunnan Province. His given name was Ma He, indicative of his familys Hui Muslim origins since Ma is the Chinese version of Mohammad. Zheng Hes great-great-great-grandfather Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar was a Persian governor of the province under the Mongolian Emperor Kublai Khan, founder of the Yuan Dynasty that ruled China from 1279 to 1368. Ma Hes father and grandfather were both known as Hajji, the honorific title bestowed upon Muslim men who make the hajj, or  pilgrimage, to Mecca. Ma Hes father remained loyal to the Yuan Dynasty even as the rebel forces of what would become the Ming Dynasty conquered larger and larger swathes of China. In 1381, the Ming army killed Ma Hes father and captured the boy. At just 10 years old, he was made into a eunuch and sent to Beiping (now Beijing) to serve in the household of 21-year-old Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan who later became the Yongle Emperor. Ma He grew to be seven Chinese feet tall (probably around 6-foot-6), with a voice as loud as a huge bell. He excelled at fighting and military tactics, studied the works of Confucius and Mencius, and soon became one of the princes closest confidants. In the 1390s, the Prince of Yan launched a series of attacks against the resurgent Mongols, were based just north of his fiefdom. Zheng Hes Patron Takes the Throne The first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Prince Zhu Dis eldest brother, died in 1398 after naming his grandson Zhu Yunwen as his successor. Zhu Di did not take kindly to his nephews elevation to the throne and led an army against him in 1399. Ma He was one of his commanding officers. By 1402, Zhu Di had captured the Ming capital at Nanjing and defeated his nephews forces. He had himself crowned as the Yongle Emperor. Zhu Yunwen probably died in his burning palace, although rumors persisted that he had escaped and become a Buddhist monk. Due to Ma Hes key role in the coup, the new emperor awarded him a mansion in Nanjing as well as the honorific name Zheng He. The new Yongle Emperor faced serious legitimacy problems due to his seizure of the throne and the possible murder of his nephew. According to Confucian tradition, the first son and his descendants should always inherit, but the Yongle Emperor was the fourth son. Therefore, the courts Confucian scholars refused to support him and he came to rely almost entirely upon his corps of eunuchs, Zheng He most of all. The Treasure Fleet Sets Sail Zheng Hes most important role in his masters service was being the commander-in-chief of the new treasure fleet, which would serve as the emperors principal envoy to the peoples of the Indian Ocean basin. The Yongle Emperor appointed him to head the massive fleet of 317 junks crewed by over 27,000 men that set out from Nanjing in the fall of 1405. At the age of 35, Zheng He had achieved the highest rank ever for a eunuch in Chinese history. With a mandate to collect tribute and establish ties with rulers all around the Indian Ocean, Zheng He and his armada set forth for Calicut on Indias western coast. It would be the first of seven total voyages of the treasure fleet, all commanded by Zheng He, between 1405 and 1432. During his career as a naval commander, Zheng He negotiated trade  pacts, fought pirates, installed puppet kings, and brought back tribute for the Yongle Emperor in the form of jewels, medicines, and exotic animals. He and his crew traveled and traded not only with the city-states of what are now Indonesia, Malaysia, Siam, and India, but also with the Arabian ports of modern-day Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Although Zheng He was raised Muslim  and visited the shrines of Islamic holy men in Fujian Province and elsewhere, he also venerated Tianfei, the Celestial Consort and protector of sailors. Tianfei had been a mortal woman living in the 900s who achieved enlightenment as a teenager. Gifted with foresight, she was able to warn her brother of an approaching storm at sea, saving his life. Final Voyages In 1424, the Yongle Emperor passed away. Zheng He had made six voyages in his name and brought back countless emissaries from foreign lands to bow before him, but the cost of these excursions weighed heavily on the Chinese treasury. In addition, the Mongols and other nomadic peoples were a constant military threat along Chinas northern and western borders. The Yongle Emperors cautious and scholarly elder son, Zhu Gaozhi, became the Hongxi Emperor. During his nine-month rule, Zhu Gaozhi ordered an end to all treasure fleet construction and repairs. A Confucianist, he believed that the voyages drained too much money from the country. He preferred to spend on fending off the Mongols and feeding people in famine-ravaged provinces instead. When the Hongxi Emperor died less than a year into his reign in 1426, his 26-year-old son became the Xuande Emperor. A happy medium between his proud, mercurial grandfather and his cautious, scholarly father, the Xuande Emperor decided to send Zheng He and the treasure fleet out again. Death In 1432, the 61-year-old Zheng He set out with his largest fleet ever for one final trip around the Indian Ocean, sailing all the way to Malindi on Kenyas east coast and stopping at trading ports along the way. On the return voyage, as the fleet sailed east from Calicut, Zheng He died. He was buried at sea, although legend says that the crew returned a braid of his hair and his shoes to Nanjing for burial. Legacy Although Zheng He looms as a larger-than-life figure in modern eyes both in China and abroad, Confucian scholars made serious attempts to expunge the memory of the great eunuch admiral and his voyages from history in the decades following his death. They feared a return to the wasteful spending on such expeditions. In 1477, for example, a court eunuch requested the records of Zheng Hes voyages with the intention of restarting the program, but the scholar in charge of the records told him that the documents had been lost. Zheng Hes story survived, however, in the accounts of crew members including Fei Xin, Gong Zhen, and Ma Huan, who went on several of the later voyages. The treasure fleet also left stone markers at the places they visited. Today, whether people view Zheng He as an emblem of Chinese diplomacy and soft power or as a symbol of the countrys aggressive overseas expansion, all agree that the admiral and his fleet stand among the great wonders of the ancient world. Sources Mote, Frederick W.  Imperial China 900-1800. Harvard University Press, 2003.Yamashita, Michael S., and Gianni Guadalupi.  Zheng He: Tracing the Epic Voyages of Chinas Greatest Explorer. White Star Publishers, 2006.