Abstract The paper argues against the practice of assisted suicide, which is now quite common in the United States. The paper discusses the issue from ethical as well as legal perspective and explains why the Court should never sanction this practice.
From the Paper "Assisted suicide is one of those burning issues, which give rise to ethical quandaries, not to mention extreme public fury. People are of the view that while we do have a right to live, we certainly do not have a right to bring an end to our own lives because the principle of dignity of human life doesn?t permit such an action. However over the years, many complex cases in this connection have surfaced, some of which even reached the Supreme Court. It is important to understand that law in many states prohibits physician-assisted suicide even though this practice prevails in many hospitals nationwide. What a physician decides with his patient in the privacy of his clinic is something solely connected with the doctor's moral and ethical principles, however we need to bear in mind that court in many cases has reiterated its stand on the issue by strongly opposing all forms of physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients."
Abstract This paper gives a brief description of what stem cells are and how they may be used in scientific research. Recent studies show that stem cells may hold the key to discovering a cure for many mysterious diseases, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer?s. But the moral issues remain intact, despite the obvious positive consequences. The core of the stem cell debate is a battle over abortion, as stem cells come from embryos. This paper discusses both sides of the debate and looks at government intervention.
From the Paper "For pro-life advocates, the moral costs of the research far outweigh any potential benefits. For scientists, the possibilities of research are awe-inspiring and bewildering. No one denies the moral dilemma of the stem cell debate. But to turn back now, researchers say, would be like turning our backs on a bright, sustaining light because we are terrified of the shadows it creates. "
Abstract A review of "Ethics in Accounting" by Ireen Baset and how it addresses the contemporary ethical issues related to the accounting and financial decision-making process. Examines how the article treats the challenge, faced by employers, managers, administrators and employees alike, of adequately incorporating ethical values into the daily work schedule.
From the Paper "On the same account, a real estate company where the entire corporate dealings depend upon the efficiency and the sense of morality of the accountants must make relentless efforts to effectively communicate corporate ethics. This can be best done through the planning and implementation as well as the continuous maintenance of a sound and a pragmatic internal ethical program, that is putting down ethical rules in black and white for the organizational staff, employees and the first-line supervisors."
Abstract This paper discusses the importance of ethics in the managerial decision making process. In the competitive corporate world of today, it is extremely important for companies to base their decisions on ethically accurate and morally sound principles. Since managers are the decision makers in the firms, the responsibility of incorporating ethics into everyday decisions lies with them, and, therefore, they play a key role in weaving ethics and morals into the company's fabric.
Abstract This is a narrative paper describing the author's ethics and comparing them to well-known philosophers such as Aristotle, Mortimer Adler, Immanuel Kant, and John Stuart Mill. The author discusses the sources of ethics, morals and virtues of humans and critically analyzes the way these determine the way humans lead their lives.
From the Paper "Ethics. Morals. Virtue. These three words all essentially retain the same meaning. They refer to the goodness or evil of man. No two people's ethics are the same, and everyone has some inner moral code to which he or she adheres. We can choose to criticize or accept the morals of others, but we must first analyze our own to such an extent that we are justified in doing so. The ethics that I have acquired throughout my life have come from a variety of sources. Much of what I feel passionately about I have assimilated from my parents. I am sure that my moral code is not ideal for all (no one's ethics can be), yet I think most people would feel fulfilled, as I am, with the life I desire to lead."
Abstract This paper describes the history of the Enron Corp. and what led to its bankruptcy which the author sees as a product of management's greed, shady, yet legal accounting practices and a web of influence created through large campaign donations.
From the Paper "Enron created various types of contracts that protected both the buyers and sellers in case of price fluctuation over the length of the contracts. This new marketplace allowed energy users to predict and stabilize costs far into the future. This strategy created by Enron was based on the belief that it could be a big energy player without owning all of the power plants, ships and pipelines that most companies owned. Instead they would use contracts to control facilities in which other had invested. By 2001, Enron had evolved into a market maker for some 1,800 different products, many of them energy- or Internet-related contracts or derivatives the company had created itself.[i]"
Abstract This paper looks at corporate social responsibility and the importance of ethical behavior by management in business. The author stresses the importance of acting responsibly and how the manager's actions and reactions set the tone for their employees. According to this argument, a manager acts unethically, they certainly cannot be upset when one of their employees acts in a similar manner. The manager must set an appropriate tone in order to guarantee the success of their department and therefore of the company. The author presents and discusses several business situations where an employee, or management were in a situation that required them to choose between ethical and unethical behavior.
From the Paper "The importance of acting according to one's own personal values cannot be overly emphasized. It is rare indeed that a person in today's economy will work for a single company for their entire lives. But a person will always keep their conscience and a sense of having acted correctly is far more important and far more enduring that the temporary advantage one might achieve by acting in an immoral fashion. It is always possible to find another job (although it may not pay as well or be as socially prestigious). But it is never possible to undo a wrong that one has committed, and this distinction must be remembered at all times. Managers who set an example by acting themselves ethically at all times do a great service to their companies and do much to contribute to an atmosphere in which not only will their employees be ethical but that they will also be content."
Abstract This paper looks at the issues relating to ethical conduct by law enforcement officials, including the basic concepts, ethical behavior and its motivation, ethical decision making, and finally, the impact of unethical conduct on effective law enforcement.
Contents
Basic Concepts of Law Enforcement Ethics
Ethical Behavior
Motivation for Ethical Behavior
Ethical Decision Making
The Effects of Unethical Behavior
Annotated Bibliography
From the Paper "Certain guidelines are also in place in order to ensure ethical behavior. Firstly law enforcement officials should ensure that they are acting within the rule of law as prevalent during the specific time period in which they operate (Alderson, 1979, p. 15). Secondly the internal rules of policing should also be followed in order to ensure correct conduct. If these rules are followed effectively, it should be evident in the absence of crime (Chu, 2001, p. 24). Police officers are however not only dependent on themselves for their ability to effectively perform their duties. The public also plays a substantial role in terms of their approval of the existence, actions and behavior of the law enforcement agency."
Abstract This paper argues that voluntary euthanasia preserves dignity. Examined in this paper are such ideas as the right to die, the ethical parameters of euthanasia, the quality of life perspective and a place for euthanasia within varied perspectives. The author argues that one of the greatest ways to preserve another person's dignity is through an act of mercy. Voluntary euthanasia is an act of mercy, which therefore, preserves dignity with the bestowment of final compassion.
From the Paper "A step in awareness is the enactment of careful laws that permit forms of voluntary euthanasia. In the United States, the state of Oregon's Death With Dignity Act, allowing ?limited physician-assisted suicide,? is an example of a start for public understanding. In ideal cases of merciful euthanasia, a person makes a painstaking, well thought-out decision. Voluntary euthanasia is rarely carried out at the first knowledge of impending death, especially if medical help is available to treat the terminal disease. Voluntary euthanasia is an act of mercy, and therefore, preserves dignity with the bestowment of final compassion. "
Abstract This paper focuses on the issue of email privacy and whether employers have the right to read and act on private email sent by employees from their workstations. The writer explores both sides of the issue and the laws that have pertained thus far. The paper argues that while it would be unethical to invade the privacy of an employee's life outside of the workplace, the careful monitoring of online activities from a business owned computer or during business hours of work is perfectly acceptable. Employees are paid to perform certain duties while at work communicating with friends or surfing the net. The paper shows that the ethics of employer monitored online activity can only be brought to the question if it moves into the off duty hours and activities of the employees.
From the Paper "A recent study by the American Management Association concluded that two-thirds of businesses in the country monitor their employee email on a regular basis. Surveillance technology has developed software allowing the electronic monitoring of email and the software sales for such products is expected to increase(Kelly, 2001). There are several reasons for the monitoring of employee email including concern over legal liability and the desire to monitor productivity of their paid work hours. ?Beyond productivity concerns, employers scrutinize employee email and web usage to avoid or mitigate potential legal liability for workplace sexual-harassment claims. Courts are increasingly finding employers liable for sexually harassing, hostile work environments when their employees use company equipment to transmit offensive e-mail or sexually explicit pictures(Kelly, 2001).""
Abstract The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was signed into law on July 29, 2002. It was the U.S. government's response to the questionable business practices of a number of corporate executives, which caused across-the-board declines in the value of stock in publicly-traded companies during the summer of 2002. The passage of the Act has been heralded by some as an historic occasion, some calling it a long overdue corporate reform package, while others have severely criticized the Act as an unnecessary overreaction by the government. This paper discusses the business conditions that prompted the passage of the Act, the accounting problems that made the Act necessary, the advantages and disadvantages of the Act, and the effect of the Act on the future of the accounting profession.
From the Paper "The Corporate Sector in the United States is already sufficiently regulated. Further regulation goes against the principles of a free market economy that is one of the basic principles of the country's economy. What was needed in the wake of bankruptcy scandals was stricter enforcement of the existing laws rather than creating new ones.
The Act was a knee-jerk reaction to the accounting scandals in a tiny percentage of businesses. The new reporting requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley will divert the attentions of managements and boards of directors to self-protection away from the business purposes of companies."
Abstract This nine-page business ethics paper discusses ethics in advertising, examines the issues involved, and includes a summary of the facts. The author analyzes a list of the potential solutions, provides a pro and con evaluation summary for each potential solution, and selects the best solution. He then provides analysis and justification for his reasoning, while stating ethical and philosophies and identifying obstacles likely to be encountered in implementing the solution.
Tags: BUSINESS / MARKETING AND ADVERTISING, ethics false advertisement
Abstract Accounting firm Arthur Andersen's recent involvement in the spectacular Enron scandal has raised a number of questions about whether accounting firms should act as consultants for the same companies that they audit. Clearly, Andersen's experience shows that is difficult, if not impossible, for an accounting company to avoid conflict-of-interest issues when acting as both a consultant and auditor for a single company. This paper paper shows that the conflict of interest is only one of the serious ethical issues faced by the business world in the past years. As such, clients and investors are becoming increasingly aware of ethical issues, a situation that makes reform in the accounting industry a necessity to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the accounting profession.
From the Paper "In examining only the behavior of Arthur Andersen, we run the real risk of losing sight of the larger ethical issues that are involved in the Enron fiasco. The behavior of both Arthur Anderson and Enron executives showed a shocking disregard for personal ethics, as well as professional standards, and corporate ethics. Jennifer Beever notes that the business world has responded by taking a renewed interest in the study of ethics. This is a marked difference previous standards of proper business behavior that adhered most strongly to the pursuit of self-interest (Beever)."
Abstract This paper discusses two diverse topics, ethics in decision making and technology-induced, work-related stress. Enron is used as an example in the discussion of ethics. The paper looks at how technology is a gift, but also an extra stress factor. It uses examples such as the possibility of losing documents due to computer crashes, email, and voice-mail.
From the Paper "Let's face it: Some people think about ethics and other people think about money." (Werbel cited Chapman 2000) Werbel says that business ethics is a strong feature of nearly every business school curriculum, but that training in ethics has minimal impact on people. What has a bigger influence on people are the actions of the leadership teams in organizations."
Abstract This paper contends that there is a close interconnection and relationship between the areas of personal, cultural, and organizational values and decision-making. The paper explains that decision-making is based on personal values, which are influenced and impacted by cultural values, ethical systems, and other cardinal aspects. Organizational values, which are often influenced by cultural values in a society, are very important, especially with regard to the decision-making process in the lives of professionals.
From the Paper "Both the military and law enforcement share a strict hierarchical and very rational process of decision making. They have an essentially logical and shared decision making process, which takes into account the greater good of all and not merely personal needs or desires. The important aspect of all organizations is that they usually have a set of rules and ethics intended to control and direct personal values. This is particularly the case in an institution like the military, where the good of the organization supersedes the needs and wishes of the individual."
