Abstract This paper discusses certain research methods and types of research and the importance of ethics in research. The author feels that when carrying out research it is extremely important that the research is conducted in a safe and ethical manner. He feels that researchers must ensure that the rights of the research subjects are not violated in any way. This paper contains excerpts from studies on the matter and their conclusions.
From the Paper " "Educational researchers have good intentions, but if they are not careful, their studies can place individuals in situations that involve risk" (Gall, 1996). Data collection, and analysis, subject selection, research procedure, credibility of the researcher and the worth of the study are all ethical issues that those wishing to perform a study face. Often researchers are the victims of poor planning or inexperience and their subjects suffer for it. "
Abstract Employees who report illegal or wrongful activities of colleagues are known as "whistle blowers". The paper provides a balanced argument to support both sides of this subject by discussing the positive and the negative aspects of whistle blowing in the workplace. The paper analyzes the similarities as well as the differences with regards to the opinions of whistle blowing. Lastly, this paper offers suggestions one might consider before becoming a whistleblower as well as possible recommendations for the future advancement in the protection of innocent whistleblowers.
From the Paper "We must also consider that corporations in are run with the expectations that they will function in ways that are compatible with the public interest. That they will obey laws governing their activities and not do anything that undermines basic democratic processes. Lest we not forget they must also create a profit for the stakeholders of their company. In accomplishing such feats companies may find it difficult to maintain this high level of honesty. Although companies may have answers for their each and every action they make the action is not always ethical or legal and deserves action."
From the Paper "The thesis of the study is that the scientific pursuit of genetic cloning too often ignores the ethical and spiritual aspects of humanity. This study will examine some of the pros and cons of this subject, focusing on human cloning.
Just as animal cloning has been accomplished, it is likely that human cloning is also within the reach of science. However, the question is whether the benefits of cloning outweigh the drawbacks. Are human beings supposed to live longer, one result of cloning? Is the cloned human being, in fact, an authentic human being? Is the relative perfection afforded by cloning desirable, or is it a danger to the essence of human nature? The argument here is that individuality, imperfection, sickness and even death are natural parts of human existence and yet one promise of human cloning is to do away with these factors which..."
From the Paper "In looking at the past fifty years in society, there seem to be two conflicting tendencies. Many people believe that society has become less moral, with people less inclined to behave in ethical ways. At the same time, there has been a much greater focus on ethical behavior in business, especially during the past two decades. Does this mean that ethics in business is a new concept?
Business ethics has simply changed over the past fifty years. There are a whole range of issues that have come under scrutiny, including whistle blowing, pollution, community responsibility, and sustainability. The approach to business decision-making has also sometimes changed. The intent in this..."
Abstract The image of organizational ethics suffered severely from recent Wall Street scandals. However, experts suggest that, in times of distress and tough economic conditions, it is more important than ever to remain faithful to personal and organizational moral principles. This paper shows that, even though companies cannot build the individual morality and personal ability to recognize right from wrong, effective communication, guidance, or resources availability, an example set by upper management and formal education can help students and employees avoid ethical risks and make knowledgeable ethical decisions. The paper analyzes various problems associated with moral behavior and decision making in the modern workplace and discusses several ways to improve and promote workplace ethics.
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
I Introduction
II Body
1 The Concept of Workplace Ethics
2 Organizational Ethics Policies and Their Purpose
3 Is Workplace Ethics a Myth? The Facts
4 Reasons Behind Workplace Ethics Decline
5 Workplace Ethics Today: Its Importance and Ways to Improve It
6 Promoting Ethical Behavior Through University Education
7 Ethics Courses in University Curriculum: Problems and Opportunities
III Conclusion
IV Bibliography
From the Paper "In 1996, Archer Daniels Midland Company pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $100 million dollars for fixing the price of two corn-based products that cost consumers millions of dollars a year (Hunter-Gault, 1996). In 2000, Firestone and Ford Motor Company had to apologize to their consumers for a series of deadly accidents linked to tire failures, while trying to pin blame on each other. In 2002 Ford/Firestone scandal was followed by the largest corporate bankruptcy in the US, the collapse of Enron, whose "rapid expansion - and escalating profits - turned out to be based on false accounting methods that artificially inflated its size and potential" (Enron puts itself, 2002). Since the Enron scandal erupted, many more scandals tarnishing the names of once-mighty companies, such as Andersen, WorldCom, Xerox, Tyco, Merrill Lynch and others came to light (Wall Street Scandals, 2002). Are the scandals that have shaken the confidence in corporate America just the result of a few bad apples, or do they indicate a tragic tumble of corporate culture, integrity and business ethics?"
Abstract This paper examines how the ethical difficulties involved in the case of Enron and Arthur Anderson, the accounting firm that had been responsible for auditing Enron accounts, are both numerous and overreaching. From the initial process of setting up the special purpose entities (SPEs), to the accounting bias fueled by large fees that Enron provided to Arthur Anderson, it looks at how the failure to testify truthfully about the Enron scandal in a court of law, showed a lack ethical decision making.
From the Paper "The ethical difficulties involved in the case of Enron and Arthur Anderson, the accounting firm that had been responsible for auditing Enron's accounts, are both numerous and overreaching. From the initial process of setting up the special purpose entities (SPEs) to the accounting bias fueled by large fees that Enron provided to Arthur Anderson, to the failure to testify truthfully about the Enron scandal in a court of law, participants showed a lack ethical decision-making. Freeman, in his stakeholder theory of business ethics, argues that businesses do bear social responsibilities for their actions. This paper will examine the actions of both companies against the strictures of the stakeholder model of ethics. "
Abstract This paper studies the arguments raised both against and in support of animal testing. It is believed that animals are subjected to cruelty during researches but medical science feels it would absolutely unwise to ban animal testing altogether as it would hinder the progress being made in different branches. It is therefore important to study the subject of animal experimentation in order to find out which group has more valid arguments in support of their stance.
From the Paper "Animal testing is the most commonly used method in not only medical research but also all other kind of scientific research, which has resulted in worldwide protests. It is believed that since many animals are subjected to cruelty during the research, it is an unethical practice, which must be banned. Even animal testing for cosmetic products has also been widely condemned. ?According to a 1994 study of the Tufts University Center for Animals and Public Policy, as many as 50 million or more animals were used each year in American medical research before 1970. Because of the growing influence of animal protection groups, this number had declined to an estimated 20 million animals in 1992.?" (http://www.tufts.edu/vet/cfa/index.html)
Abstract The paper shows that abortion, according to the Court, refers to the termination of pregnancy with the consent of the mother. Therefore even when the mother herself is demanding abortion, pro-lifers maintain that termination must not be allowed because it violates basic rights of the unborn child. The paper shows too how the pro-choice quarter on the other hand, advocates a mother's right to health and feels that an unwanted child would only lead to numerous economic, social and emotional problems for the woman. The paper therefore addresses both sides of the issue and also briefly mentions the role of the Supreme Court in this area.
From the Paper "The pro-choice movement on the other hand advocates rights of the mother. It maintains that a child in the womb is not a fully developed person and therefore his rights are not as important as that of the mother and similarly it is her life and health, which must be kept in mind, when decision regarding pregnancy is being made. (Gordon, 1995) Logically speaking, this group appears to have more valid and reasonable arguments in favor of its stance in the subject but there are certain extremes, which are to be avoided by this group. This is because it is the extreme views, which have turned pro-lifers against pro-choice group. The extreme involves not considering the unborn child a human being even in the final stage of pregnancy. It is true that a child cannot be called a person in prenatal stage, but still he is a fully developed human being when pregnancy has reached the end of its term. Therefore to support abortion at this stage is absolutely wrong because it would be the same thing as killing a human being. "
Abstract There are several ground rules that should be considered in the decision-making process, when ethics are concerned. Ethics operate according to a certain set of moral criteria acceptable to society at a given time or in a given place. The paper shows that ethics or morals dictate how we as human beings should conduct our lives. They determine the standards of right or wrong actions in terms of the truly human life. A further aspect of ethics is admitting where society's ethics fall short in terms of concerns that are minimized or ignored. The paper explains that the ultimate consideration in a decision-making process is not primarily one of religious or legal importance, but of social and human importance. The paper uses euthanasia as an example of using ethics in a decision-making process.
From the Paper "The most pressing issue appears to be dignity. The argument is that people should have the right to die with dignity, which presumably is not the case if they are, for example, kept alive by machines. There is, however, an opposite point of view stating that death with the aid of a physician is not guaranteed to be dignified. Others approach the issue from a philosophical point of view, saying that meeting death with dignity is the natural result of living life with dignity. This then separates the issue entirely from the way in which a person dies. When all factors are taken into account, the conclusion is that a dignified death requires more than simply a legal right. A dignified death would require a large amount of courage and faith from a number of involved persons."
Abstract This paper discusses abortion, showing all the key themes and issues currently affecting it. The introduction defines terms necessary for the paper such as "abortion", "human life" and "human person" and gives a history of abortion from ancient until modern times. It then puts forward the arguments of "pro-life" and "pro-choice", focusing on two unusual case studies that turn upside-down commonly held views on when abortion is or is not appropriate - one supporting abortion (a mother who simply did not want a child at her life stage) and another opposing abortion (a woman who was born after her mother was raped). It attempts to show through these examples that it is possible to eloquently argue either for or against abortion but that ultimately it is impossible to determine whether abortion is "right" or "wrong" and that each case needs to be judged on its individual merits.
From the Paper "The Catholic Church also has inconsistencies regarding intra-uterine devices (IUD?s) and its funeral and burial services. Most people believe that IUD's interfere with the implantation of fertilized ovum in the uterine wall. If this is correct, it means that IUD's terminate development after conception and therefore after a human person has been formed. This means that, technically, approximately 43% of American women have had an abortion. There have also been burial services and funerals held by the Roman Catholic Church for aborted fetuses. However, this has not generally been the case as fetuses have not been considered full persons by the Church to the extent of being worthy of a formal requiem mass or formal burial service."
Abstract This paper explains that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (July 2002) is a weak attempt by Congress and the Securities and Exchange Commission to make meaningful changes in the oversight of public companies. The paper relates that the future of the accounting profession will be different under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act because auditors will report to an audit committee, not management; auditors will no longer be allowed to offer many non-audit services to the client; and the lead audit partner and audit review partner must be rotated every five years. The author has serious reservations regarding whether or not Sarbanes-Oxley does enough to change the underlying root cause of accounting irregularities and believes that more research is needed.
From the Paper "Although many department chiefs already are stepping up Sarbanes-Oxley Act compliance activity throughout their organization, most say they feel like they are just going through motions. And, few finance executives believe Sarbanes will do much to restore investor confidence. In a PricewaterhouseCoopers survey, eighty-four percent of executives reported that Sarbanes has changed control and compliance practices at their companies?though not significantly. And, more than half contend the new law simply formalizes what their company had been already doing anyway."
Abstract This paper presents arguments for and against the use of illegal substances by athletes in the sports arena. The writer takes the stand that the world is currently filled with enhancers of all sorts and that athletes should not be condemned for dragging this practice onto the sports field.
From the Paper "Although there are rules against illegal substance use in sports you cannot criticize the guilty athletes too harshly. They may not have made the right choice but everyone makes mistakes. Before you turn your nose up at a guilty athlete and tattoo him as a 'cheater' maybe you should think about the last time you colored your hair, whitened your teeth, or popped that stimulant your doctor prescribed you to help you focus. Yes, there are big differences, but the bottom line is you cannot condemn an athlete for using something to improve his performance on the field when we are guilty of the same off the field. Athletes should not be criticized so harshly for using artificial substances to improve their performance when other people are guilty of the same."
Abstract This paper discusses the Enron Corporation scandal and assesses behaviors within the context of ethical principles. The author points out Enron's deceptive practices in the trading of energy market. The paper applies the views of Mill, Aristotle and Kant to Enron activities.
From the Paper "Over a span of several years, high-level executives at the Enron Corporation, essentially an energy distribution form, engaged in a complex set of financially-oriented behaviors designed to deceive customers, government ..."
Abstract A paper against the use of embryonic stem cells in scientific research. The author cites legal and moral reasons in support of his/her argument. Also discussed are some of the medical procedures and issues involved.
From the Paper "The potential for human life should always be given a chance. By destroying human embryos, the chance for a human being to make a difference in the world is destroyed along with it. Recently, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) made a decision to fund stem cell research. However, the research is dependent upon the destruction of human embryos. In addition, the National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) is calling to change the current ban against federally funded embryonic research, resulting in federal funds being used to destroy even more embryos. The destruction of human embryos should be stopped, and the funding for stem cell research should be halted until a more ethical method of retrieving stem cells is implemented."
Tags: biological, biology, embryo, ethical, ethics, medical, research
Abstract The paper shows how a century ago corporate social responsibility was an idea whose time had not yet come, and companies were free to treat their employees as badly as they could get away with and cause nearly unregulated environmental damage. Profits were considered the only measure of how good a company was, and higher profits were often derived from unethical treatment of workers and resources. It shows that such an attitude today is no longer either practical nor acceptable and that increased government regulation has limited everything from the safety conditions of the workplace to the ways that companies must restore any environmental damage that they inflict. The paper discusses how a company can become socially responsible.
From the Paper "To take up the moral objections first, one can argue that corporate social responsibility must be practiced because it is the right thing to do. A business executive should never find himself or herself asking the question: "If I conduct my business in an unethical way, how much more money will I make?" Rather, each individual must determine how much profit is reasonable and, having decided this, match those expectations of financial gain with a business that can be carried out in a responsible and moral fashion."
