Learning Goal: I’m working on a writing discussion question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.
250 words each
One: Ethics and social responsibility
Ethics and social responsibility are directly related because social responsibility is important to business ethics. Businesses consider the impact of their operations on the environment and make policies to ensure sustainable growth. The current global environment and rise in public awareness have forced enterprises to strive for sustainability. Research has revealed that customers prefer buying products and services from companies that use renewable energy resources to carry out operations (Kim & Thapa, 2018, p.448). The difference between CSR and business ethics is that business ethics make an organization accountable to social values. However, business ethics involve other matters, i.e., fair treatment of employees, obligations related to suppliers, stakeholders and other reasonable practices in the organizational culture. Social responsibility is more related to what is going on outside the organization, while business ethics involve matters within the organization.
Ethical leadership and its impact
Ethical leadership is considered a smart business approach that benefits the company and society at the same time (Ferrell et al., 2019, p.496). One of the most known examples of ethical leadership that impacted the organization and society is that of Proctor and Gamble. The company started its campaign “We See Equal”, targeting gender bias in society (Agudelo, 2020, p. 12). This campaign did not only help the company increase awareness and the idea of fair treatment of female employees but also helped it win more customers. People started to develop an emotional connection with the company and shifted towards its products. This campaign and ethical leadership tactic were the reason behind the exceptional performance of the business in 2019. Many other companies have also practised this approach and started different campaigns to address pressing issues in society. Another example of ethical leadership is the approach used by Elon Musk. He is a global leader who does not compromise on his values. His mission is to make mars accessible for people and make life possible on the planet (Yauney, 2018, p. 2). This value has given an identity to his company and promoted hope among people for a better future for humanity.
Unethical leadership and its impact
Unethical leadership is more focused on the personal interests of leaders. It usually involves illegal practices. Such leadership practices are generally kept secret; however, when exposed, the business or organization has to face extremely negative consequences (Ferrell et al., 2019, p.498). One of the examples of unethical leadership is that of Total SA, a French oil and gas company. The company was involved in building a pipeline and exploited Myanmar’s slave labour for this purpose. The legal consequences faced by the organization after this were serious. Social impacts included protests against the company and losing customers. The suppliers and stakeholders also made their ways separate from the company. Other real-world examples of unethical leadership include the case of Tyco International, HealthSouth, and Investment Bank Lehman.
References
Agudelo, P. (2020). The best a brand can be? P&G’s advertising meeting hegemonic masculinity.
Ferrell, O. C., Harrison, D. E., Ferrell, L., & Hair, J. F. (2019). An exploratory study of business ethics, corporate social responsibility, and brand attitudes. Journal of Business Research, 95, 491-501.
Kim, M. S., & Thapa, B. (2018). Relationship of ethical leadership, corporate social responsibility and organizational performance. Sustainability, 10(2), 447-462.
Yauney, R. H. (2018). Leadership Development: A Study of Elon Musk. Marriott Student Review, 2(2), 4.
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