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What Are Business Ethics & Why Are They Important?

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  • 27 Jul 2023

From artificial intelligence to facial recognition technology, organizations face an increasing number of ethical dilemmas. While innovation can aid business growth, it can also create opportunities for potential abuse.

“The long-term impacts of a new technology—both positive and negative—may not become apparent until years after it’s introduced,” says Harvard Business School Professor Nien-hê Hsieh in the online course Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “For example, the impact of social media on children and teenagers didn’t become evident until we watched it play out over time.”

If you’re a current or prospective leader concerned about navigating difficult situations, here's an overview of business ethics, why they're important, and how to ensure ethical behavior in your organization.

Access your free e-book today.

What Are Business Ethics?

Business ethics are principles that guide decision-making . As a leader, you’ll face many challenges in the workplace because of different interpretations of what's ethical. Situations often require navigating the “gray area,” where it’s unclear what’s right and wrong.

When making decisions, your experiences, opinions, and perspectives can influence what you believe to be ethical, making it vital to:

  • Be transparent.
  • Invite feedback.
  • Consider impacts on employees, stakeholders, and society.
  • Reflect on past experiences to learn what you could have done better.

“The way to think about ethics, in my view, is: What are the externalities that your business creates, both positive and negative?” says Harvard Business School Professor Vikram Gandhi in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “And, therefore, how do you actually increase the positive element of externalities? And how do you decrease the negative?”

Related: Why Managers Should Involve Their Team in the Decision-Making Process

Ethical Responsibilities to Society

Promoting ethical conduct can benefit both your company and society long term.

“I'm a strong believer that a long-term focus is what creates long-term value,” Gandhi says in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “So you should get shareholders in your company that have that same perspective.”

Prioritizing the triple bottom line is an effective way for your business to fulfill its environmental responsibilities and create long-term value. It focuses on three factors:

  • Profit: The financial return your company generates for shareholders
  • People: How your company affects customers, employees, and stakeholders
  • Planet: Your company’s impact on the planet and environment

Check out the video below to learn more about the triple bottom line, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more explainer content!

Ethical and corporate social responsibility (CSR) considerations can go a long way toward creating value, especially since an increasing number of customers, employees, and investors expect organizations to prioritize CSR. According to the Conscious Consumer Spending Index , 67 percent of customers prefer buying from socially responsible companies.

To prevent costly employee turnover and satisfy customers, strive to fulfill your ethical responsibilities to society.

Ethical Responsibilities to Customers

As a leader, you must ensure you don’t mislead your customers. Doing so can backfire, negatively impacting your organization’s credibility and profits.

Actions to avoid include:

  • Greenwashing : Taking advantage of customers’ CSR preferences by claiming your business practices are sustainable when they aren't.
  • False advertising : Making unverified or untrue claims in advertisements or promotional material.
  • Making false promises : Lying to make a sale.

These unethical practices can result in multi-million dollar lawsuits, as well as highly dissatisfied customers.

Ethical Responsibilities to Employees

You also have ethical responsibilities to your employees—from the beginning to the end of their employment.

One area of business ethics that receives a lot of attention is employee termination. According to Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability , letting an employee go requires an individualized approach that ensures fairness.

Not only can wrongful termination cost your company upwards of $100,000 in legal expenses , it can also negatively impact other employees’ morale and how they perceive your leadership.

Ethical business practices have additional benefits, such as attracting and retaining talented employees willing to take a pay cut to work for a socially responsible company. Approximately 40 percent of millennials say they would switch jobs to work for a company that emphasizes sustainability.

Ultimately, it's critical to do your best to treat employees fairly.

“Fairness is not only an ethical response to power asymmetries in the work environment,” Hsieh says in the course. “Fairness—and having a successful organizational culture–can benefit the organization economically and legally.”

Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability | Develop a toolkit for making tough leadership decisions| Learn More

Why Are Business Ethics Important?

Failure to understand and apply business ethics can result in moral disengagement .

“Moral disengagement refers to ways in which we convince ourselves that what we’re doing is not wrong,” Hsieh says in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “It can upset the balance of judgment—causing us to prioritize our personal commitments over shared beliefs, rules, and principles—or it can skew our logic to make unethical behaviors appear less harmful or not wrong.”

Moral disengagement can also lead to questionable decisions, such as insider trading .

“In the U.S., insider trading is defined in common, federal, and state laws regulating the opportunity for insiders to benefit from material, non-public information, or MNPI,” Hsieh explains.

This type of unethical behavior can carry severe legal consequences and negatively impact your company's bottom line.

“If you create a certain amount of harm to a society, your customers, or employees over a period of time, that’s going to have a negative impact on your economic value,” Gandhi says in the course.

This is reflected in over half of the top 10 largest bankruptcies between 1980 and 2013 that resulted from unethical behavior. As a business leader, strive to make ethical decisions and fulfill your responsibilities to stakeholders.

How to Implement Business Ethics

To become a more ethical leader, it's crucial to have a balanced, long-term focus.

“It's very important to balance the fact that, even if you're focused on the long term, you have to perform in the short term as well and have a very clear, articulated strategy around that,” Gandhi says in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability .

Making ethical decisions requires reflective leadership.

“Reflecting on complex, gray-area decisions is a key part of what it means to be human, as well as an effective leader,” Hsieh says. “You have agency. You must choose how to act. And with that agency comes responsibility.”

Related: Why Are Ethics Important in Engineering?

Hsieh advises asking the following questions:

  • Are you using the “greater good” to justify unethical behavior?
  • Are you downplaying your actions to feel better?

“Asking these and similar questions at regular intervals can help you notice when you or others may be approaching the line between making a tough but ethical call and justifying problematic actions,” Hsieh says.

How to Become a More Effective Leader | Access Your Free E-Book | Download Now

Become a More Ethical Leader

Learning from past successes and mistakes can enable you to improve your ethical decision-making.

“As a leader, when trying to determine what to do, it can be helpful to start by simply asking in any given situation, ‘What can we do?’ and ‘What would be wrong to do?’” Hsieh says.

Many times, the answers come from experience.

Gain insights from others’ ethical decisions, too. One way to do so is by taking an online course, such as Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability , which includes case studies that immerse you in real-world business situations, as well as a reflective leadership model to inform your decision-making.

Ready to become a better leader? Enroll in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability —one of our online leadership and management courses —and download our free e-book on how to be a more effective leader.

professionalism and ethics essay business studies

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Building an Ethical Company

  • Isaac H. Smith
  • Maryam Kouchaki

professionalism and ethics essay business studies

Just as people can develop skills and abilities over time, they can learn to be more or less ethical. Yet many organizations limit ethics training to the onboarding process. If they do address it thereafter, it may be only by establishing codes of conduct or whistleblower hotlines. Such steps may curb specific infractions, but they don’t necessarily help employees develop as ethical people.

Drawing on evidence from hundreds of research studies, the authors offer a framework for helping workers build moral character. Managers can provide experiential training in ethical dilemmas. They can foster psychological safety when minor lapses occur, conduct pre- and postmortems for initiatives with ethical components, and create a culture of service by encouraging volunteer work and mentoring in ethics.

Create an organization that helps employees behave more honorably.

Idea in Brief

The opportunity.

Just as people entering the workforce can develop job-related skills and abilities over time, they can learn to be more ethical as well.

Why It’s Often Missed

Many organizations relegate ethics training to the onboarding process, perhaps also issuing codes of conduct and establishing whistleblower hotlines. Such steps may curb specific unethical acts but don’t necessarily help workers grow as moral people.

How to Capitalize on It

Managers can provide experiential training in ethical dilemmas, foster psychological safety when (minor) lapses occur, conduct pre- and postmortems for initiatives with ethical components, and create a culture of service by encouraging volunteer work and mentoring in ethics.

People don’t enter the workforce with a fixed moral character. Just as employees can nurture (or neglect) their skills and abilities over time, they can learn to be more or less ethical. Yet rather than take a long-term view of employees’ moral development, many organizations treat ethics training as a onetime event, often limiting it to the onboarding process. If they do address ethics thereafter, it may be only by espousing codes of conduct or establishing whistleblower hotlines. Such steps may curb specific unethical actions, but they don’t necessarily help employees develop as moral people.

  • Isaac H. Smith is an associate professor of organizational behavior and human resources at BYU Marriott School of Business. His research explores the morality and ethics of organizations and the people in them.
  • Maryam Kouchaki is a professor of management and organizations at the Kellogg School of Management. Her research explores ethics, morality, and the complexity and challenges of managing ethnic and gender diversity for organizations.

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Business Ethics Journal Review

Edited by alexei marcoux & chris macdonald — issn 2326-7526.

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professionalism and ethics essay business studies

Student’s Guide to Writing Critical Essays in Business Ethics (and beyond)

professionalism and ethics essay business studies

Here is some advice for writing critical essays, in business ethics but also in other fields. There is of course much more to say on the topic, but this is a start.

Writing your own critical essay:

What kinds of criticisms should you offer in your essay? There are a nearly infinite number of errors or problems that you might spot in an essay or book that you want to critique. Here are a few common ones to look for, to get you started:

  • Point out one or more logical fallacies. Did the author present a false dilemma , for example? Or an argument from ignorance ? Has the author presented a false analogy or a hasty generalization ?
  • Critique the scope of the author’s claim. For example, does the author claim that his or her conclusion applies to all cases, rather than just to the small number of cases he or she has actually argued for?
  • Point out unjustified assumptions. Has the author made questionable assumptions about some matter of fact, without providing evidence? Alternatively, has the author assumed that readers share some questionable ethical starting point, perhaps a belief in a particular debatable principle?
  • Point out internal contradictions. Does the author say two things that, perhaps subtly, contradict each other?
  • Point out undesirable implications / consequences. Does the author’s position imply, perhaps accidentally, some further conclusion that the author (or audience) is unlikely to want to accept, upon reflection?

In general, a good critical essay should:

  • Describe and explain in neutral terms the article or book being critiqued. Before you start offering criticism, you should demonstrate that you understand the point of view you are critiquing.
  • Be modest. Your goal should be to offer some insight, rather than to win a debate. Rather than to “show that Smith is wrong” or “prove that Sen’s view is incorrect,” you should set your aims on some more reasonable goal, such as “casting doubt” on the view you are critiquing, or “suggesting reason why so-and-so should modify her view.”
  • Be fair. Sometimes this is referred to as the “principle of charity.” It has nothing to do with donating money. Rather, it is about giving the other side what you owe them, namely a fair reading. Your goal is not to make the author whose work you are criticizing sound dumb. Rather, the goal is to make her sound smart, but then to make yourself sound smart, too, but showing how her view could be improved.
  • Be well structured . Professors love structure. Remember: a critical essay is not just a bunch of ideas; it is an orderly attempt to convince someone (in most cases, your professor) of a particular point of view. Your ideas will only have real punch if you put them in a suitable structure. That’s not all that hard. For example, make sure your opening paragraph acts as a roadmap for what follows — telling the reader where you’re going and how you propose to get there. Make sure each paragraph in the body of your essay has a main point (a point connected to the goal of your essay!) and that its point is clearly explained.
  • Stick to two or maybe three main arguments . “The three main problems with Jones’s argument are x, y, and z.”
  • Be clear. That means not just that your essay should be clearly structured, but also that each sentence should be clear. Proof-reading is important: get someone with good writing skills to proof-read your essay for you. If you can’t do that before your deadline, you can proof-read your essay yourself by reading it out loud. We’re serious. It is much easier to spot errors in your own writing if you read out loud.

A few more tips:

  • Cite your sources carefully. Use whichever citation method your professor says to use. If in doubt, use one of the established methods (such as APA or Chicago ). But whatever you do, make sure to give credit to the people whose ideas you use, if you want to avoid being charged with plagiarism.
  • Use what you’ve learned in class. Your professor would love nothing more than to know that you’ve been paying attention. So try to make use of some of the concepts discussed in class, or in your course textbook.
  • Don’t try to sound like an author. Just say what you want to say. Trying to sound like an author just leads people to use big words they don’t understand and to write complex sentences that overshoot their grammatical skills. Just write it more or less the way you would say it out loud, in short, clear sentences.
  • Follow instructions. Failing to follow instructions is easily the most common way students screw up when writing critical essays. Read the assignment instructions through carefully — twice! — and then if anything is unclear, ask your professor for clarification.

Looking for essay topics? Check out Business Ethics Highlights .

See also: The Concise Encyclopedia of Business Ethics

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3 comments on “student’s guide to writing critical essays in business ethics (and beyond)”.

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This is a useful resource – thanks Chris

“Shack”

Arthur Shacklock (Griffith University Queensland, Australia)

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I’m currently a student at Arizona Christian University taking a Business Ethics course. I’m in the midst of completing an assignment that requires me to post on an open blog forum. It was very difficult for me to find something interesting and that pertained to my class. Then I stumbled across your blog then more specifically, this article. The purpose of this specific assignment is to share my individual and collective experiences derived from collaborative learning and expressed through the narrative, as “actionable knowledge.” Actionable knowledge reflects the learning capability of individuals and organizations to connect elements including; social, political, economic, technological.

Knowing how to write critical essays in Business Ethics is an important element of success. I enjoyed reading through these helpful tips. This is useful information that will help in college and beyond.

Supporting evidence is an important part of writing a sound paper. Like you mentioned in the blog, it can’t be based on bias or ignorance. Rather, backed up by factual evidence to help support your claim. I love the general key points as well. Describe and explain, be modest, be fair, be well structured, and be clear. I am very familiar with these key elements as we have spoken on them in class. They are very important components of business ethics. We’ve learned things about leading in the business world, Capitalism, Socialism, and Communism, Business advertising, and more. In the essay I write in this course, I will refer back to this blog.

Like any other course, it is important to cite your sources like you’ve mentioned above as well as use information that we’ve learned in class. Sound like yourself and speak from your own understanding. The last tip was to follow instructions WHICH IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS! It’s all in the fine print. Read until you understand and ask questions if you don’t.

' src=

Good luck with your studies, Deon!

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Professional and Business Ethics Essay

Introduction, utilitarianism as an ethical theory, blood for sale, one nation under walmart, consenting to sexual harassment.

  • Professor Who Did not Fear Death Likely Saved, Students
  • Face Transplant: Highly Risky Experimentation

Works Cited

Philosophy is broadly used for interpreting every area of human interactions and development. Spheres of professional and business relations are not exceptions to the overall trend. There are numerous philosophical approaches, which might be deployed to analyze these fields of interactions. Each popular theory might be beneficial for the better apprehension of business and professional development.

Nevertheless, this paper will focus on studying utilitarianism. The motivation for choosing this philosophy is its popularity among the majority of the representatives of the English-speaking world and its focus on happiness. The primary objective of the project is to investigate the aspects of this philosophical approach applied to ethics and use it for analyzing real-life examples of actors operating in professional and business environments. It is another reason for selecting utilitarianism: assessing companies and studying real-world illustrations from the perspective of making people happy is challenging but, at the same time, appealing.

Utilitarianism had philosophical roots before it evolved into ethical theory. In philosophy, it refers to analyzing situations or cases from the perspective of the maximum utility. It means that the emphasis is made on evaluating what benefits a group of people under consideration the most.

When the theory was transferred to the field of ethics, the emphasis shifted to measuring happiness. This step was taken by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, who are the first representatives of classical utilitarianism. They claimed that assessing potential consequences of actions should be the only guide when making vital decisions. In addition to it, the authors propose to consider justice and beneficence as well as recognize the fact that no decision or action could be seen as a minor one because the aftermaths of all activities and decisions are of the same significance (Hales 1608).

In ethics, the postulates of utilitarianism focus on maximizing happiness and minimizing unhappiness. It means that every activity or situation is judged based on how many people were made happier or unhappier because of it. The extent of happiness and unhappiness is used for determining whether to consider the decision right or wrong. Situation or activity refers to laws, social institutions, social relations, public policies, morality, etc.

There are several ethical pillars of utilitarianism. The foundation of the theory is John Mill’s standard of morals. Its primary idea is classifying actions and decisions as right or wrong based on the possibility that they will lead to pleasure or pain. If positive consequences outweigh negative ones, i.e. more people are made happy than unhappy, than activity is the right one. Otherwise, it is believed to be the wrong one (West 10).

The second pillar of utilitarianism is the belief in the importance of keeping in mind the interests of everyone, who will be influenced by an individual’s (company’s or country’s) decisions instead of being egotistical and seeing personal benefit as the primary priority in life (Velasquez et al. par. 10). That said, utilitarianism preaches the idea that the unhappiness of one is less important than the happiness of the majority.

From this standpoint, it might justify murders, discrimination, and other unethical activities, if they produce more happiness than unhappiness. Finally, utilitarianism is based on consequentialism, i.e. the same importance of all decisions and the inevitability of avoiding them.

Because of the pillars mentioned above, this ethical approach often becomes the subject of severe criticism. First of all, it seems to be ignoring justice because the primary emphasis is made on benefitting the majority of a group allowing some unethical decisions if they make more people happy than unhappy. In addition to it, the theory is self-defeating because of ignoring personal interests and focusing on the needs of a group.

It also makes the approach too demanding and limiting freedom of choice. Finally, utilitarianism requires calculating consequences. However, it does not consider the fact that they depend not only on the inner will of an individual but also on numerous external factors such as environmental, economic, and political forces as well as activities of other people. Altogether, these factors contribute to making it impossible to calculate the consequences of activities. Nevertheless, utilitarianism remains one of the most popular theories of normative ethics. That is why it will be used for analyzing real-life decisions.

Doing business is not always based on honesty because the desire to become prosperous is blinding. Sol Levin, a stockbroker in Tampa, Florida, and his colleagues were unhappy to make sure that this statement is true. Finding out that selling blood is a profitable business, they established Plasma International. Experiencing some hardships during the very first years of the company’s operation, the co-founders decided to sell blood taken from drug addicts and alcoholics because they were the only people, who were willing to sell their blood. As the company started increasing its influence and economic power, it needed more blood donors.

After conducting numerous tests, Plasma International signed contracts with West African minorities living in Florida and their tribal chieftains. There is no problem with this kind of business because the company has chosen the needy as donors, who agreed to any conditions. However, as it turned out later, it resold blood bought for 15 cents for one pint at the price of 25 dollars per pint (Shaw 77). Its primary customers were hospitals located across the United States and Latin America.

The dirty business of Plasma International has captured the attention of international mass media. The central idea promoted in most newspaper articles was that blood and plasma are sold like common commodities in the United States and American companies do not value people’s lives because they see biomaterials as another source of colossal revenues.

This segment of the market was often compared to the experience of Great Britain offering free blood and plasma to hospitals instead of selling them at extremely high prices and turning it into another source of income (Shaw 78). Similar commercialization of blood and plasma points to the commercialization of human life. Of course, it is beneficial for the American economy as the whole improving its structure and strengthening it from the inside. However, what about the ethical side of the story?

The experience of Plasma International involves three parties – donors, recipients, and the company itself. In the first view, the objective of the company’s operation seems to be noble because hospitals are always short of blood and plasma necessary for saving lives. However, taking a closer look reveals the ethical ugliness of the situation. Driven by the desire to maximize profits, the founders ignored the risks of hepatitis and other disease buying blood of alcohol and drug addicts during the first years of the company’s operation. When they finally found healthy donors, they paid them peanuts if compared to the prices they charged the hospitals with.

That said, Plasma International ignored potentially dangerous consequences of its business activities and put personal interest above the happiness of the others. Even though hospitals and recipients were happy because they received the needed biomaterials, the gap between prices was gigantic, which made donors unhappy. The general conclusion is the following: if Plasma International charged hospitals with lower prices or paid more to donors, its decisions might have been ethically right. However, by utilitarianism, they were wrong and evil.

Today, Walmart is the biggest retailer in the world. It runs more than 8,400 stores all over the globe. In the United States, it attracts more than 140 million visitors every week and controls around 15 to 30 percent of the market as well as 10 percent of imports from China (Shaw 145). The most prominent feature of Walmart is its low prices. It is the primary factor leading to its success because the company is big and influential enough to control the level of prices and sell goods at prices lower than offered by the competitors.

Even though Walmart’s low prices policy seems attractive to customers, it is the subject of criticism. Because the company is extremely influential, it rules smaller rivals out of business. It, in turn, hurts local economies entailing higher unemployment rates. In addition to it, wages paid by Walmart are extremely low adding to the problem of poverty. On a greater scale and in the longer, it would have a negative influence on the American economy.

That said, analyzing the case of Walmart from the perspective of utilitarianism, it is evident that its decisions and policies are the sources of unhappiness. Of course, it is unfelt in the short run because customers enjoy lower prices. Even bearing in mind low wages, 1.5 million unhappy employees are less than 180 million happy customers. Utilitarian theory hints that Walmart’s decisions are right and good in the short run because they make more people happy than unhappy. However, in the longer run, it would lead to economic restructuring and numerous concerns, making more people unhappy. It means that this case study is ambiguous and it is impossible to achieve an inclusive conclusion regarding it.

This study reviews the Vinson v. Taylor case. The central issue is sexual harassment. Michelle Vinson claimed that her supervisor Sidney Taylor harassed her. Initially, Vinson got involved in sexual relations with Taylor to repay for the position in the bank he helped her obtain. However, it happened after she had worked for one year. First, she rejected Taylor’s offer, but later they got involved in sexual relationships, which lasted for more than three years and had place during and after working hours. Vinson claimed that Tailor jeopardized her employment. So, she was forced to become involved. The supervisor, on the other hand, insisted that it was Vinson, who initiated their affair. By the court’s ruling, sexual relations were voluntary.

As Vinson appealed the case, the court decided to rule three distinct decisions. The first one was the following: she was not a victim of sexual harassment because she did not quit working in the bank and never left a notice of sexual harassment. The second finding related to the voluntary character of their sexual affair. Finally, the court ruled that there was no supervisor’s liability in forcing Vinson to intimate relationships because employees are not obliged to follow all instructions of their supervisors, especially if they exceed employment duties (Shaw 421).

According to the utilitarian theory, there is one unhappy woman and one happy man in this story. The ruling of the courts made the woman unhappy because they did not recognize that she had become a victim of sexual harassment at work. On the other hand, this ruling made the man happy because he was proven non-guilty. In this case, it is impossible to conclude whether the decisions were right or wrong because we do not have enough evidence. If there were people, who witnessed encounters, or we knew the gender of judges, it would be possible to speculate on the case. It is paramount to notice that this case study might be an example of gender discrimination.

Still, if we consider the interests of the parties involved, a person of higher rank is happier than a person occupying a lower position. It means that the decision was right although it might not have been just.

Professor Who “Did not Fear Death” Likely Saved, Students

Some people were born to become heroes. This statement is true about Liviu Librescu, a 76-year old professor, who saved his students from a mass murderer paying with his life. On the day of remembering Jews murdered during World War II, Virginia Tech became the action spot of a terrifying tragedy. A mass shooter planning an act of terrorism wanted to murder Jewish students attending the educational unit.

However, the professor barricaded the door giving his students the chance to get away from the classroom climbing out of windows (Slavin par. 3). His decision might have been motivated either by the desire to save young children or because he has witnessed the dreads of the concentration camps and murdering Jews. So, he might have wanted to avoid the repetition of the World War II horrors in the 21 st century. Still, the only thing that matters is the act of heroism and the fact that Professor Librescu sacrificed his life to help his students.

According to the utilitarian approach, his decision is a good and right one. He never thought of personal interests and decided to benefit the majority granting them the chance to survive. Of course, this loss was painful for his family. However, focusing on the quantitative aspect of the theory, the consequences are more positive than negative. It means that the decision was right.

Face Transplant: “Highly Risky Experimentation”

This case study tells the story of Isabelle Denoire, who has become the first woman with a transplanted face. Isabelle was a divorced woman with two children, temporarily unemployed. As she fought with her daughter one evening, a girl left their home to stay overnight with her grandmother. The same night Isabelle was bitten by their dog leaving her face ugly. There are two versions of the story. According to Isabelle, she took sleeping drugs to calm down, but as she woke up to have a glass of water, the dog attacked her. Her daughter tells another kind of story believing that Isabelle wanted to commit suicide, and the dog wanted to rouse her.

Nevertheless, the fact remains: she was left without lips and the skin on her nose was ripped off. As the doctors stabilized Isabelle medically and carried out examinations, they concluded that she is in good health to have her face partially transplanted and return to normal life (Munson 61). The primary objective of the surgery was not aesthetical. Instead, the doctors wanted to renew the ability to speak and eat.

The problem with the surgery is the fact that Isabelle had to wait for a transplant’s graft, which took her more than seven months of pain and suffering. Moreover, it was performed in France. After the transplant, surgeons were harshly criticized for choosing a transplant instead of trying to reconstruct the patient’s face first. Critics also questioned Isabelle’s consent to surgery because she was emotionally unstable and was concerned about the necessity of taking immunosuppressive drugs recommended to all transplant patients, which might have a negative influence on her health. Regardless of criticism, the primary consequence of the surgery is obtaining financial benefit from the story and returning to normal life with a new face. Both the surgeon and Isabelle were rewarded and became popular.

Keeping in mind the provisions of utilitarianism, the decision to choose transplantation is a good and right one. Of course, it was risky, but what matters is that Isabelle returned to normal life. In this case, it is impossible to judge the motives of the surgeon because he might have wanted to file his name into history. Nevertheless, Isabelle was made happy. So, the decision is ethical.

Hales, Robert E. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry, Arlington, Virginia: American Psychiatric Publishing, 2008. Print.

Munson, Ronald. Intervention and Reflection: Basic Issues in Bioethics. Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning, 2014. Print.

Shaw, William H. Business Ethics: A Textbook with Cases. 8th ed. 2014. Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning. Print.

Slavin, Barbara. Professor Who “Did not Fear Death” Likely Saved Students. 2007. Web.

Velasquez, Manuel, Claire Andre, Thomas S.J. Shanks and Michael J. Meyer. Calculating Consequences: The Utilitarian Approach to Ethics . 2014. Web.

West, Henry R. An Introduction to Mill’s Utilitarian Ethics. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2024, January 8). Professional and Business Ethics. https://ivypanda.com/essays/professional-and-business-ethics/

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IvyPanda . 2024. "Professional and Business Ethics." January 8, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/professional-and-business-ethics/.

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Ethics and Professionalism Business Studies Grade 12 Notes, Questions and Answers

Ethics and Professionalism Business Studies Grade 12 Notes, Questions and Answers

Find all Ethics and Professionalism Notes, Examination Guide Scope, Lessons, Activities and Questions and Answers for Business Studies Grade 12 . Learners will be able to learn, as well as practicing answering common exam questions through interactive content, including questions and answers (quizzes).

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Table of Contents

Topics under Ethics and Professionalism

  • Professional, Responsible, Ethical and Effective Business Practices
  • The King Code
  • Issues Challenging Ethical and Professional Behaviour
  • Strategies for Addressing Ethical and Professional Issues
  • Professionalism
  • Codes of Conduct and Codes of Ethics
Business ethics  refers to the moral principles and values that guide the behavior of individuals and organizations in the business world. It involves making decisions and taking actions that are consistent with moral and ethical values and that promote fairness, justice, and respect for others.

What is Considered Ethical Behavior in Business?

In business, ethical behavior involves  treating others fairly, being honest and transparent, and acting with integrity.  Ethical behavior also involves being responsible and accountable for one’s actions, respecting the rights of others, and avoiding actions that cause harm or exploitation.

Examples of Ethical and Unethical Business Practices

The following table provides examples of ethical and unethical business practices:

Business ethics is an important aspect of responsible and sustainable business practices. Ethical behavior involves making decisions and taking actions that are consistent with moral and ethical values and that promote fairness, justice, and respect for others. Understanding the importance of ethical behavior in business is essential for individuals and organizations to maintain a positive reputation and to contribute to a responsible and sustainable business environment.

How Businesses Can Apply King Code Principles

The King Code is a set of principles and guidelines that promote responsible corporate governance in South Africa. The King Code is comprised of two codes, King Code I and King Code II, which provide guidance on ethical and responsible business practices.

King Code Principles

  • King Code I:  This code was first published in 1994 and focuses on the responsibilities of boards of directors and their role in promoting responsible corporate governance.
  • King Code II:  This code was published in 2002 and expands on the principles outlined in King Code I. It provides a comprehensive framework for responsible corporate governance and covers a wide range of issues, including ethics, transparency, and accountability.

The following table outlines the key principles of the King Code and how businesses can apply them:

The King Code provides a comprehensive framework for responsible corporate governance and promotes ethical and responsible business practices. By applying the principles of the King Code, businesses can enhance their reputation, contribute to a responsible business environment, and promote sustainable business practices.

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Redefining professionalism in the workplace

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For Julius Erving, a basketball legend, professionalism in the workplace is simple.

“Being a professional is doing the things you love to do, on the days you don't feel like doing them.”  Julius Erving, basketball player 

In many ways, this quote still holds true in a fast-changing world . Pre-pandemic, our work and personal lives were more separate and divided. For the most part, we left work at work.  

But change has hit the world pretty hard, especially in the last few years. In-person meetings have switched to Zoom or virtual conference rooms. Slacks, button-down shirts, and nice dress shoes have been swapped for sweatpants and slippers.

But now, many of us are working remotely or in a hybrid workforce . The line between personal and work life is blurrier than ever. While the most visible changes might be our outfits on Zoom , the notion of professionalism in the workplace is shifting. 

After all, cats and kids are scattering across keyboards and computer screens. Some workers might be juggling getting their teenagers out the door for soccer practice while also presenting during a team meeting.

Partners, roommates, family members, and loved ones have all “entered” our office space, whether we like it or not. Employees are showing up as their whole selves at work. So when it comes to professionalism in the workplace, it’s evolving quickly. 

So, what does professionalism in the workplace look like today? What does it mean to be a professional in the workplace? 

In this article, we’ll explore: 

  • What professionalism means, and how it’s changed over recent years
  • How leaders can inspire greater professionalism in their teams  
  • How companies can encourage employees to reach for higher levels of professionalism at work 

What is professionalism in the workplace? 

First, let’s define what we mean by professionalism.

What is professionalism in the workplace?

Professionalism in the workplace is when an employee: 

  • Excels in the knowledge, skills, and behaviors required by their role;
  • Delivers their work to the best of their abilities, even on tough days; 
  • Goes above and beyond their job description; 
  • Constantly looks for opportunities to grow and improve the organization – and themselves.

You’ll notice we don’t mention outfits or hairstyles. We don’t talk about appearance or physical ways of showing up at work. At BetterUp, we believe that every employee deserves to show up as their whole self. In order to do so, a deep sense of belonging and psychological safety must be established. And while professionalism might’ve once signaled high heels and pressed shirts, that’s no longer the case. For most companies, it boils down to these core principles. 

In fact, a viral social media campaign on LinkedIn has recently challenged what professionalism looks like in the workplace. Thousands of workers uploaded posts with #IAmProfessional to the career networking site. The content? Posts about who they are as people, not just employees. 

Download The Connection Crisis: Why community matters in the new world of work

4 key indicators of professionalism

1. consistently exceeding expectations.

When we think of professionalism, we tend to think of the employee who goes way above the call of duty. For example, a colleague could hop on a Zoom call last minute to help solve a problem with another teammate. Or a leader could go above and beyond to make sure their employee is onboarded and up-to-speed in their role. Oftentimes, exceeding expectations comes with a healthy dose of learning as you go. 

To maintain a high level of professionalism, you need to be keen to learn and improve. True professionals don’t rest on their laurels. They seek ways to be better at their job or to make their organization a better place to work, every day. 

2. Creating an inclusive environment

True professionals don’t only stand out for their own excellence – they make it easier for those around them to excel too. 

To quote Lorie Corcuera, the head of Human Resources for DNEG : 

“Workplace professionalism is about creating a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment for everyone. It's about creating a culture of belonging where people feel they matter and belong. This includes creating a respectful workplace experience as an effective team member, having clear communication , ensuring people feel included, engaging and participating, and taking the time to know our fellow team members.” 

We’ve studied the impact of inclusive leadership on teams . In fact, we’ve found that employees are 50% more productive, 90% more innovative, and 150% more engaged. Inclusive leadership also results in 54% lower employee turnover.

sourcing-candidates-diversity-inclusion-graphic

3. Communicating effectively with teammates, customers, managers, and other stakeholders 

Professionalism involves making sure that everyone involved in your work has the information they need to succeed. Great professionals are also great communicators . 

For instance, true professionals don’t shy away from having difficult conversations . They will prioritize the good of the organization over their own discomfort. 

4. Demonstrating integrity and honesty 

Professionalism is more than a question of workplace performance–it also comes down to integrity in the workplace . True professionals don’t dabble in office politics , and they uphold the values of the organization they work for. 

For Tim Reitsma, the General Manager of People Managing People , professionalism comes down to how you behave, not how you look: 

“A professional workplace isn’t one where we are all dressed up in suits and ties (if that is still even a thing!) That’s merely the facade of professionalism. If there’s a culture of gossip, backstabbing, and constant distraction, I'd say there is a lack of professionalism, no matter what everyone’s wearing.”

How professionalism has changed over the years

Today’s employees are renegotiating what professionalism should mean, and abandoning some outdated thinking about what it means to “be professional.”

For instance, professionalism in the workplace is not: 

Conforming to traditional standards of appearance 

While many definitions of professionalism still refer to “neatness” and “dress code”, our ideas about what makes a professional has moved away from what people look like to how well they work.

Today, an unconventional appearance is more likely to be seen as a mark of success than as a sign of unprofessionalism, reports the BBC : think Steve Jobs’ black turtlenecks or General Motors CEO Mary Barra’s leather jackets. 

These days, despite what all our parents told us, tattoos don’t seem to have any negative effect on our ability to find a "good job." In fact, it can lead employees in creative roles to be seen as more professional, rather than less. 

professionalism-in-the-workplace-woman-smiling-in-meeting

Separating your “work self” and your “home self”

According to Professor Nadia Ibrahim-Taney , whose research focuses on workplace professionalism, “COVID has challenged our belief system about what ‘professionalism’ is and how it works in the modern workforce…[The pandemic has] empowered people to think about how they show up–in general, and for other people–and to speak their own truths as employees.” 

In fact, BetterUp data shows that professionals who bring their whole selves to work are more likely to thrive and excel in the workplace.

Hiding your emotions 

In that vein, being emotionally reserved is no longer a must for professionals in the workplace. While many employees (especially female employees) used to feel under pressure to keep emotions out of the office, a 2018 survey found that nearly half of CEOs saw no issue in occasional tears at work . 

Of course, there are limits to how much emotion is permitted at work. It comes down to empathy . Sharing emotions, such as vulnerability or overwhelm, can be helpful, as they alert our colleagues that we may need additional support.  But allowing our emotions to become invasive or distracting is not professional. 

Consultant and author Simon Sinek calls this “ emotional professionalism. ”  

 “If you’re having a bad day, you can say, ‘Listen, I’m sorry, I’m a little off my game today but you can’t sit in a meeting with your arms folded and be grumpy and give one-word answers. You can have hard feelings, but you can’t go around screaming and yelling at people.”  Simon Sinek, consultant and author  

In fact, it would seem that our ability to express, but also regulate our emotions and those of the people around us is a key component of professionalism in the workplace. 

Instead of suppressing their emotions, researchers at the Yale School of Management propose that leaders should aim to “ reassess the emotional situation ” for themselves and their teams. For example, exploring a stressful event could also offer opportunities for growth and improvement. 

Perfectionism 

Being a professional means holding yourself to high standards at work. However, when that spills over into perfectionism , it can actually hinder your performance . Research published in the Harvard Business Review found that while perfectionism is on the rise, being a perfectionist at work can make you unengaged , stressed, and worse at your job.    

Instead, to be a true professional, you should aim for top performance, of course. But temper your ambitions with vulnerability and a willingness to learn. To quote research professor Brené Brown : 

“The greatest barrier to daring leadership is …armor, or how we self-protect when we’re in fear.” Brené Brown, author, research professor

The importance of encouraging professionalism at work

Well, 87% of employers say professionalism is very important . This is hardly surprising. Given that today’s definition of professionalism encompasses qualities like dedication, initiative, and high standards at work, teams with high levels of professionalism will consistently outperform those without the same professional attitude. 

In fact, if we look at contemporary definitions of workplace professionalism, we can see substantial overlaps with employee engagement.

Engaged employees are more likely to seek opportunities to improve their performance . They are more likely to deliver a consistently strong performance at work . And they are more likely to show initiative and creativity at work . 

In other words, engaged employees are more likely to demonstrate high levels of professionalism. And this professional attitude directly impacts overall organizational performance , increasing everything from profitability to customer satisfaction rates. 

Encouraging professionalism in their teams is therefore one of the key responsibilities of today’s managers. 

professionalism-in-the-workplace-woman-at-meeting-smiling

How leaders can encourage professionalism in the workplace

To increase the level of professionalism in your team, there are a few simple steps that can have a dramatic impact: 

Foster a culture of inclusivity 

To quote Lorie Corcuera, “ Inclusion and belonging is the new version of professionalism.” A more inclusive organizational culture creates the space for every employee to do their best work. 

For Corcuera, leaders can increase the level of workplace professionalism by creating an inclusive culture where everyone on the team feels they matter and belong. For example, she says leaders can take care to invite everyone in a meeting to contribute: 

“Recently, I attended a meeting and one of the senior leaders shared at the start of the call that it's important to hear everyone's voices. He encouraged everyone to share their ideas, questions, and thoughts. He then paused and waited for people to start sharing.”

By encouraging greater assertiveness in your team, you will also encourage them to push themselves to reach a higher standard – the very core of true professionalism. 

Set a strong example 

It should go without saying, but if you want to promote professionalism in your team, you need to start by demonstrating it yourself. Leading by example means avoiding office politics and favoritism, keeping the communication channels open, demonstrating honesty, and holding yourself to the highest possible standard at work. 

But it also means showing vulnerability, asking for help when you need it, and demonstrating humility . Never be afraid to say, “I don’t know!” 

To quote Tim Reitsma, 

“ Managers set the tone. If the manager is the one who is acting in a way that isn’t professional, the team may follow along. As a manager, you need to level up your ability to communicate, know where to draw the line, hold people accountable , and remember to give feedback.” 

Encourage a sense of accountability and responsibility 

As a leader, you need to promote both accountability and responsibility in your team. You may be ultimately accountable for the success or failure of a particular project, but you should also make sure that every team member feels a clear sense of responsibility for their part in the task. To encourage employees to go above and beyond, you’ll have to start by giving them a sense of ownership over their tasks, and clearly communicating your expectations.  

Promote cultural alignment and culture add  

If you want to see more professionalism in your team, they need to have a clear grasp of the values and behaviors that you want to see. It’s a question of reinforcing the company's mission and culture . 

You can also make sure you recognize and acknowledge employees when they demonstrate those values, by making a direct link between the behavior and the value in question: ‘It’s great to see you taking initiative like that. At this company, we really look for employees who step up when it’s needed.’

How to develop employee professionalism

When it comes to improving your employees’ professionalism, it’s not only a question of modeling the behavior you want to see. You should also encourage your employees to develop the skills and behaviors most closely associated with professionalism: 

1. Hone your communication skills 

Great professionals excel at sharing their ideas and keeping everyone on the same page. To develop this skill in your team, consider directing them towards communication skills training. For instance, public speaking coaching can help employees build their ability to simplify their messages and become more confident in the spotlight. 

2. Invest in diversity and inclusion 

Professionalism in the workplace depends on every employee feel that they matter, that their perspectives are valuable, and that their performance will be recognized. However, unconscious bias and other pervasive challenges to diversity can be hard to tackle. Diversity and inclusivity training for both employees and managers can have a significant impact on the professionalism of your workplace. 

3. Build emotional regulation skills

Workplace professionalism depends on our ability to regulate and manage our emotions , rather than letting them dictate our behavior. For employees that struggle with self-control, coaching can be highly beneficial. A coach can provide external guidance to help employees identify and overcome the challenges that could otherwise hold them back from excelling as a professional. 

Being a true professional starts with self-knowledge 

For Lorie Corcuera, the secret to encouraging greater professionalism at work begins with understanding yourself, both as a professional and as a leader. To help your team become the professionals they have the potential to be, she advises managers to do this.

“S tart by leading yourself, which means learning more about yourself so you can grow and develop as a leader, and inspire your team to do the same.” Lorie Corcuera

BetterUp can help. Our coaches can provide objective guidance and help you develop the skills you need to develop greater professionalism in the workplace and within your team. At its heart, it’s about creating an environment where employees feel safe to show up as their whole selves.

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Madeline Miles

Madeline is a writer, communicator, and storyteller who is passionate about using words to help drive positive change. She holds a bachelor's in English Creative Writing and Communication Studies and lives in Denver, Colorado. In her spare time, she's usually somewhere outside (preferably in the mountains) — and enjoys poetry and fiction.

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Professionalism and ethics business studies

Professionalism and ethics business studies

Ethics is the study and examination of human conduct, focusing on determining good or bad, right or wrong, and moral duty. It explores the nature and foundation of morality, including moral judgment, standards, and rules of behavior.

According to the American Heritage dictionary, ethics pertains to the analysis of moral choices, moral philosophy, and the regulations or standards that govern professional conduct. Ethics also involves considering how our decisions affect others, as well as examining individuals’ rights and responsibilities and the principles they employ in decision-making. In business, ethical concerns are inevitable like in other areas of life.

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Ethics involves determining right from wrong and acting accordingly. However, ethical dilemmas in the workplace are not always clear-cut, going beyond acts like stealing or lying. Some believe there is always a universally correct action based on moral principles, while others argue it depends on circumstances and individuals involved. Many philosophers see ethics as the “science of conduct,” encompassing foundational rules guided by values such as respect, honesty, fairness, and responsibility. The application of these values is called moral or ethical principles.

Business ethics, also known as managerial ethics, involves implementing ethical principles in business relationships and activities. Managers must consider ethical standards even when complying with laws since their behavior cannot be uniform across all situations.

Managers often face ethical dilemmas, struggling to choose between conflicting situations that may both appear right. These dilemmas commonly arise in different aspects of business ethics. Firstly, there are concerns about the firm’s relationship with its employees, including how to treat them fairly and what constitutes fair wages or dismissals. Secondly, there are considerations regarding employee behavior towards the company, such as conflicting loyalties, accepting incentives from suppliers, moonlighting, secrecy, espionage, and honesty even in small matters like pens, paper, and telephones. Lastly, there are ethical issues surrounding the firm’s interactions with its environment which include customers, competitors, stockholders, dealerships and the community. Many industries and organizations have established formal written codes of ethics that provide specific guidelines for managers and employees to follow. However a crucial question arises: does the organization truly enforce these codes when individuals violate them? To address ethical concerns effectively many companies have implemented their own customized codes of ethics.

These guidelines provide standards for ethical decision making in the business field. They encompass various areas such as truthful advertising, misuse of company assets, political donations, payments related to business deals, conflicts of interest, and protection of trade secrets. Establishing industry associations can bring benefits to organizations as they collaborate to enhance and advocate for more ethical codes. It becomes challenging for a lone company to lead ethical practices when its rivals exploit unethical shortcuts to gain an edge.

In order to improve ethics, it is crucial for top executives to support and emphasize ethical behavior. They should lead by example and train their staff in ethics. In business, ethical issues can be categorized into four levels.

I. Societal Level: This level involves the overall institutions in society, such as the role of government in the market and the pros and cons of political parties or ideologies. Managers have a responsibility to shape discussions on social welfare.

II. Stakeholders Level: This level pertains to employees, suppliers, customers, shareholders, and other groups affected by ethical considerations. Companies must consider how their decisions impact these stakeholders. For example, what obligations does a company have towards its suppliers, customers, or owners?

III. Internal Policy Level: At this level, the focus is on a company’s relationship with its employees and managers. Questions arise about fair contracts and employee rights.

IV. Individual Level: This level addresses the personal ethical choices made by individuals within an organization.

At the personal level, individuals within a corporation must treat each other honestly and fulfill their obligations to their bosses, subordinates, and peers. Ethical questions arise in all levels of business activity, involving the rules and behaviors of individuals, companies, and society. Being ethically responsible requires people to reflect on their actions and question the norms they follow. For example, sellers should consider informing customers about harmful products while buyers should decide whether to inform clerks about excessive change. Ethics can be represented as a model with two relationships depicted by arrows in the figure above. An ethical person or organization has strong and positive relationships in these areas. Various sources guide individuals in determining right from wrong, good from bad, and moral from immoral behavior including religious texts like the Bible and Koran as well as one’s conscience known as the “still small voice.” Additionally, guidance can come from significant figures such as parents, friends, role models, associates, and peers.

The laws of the country set forth guidelines for ethical conduct, prohibiting actions that harm others. It is crucial to distinguish between acts that are illegal and those that are unethical. While not all unethical behavior is against the law, certain behaviors like honesty are subject to legal restrictions. For instance, if an individual discovers a lost item and chooses to keep it, they may not have broken any laws but their action would be deemed unethical. Conversely, when a clerk steals from their employer with the intention of helping the less fortunate, they engage in an unlawful act driven by ethical motives.

Decisions of ethics are challenging, but all managers should understand that ethics surpasses legal and market economy obligations. Numerous unethical actions can occur in business without legal repercussions. Being ethical entails more than just having firm convictions based on correct sources. One’s behavior should align with their beliefs about right and wrong. Type I ethics refers to the correlation between an individual or organization’s beliefs and moral guidelines provided by sources of guidance.

Type II ethics refers to the relationship between one’s beliefs and behaviors. It is considered unethical to go against one’s beliefs. However, to be ethical, one must possess both types of ethics. The Tools of Ethics include Ethical Language, which involves key terms such as values, rights, duties, and rules. Values are permanent desires that are inherently good, like peace and they answer the question of why managers should behave ethically. Rights are claims that entitle a person to something, while duties involve specific obligations like paying taxes. Moral rules are a set of laws that guide us when faced with conflicting interests.

Another aspect of ethics is Common Morality, which consists of the rules that govern ordinary ethical problems in our daily lives. Examples of these rules include promise-keeping, benevolence, mutual aid, respect for persons, and respect for property.

In Week 2, the focus is on the scope and objectives of ethics. Managing ethics in the workplace has various benefits. Ethics programs help maintain moral standards during challenging times. They foster teamwork and productivity and support employee growth and fulfillment. These programs also serve as an insurance policy by ensuring policies are legal. Additionally, ethics programs assist in managing values related to quality management, strategic planning, and diversity management – an aspect that requires more attention.Ethics programs play a crucial role in enhancing a positive public image. In just a matter of decades, the focus on business ethics has immensely contributed to the improvement of society. Previously, children were engaged in labor for six hours a day.

The harsh consequences of labor included severed limbs and lifelong disability, leading workers into poverty, sometimes even starvation. Market control by trusts stifled competition and suppressed small businesses. Price manipulation disrupted normal market dynamics. Employment termination was based on personal reasons, while intimidation and harassment were prevalent methods of exerting influence. Eventually, society demanded that businesses prioritize fairness and equal rights. This led to the establishment of antitrust laws and government agencies.

Unions were organized and laws and regulations were established to maintain a moral course in turbulent times. Attention to business ethics is crucial during periods of significant change, similar to the challenges faced by businesses today, whether they are non-profit or for-profit. In times of change, leaders often lack a clear moral compass to navigate complex conflicts regarding right and wrong. By consistently focusing on ethics in the workplace, leaders and staff become more aware of how they should behave. Ethics programs ensure that employee actions align with the organization’s top priority ethical values, as preferred by its leaders. Often, organizations discover a significant gap between their desired values and the actual behaviors exhibited in the workplace. Continuously addressing and discussing values in the workplace fosters openness, integrity, and a sense of community – all vital components for creating strong teams. Employees experience a strong alignment between their own values and those upheld by the organization.

They react with strong motivation and performance. Additionally, ethics programs support employee growth and meaning. Attention to ethics in the workplace helps employees face reality, both good and bad, in the organization and themselves. Employees feel full confidence that they can admit and deal with whatever comes their way. Furthermore, ethics programs act as an insurance policy; they help ensure that policies are legal. This is particularly important due to the increasing number of lawsuits concerning personnel matters and the effects of an organization’s services or products on stakeholders.

State-of-the-art legal matters often involve ethical principles, which are then transformed into legislation as they are applied to major ethical issues. Paying attention to ethics in the workplace ensures the implementation of highly ethical policies and procedures. It is more advisable to invest in mechanisms to ensure ethical practices now, rather than facing the costs of litigation later on. Well-designed personnel policies play a significant role in guaranteeing the ethical treatment of employees, including matters such as hiring, evaluating, disciplining, and firing. Ethics programs help prevent criminal acts through early detection of ethical issues and violations, allowing for timely reporting and addressing. Failure to report actual or potential violations to the appropriate authorities can be considered a criminal act in certain cases, particularly in business dealings with government agencies like the Defense Department. However, organizations that have made clear efforts to operate ethically may receive reduced fines according to the guidelines. Ethics programs also assist in managing values related to quality management, strategic planning, and diversity management. They identify preferred values and ensure that organizational behaviors align with those values effectively.The endeavor involves documenting and creating directives to harmonize actions with desired principles, followed by instructing all staff on these directives. This comprehensive initiative proves beneficial for various workplace initiatives, such as quality management, strategic planning, and diversity management, which necessitate adherence to certain values.

Total Quality Management emphasizes certain key values such as trust, performance, reliability, measurement, and feedback. Ethics management techniques are valuable for effectively managing strategic values such as expanding market share and reducing costs. These techniques are also beneficial for managing diversity, which encompasses more than just the color of a person’s skin; it involves acknowledging and embracing different values and perspectives. Managing diversity requires the recognition and application of diverse values and perspectives.

These activities are the basis of a sound ethics management program. 8) Ethics programs promote a strong public image. Attention to ethics is also strong public relations. Admittedly, managing ethics should not be done primarily for reasons of public relations. The fact that an organization regularly gives attention to its ethics can portray a strong positive image to the public. People see those organizations as valuing people more than profit, as striving to operate with the utmost of integrity and honor. Aligning behavior with values is critical to effective marketing and public relation programs.

Ethical values are vital for building a successful and socially responsible business. Implementing ethics programs has various benefits, including legitimizing managerial actions, strengthening the organization’s culture, improving trust in relationships, promoting consistency in standards and product quality, and fostering sensitivity to the impact of the enterprise’s values and messages.

The principles of business ethics encompass a variety of values. These include taking responsibility and being accountable for one’s actions, as well as promoting and respecting human rights. It also involves honoring agreements, treating everyone fairly and with dignity, conducting business in an environmentally responsible manner based on sustainable development principles, complying with all business laws, managing activities for the benefit of stakeholders, and communicating openly and honestly with all stakeholders. Additionally, engaging in socially responsible activities that contribute to the local community’s well-being is important. Fair treatment of employees during both the selection process and employment is emphasized. Lastly, creating a work environment free from discrimination or harassment while ensuring privacy for employees and their families is crucial.

Highly ethical organizations share certain characteristics:

  • They have a comfort level when interacting with diverse internal and external stakeholder groups.
  • Fairness is prioritized, and they believe that others’ interests are equally important as their own.
  • Individuals take personal responsibility for the actions of the organization. Responsibility is seen as an individual matter.
  • The organization’s top management embraces and embodies a clear vision and commitment to integrity over time.
  • The reward system aligns with the integrity vision.
  • Policies and practices are consistent with the integrity vision, avoiding mixed messages.
  • Every significant management decision acknowledges its ethical value dimensions.

To manage ethics in the workplace, organizations can establish an ethics management program. This program typically conveys corporate values through codes and policies that guide decision-making and behavior. The program may also involve comprehensive training and evaluation, depending on the organization.

They offer guidance in ethical predicaments. All organizations possess ethics programs, but many are unaware of this fact. A corporate ethics program comprises values, policies, and activities that influence the appropriateness of organizational conduct. A fundamental objective of an ethics management program is to harmonize and reconcile conflicting values. Business professionals require more practical resources and knowledge to comprehend their values and effectively handle them. There are numerous advantages of formally managing ethics as a program, as opposed to treating it as a one-time endeavor only when deemed necessary.

Ethics programs involve establishing organizational roles to manage ethics, scheduling ongoing assessments of ethics requirements, establishing required operating values and behaviors, aligning organizational behaviors with operating values, developing awareness and sensitivity to ethical issues, integrating ethical guidelines into decision making, structuring mechanisms for resolving ethical dilemmas, facilitating ongoing evaluation and updates to the program, and helping convince employees that attention to ethics is not just a knee-jerk reaction done to improve public image.

Guidelines for managing ethics in the workplace ensure that the ethics management program is operated in a meaningful fashion. It is important to recognize that managing ethics is a process that involves values and associated behaviors. These values are discerned through ongoing reflection. As a result, ethics programs may seem more process-oriented than most management practices.

Managers often doubt process-oriented activities and instead prioritize processes that yield measurable deliverables. However, seasoned managers understand that these deliverables, such as plans, are mere tangible manifestations of underlying process-oriented practices. This applies to strategic planning and ethics management as well. While the resulting plans and deliverables are important, the actual processes involved in strategic planning and ethics management hold greater significance. For instance, ethics programs generate various deliverables such as codes, policies, procedures, budget items, meeting minutes, authorization forms, and newsletters.

However, the most crucial element of an ethics management program is the reflective and dialogical process that results in these deliverTABLEs. The ultimate goal of an ethics program is to achieve desired behaviors in the workplace. The most significant result is the adoption of behaviors that align with the organization’s preferences. The highest ethical values and intentions hold little significance unless they manifest in fair and just behaviors at work. Hence, practices that formulate ethical values or codes of ethics must also develop policies, procedures, and training that translate those values into appropriate behaviors. Indeed, action is the only means through which ethics can be expressed.

According to Jane Addams, the most effective approach to handling ethical dilemmas is to prevent them from happening altogether. This can be achieved through the implementation of practices such as the creation of codes of ethics and codes of conduct. These practices serve to raise awareness among employees about ethical considerations and decrease the likelihood of unethical behavior. It is also recommended to make ethics decisions collectively and, when appropriate, disclose these decisions publicly. This approach typically leads to higher quality decisions as it incorporates a range of perspectives and interests, and enhances the credibility of the decision-making process by mitigating suspicions of bias. Additionally, Addams suggests integrating ethical values into overall management practices, particularly when developing a values statement during strategic planning for the workplace.

When designing personnel policies, it is important to consider the ethical values that should be emphasized in the organization’s culture. In order to promote these behaviors, it is recommended to involve cross-functional teams in the development and implementation of an ethics management program. It is crucial for employees to feel a sense of participation and ownership in the program in order to adhere to its ethical values. This can be achieved by including employees in the process of developing and operating the program (participative management).

One key value to consider is forgiveness. It is important to recognize that everyone makes mistakes, and promoting a forgiving attitude can help individuals address their errors and continue striving to operate ethically.

It is important to note that actively striving to make ethical decisions, even if there are occasional mistakes, is preferable to not attempting ethical behavior at all. Certain organizations have gained widespread recognition for consistently operating with high ethical standards. Unfortunately, it appears that when an organization achieves this positive reputation, some business ethics writers place it on a higher pedestal. Remember, all organizations are composed of imperfect individuals. Therefore, when an error occurs within these organizations, they have a significant amount to lose. Within our increasingly critical society, these organizations are often criticized for being hypocritical and subsequently ridiculed by social critics.

Consequently, some leaders may be afraid to publicly announce an ethics management program, which is unfortunate. The important thing is to try and bring peace of mind, rather than seeking heroic status in society. WEEK 4: BUSINESS ETHICS THEORIES

Ethical Theories are principles or rules people use to determine what is right or wrong. The foundation of all other theories is the Classical Theories, which include utilitarianism Theory. Utilitarian theory was developed by John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) and Jeremy Beneath (1748-1832). Utilitarian theories believe that the moral worth of actions or practices is solely determined by their consequences.

Utilitarians believe that an action or practice is considered right if it results in the best balance of positive outcomes versus negative outcomes for all parties involved. According to this perspective, the purpose of morality is to enhance human welfare by minimizing harm and maximizing benefits. Mills identifies two bases for utilitarian thinking: a normative foundation in the principle of utility and a psychological foundation rooted in human nature. He suggests the “greatest happiness principle” as the fundamental concept in normative ethical theory. In this principle, actions are deemed correct to the degree that they contribute to happiness or the absence of pain, and incorrect to the extent that they cause pain or displeasure.

Mill’s second foundation is based on the idea that most people, if not all, have a fundamental desire for unity and harmony with their fellow human beings. They possess a natural moral sensitivity towards the needs of others, similar to the horror they feel towards crimes. The objective of morality is to leverage these innate human sympathies in order to benefit others, while also restraining unsympathetic attitudes that cause harm to others. The principle of utility, referred to as utilitarianism, is considered the most effective approach to achieving these fundamental human goals. The term ‘utilitarianism’ is derived from the Latin word ‘utility’, meaning ‘useful’. In utilitarianism, the consequences of actions are evaluated based on a single value, such as happiness, welfare, or pleasure, and the aim is to maximize this ‘useful’ value.

Utilitarianism is a moral theory that states individuals should choose actions or follow rules that benefit society the most. However, utilitarianism has several drawbacks. It is challenging to determine the actual amount of pleasure an action will bring. Additionally, calculating the total pleasure requires considering the pleasures of all involved individuals and quantifying them. The value of one person’s pleasure compared to another’s is also a question. Furthermore, determining which action yields more pleasure than another is a difficult task. On the other hand, Deontological theory, introduced by German Philosopher Emmanuel Kant (1724-1804), offers an alternative perspective.

In 1785, Kant published a significant piece on ethics called “Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Ethics.” According to Kant, an action is considered right if it aligns with a moral rule or principle, and a moral rule is determined by rationality. Kant emphasizes the importance of universal respect for human dignity due to the rational nature of human beings. He stresses that individuals should be treated as ends in themselves and not solely as a means.

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Caps bs 11 term 2 week 6 professionalism and ethics, topic – professionalism and ethics.

• The theories and principles of professionalism and ethics; explore how they relate to the business environment • Application of the principles and skills of professional, responsible, ethical and effective business practice –The definitions of and differences between professionalism and ethics –The theories and principles of professionalism and ethics; explore how they relate to the business environment –The difference between good and bad decisions –The principles and skills of professional, responsible, ethical and effective business practice The concept of ethics and different perspectives on ethics, as well as ethical business ventures

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Ethics, Professionalism, Physician Employment and Health Care Business Practices

Acp ethics case study series, authors, case history .

Matthew DeCamp, MD, PhD Associate Professor Department of Medicine University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus Aurora, Colorado

Lois Snyder Sulmasy, JD Director Center for Ethics and Professionalism American College of Physicians Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Authors, Commentary

Matthew DeCamp, MD, PhD Lois Snyder Sulmasy, JD As seen above.

The authors would like to thank Paula Katz, staff at the ACP Center for Ethics and Professionalism, for editorial assistance.

Ethics case studies are developed by the American College of Physicians Ethics, Professionalism and Human Rights Committee and the ACP Center for Ethics and Professionalism. The series uses hypothetical examples to elaborate on controversial or subtle aspects of issues in the College's Ethics Manual or other College position statements. The current edition of the ACP Ethics Manual and additional case studies and College policy on ethics, professionalism, and human rights issues are available at https://www.acponline.org/clinical-information/ethics-and-professionalism or by contacting the Center for Ethics and Professionalism at 215/351-2839.

Ethics, Professionalism, Physician Employment and Health Care Business Practices

Case History

Mike Johnson, MD, is finishing his endocrinology fellowship and contemplating his future.  He has been thinking about whether to join a large suburban multi-specialty practice where he knows two other physicians or perhaps accepting employment at the academic medical center downtown at which he has been training.  A small, independent practice might also be an option.

Dr. Johnson is not sure how to sort out which practice setting might be best for his patients and for him.  He recalls receiving some education about health systems and reimbursement in general, but not much about the specifics of individual practices.  A number of comments by more senior colleagues come to mind about the pros and cons of different practice arrangements.  For example, one made a few remarks about “restrictive covenants” In contracts.  Another expressed concerns about “in-network referral requirements” or “leakage control” and so called “gag rules.” Someone else noted the importance of physician leadership, no matter the specific practice setting, and of reading any employment contract carefully.  Dr. Johnson is familiar with the concept of clinical performance incentives but is not sure how they will affect him or his patients.  These and other comments are causing him to pause.

In general, Dr. Johnson worries he may not know what he doesn’t know.  “Medical school and training introduced me to the idea of systems of practice and payment, but I’m not sure I know what ethical and other issues different practice environments might raise” he thinks to himself.  What kinds of issues-- and their ethical implications-- should he be considering in his planning?

In this case, Dr. Johnson finds himself trying to decide about his practice future and feeling he needs additional support to assess how different options affect his fundamental ethical and professional obligations as a physician.  This is not entirely surprising.  Although the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education includes systems-based practice and professionalism as core competencies, their intersection is not always examined in training.  Dedicated curricula about the business aspects of medicine for medical students, graduate medical trainees, and fellows may be more common in specialties such as anesthesia, dermatology, and surgery (1) with a few examples in internal medicine such as the Abbott Northwestern Internal Medicine Residency Real World Curriculum on coding, physician compensation, finding the right practice, personal finance, and accountable care organizations comprising lectures to resident physicians. 

Nevertheless, the fundamental ethical principles that guide medicine-- including beneficence (putting patients’ interests first), non-maleficence (do no harm), respect for patient autonomy, and justice-- should also guide decision-making about business practices (2).  The American College of Physicians has published ethics recommendations about business practices in contemporary medicine (3) and has a contract guide that can support physicians in their decisions (4).

A Changing Practice Environment

In a constantly changing  practice environment--even before the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions for physicians, medical practices, and hospitals-- several trends in recent years are notable:  2018 marked the first time that the majority of physicians were employees rather than owners of their practices (5), payment models among public and private insurers have increasingly moved toward value-based care models instead of traditional fee-for-service, and mergers and acquisitions (including private equity investment and ownership) have the potential to alter market dynamics.

All practice arrangements and payment mechanisms have their own advantages, disadvantages, and ethical implications.  Dr. Johnson might be interested in the primacy of individual decision-making an independently-owned solo practice might afford him, but should be aware of the greater financial risk such a practice might entail (4).  On the other hand, employment within a larger organization might have less financial risk, and greater access to specialists, continuing medical education and peer review, but might also mean relatively less control over issues such as patient volume, scheduling, and practice priority-setting (3).

In reviewing practice settings, concepts of ethics and professionalism can inform Dr. Johnson’s decision-making in a number of ways.

Contract Provisions

A senior colleague cautions Dr. Johnson to read any employment contract carefully; others mention specific provisions regarding restrictive covenants, in-network referral requirements, and gag rules (or gag clauses). How such provisions affect the physician’s primary obligation to promote the patient’s best interests and how to maintain trust in the patient-physician relationship is a matter of ethical concern (6).

Restrictive covenants or non-compete clauses attempt to restrict physicians from practicing within a specific geographic area for a specified period of time should they leave an employment arrangement.  They may help stabilize the marketplace and are negotiating points in contracts in exchange for higher compensation, training, and other resources for the physician.  However, they must be reasonable and not interfere with the physician’s ability to maintain strong patient–physician relationships (3). “ACP supports the American Medical Association recommendation that physicians should not sign contracts with restrictive covenants that ‘(a) unreasonably restrict the right of a physician to practice medicine for a specified period of time or in a specified geographic area on termination of a contractual relationship; and (b) do not make reasonable accommodation for patients' choice of physician’ (7)” (3).

In-network referral requirements (sometimes referred to as “leakage control”--  an unfortunate and demeaning term) attempt to require physicians to keep referrals to specialists within a network.  There can be advantages to in-network referrals, such as improved communication, care coordination, and the avoidance of unnecessary duplicative testing. However, physician referrals to specialists should be motivated by concern for what is medically best for the patient and consistent with the patient’s autonomous choices-- not contract or financial restrictions.  Transparency and honesty about referral practices are key to trust in the patient-physician relationship (8).

Gag rules or clauses refer to contractual clauses that may limit what a physician can disclose or say, often including to patients. They were widely debated in the managed care environment of the 1990s (when clauses attempted to prevent physician disclosure of plan details or financial incentives) (9), but they are not unique to managed care. Such rules or clauses are ethically problematic-- they can “undermine trust in the patient–physician relationship, violate informed consent, and obstruct the physician's ethical duty of beneficence” (3). In particular, they can prevent physicians from meeting their ethical obligations to advocate for individual patients and for community- and societal-level health issues (e.g., by making known patient safety and quality concerns).  As ACP recommends, “Confidentiality clauses should not interfere with patient well-being, respectful professional relations, or the individual and collective responsibility of physicians to promote patient best interests, community health, and quality improvement” (3).

Non-Practice Activities

As Dr. Johnson reviews his potential employment contract, he should examine it carefully for any activities that appear to be restricted or required.  Some contracts, for example, may appear to limit physician outside activities or non-clinical time.  Any such restriction should be clearly spelled out, keeping in mind that limitations on research or teaching could “restrict or appear to prevent physicians from fulfilling their societal commitment to teach, to engage in unbiased research…” and to be health advocates (3).

Other employment arrangements may require non-clinical activities, such as community engagement or other activities.  These may be consistent with physician obligations to promote the health of society (1).  However, more recently organizations have pressured or required physician participation in what is known as grateful patient fundraising.  The ACP Ethics Manual disapproves this practice, noting it raises ethical issues for privacy, confidentiality, and the patient-physician relationship.  The use of financial bonuses for physicians for this kind of fundraising is particularly worrisome, raising concerns about conflicts of interest and equal treatment of all patients. The AMA recommends that physicians “refrain from directly soliciting contributions from their own patients, especially during clinical encounters” (10).

Aligning Practice with Patients’ Best Interests

Understandably, many aspects of medical practice cannot be covered in an employment contract.  This requires that Dr. Johnson understand the practice setting and activities that may affect his ethical and professional responsibilities.

For instance, Dr. Johnson is aware of clinical performance incentives. Some evidence exists, however, that pay-for-performance may have little effect on cost or quality but may exacerbate health disparities (11). Even if incentives are effective in the short-term, from the standpoint of ethics, there is an additional concern that use of extrinsic motivators, such as financial incentives or bonuses, crowd out the intrinsic motivation that is a hallmark of medicine as a profession-- one that supports clinical integrity and physician well-being (12).

Emphasis on promoting value in health care is important when trying to achieve better outcomes for patients, reduced costs, and greater health equity.  The promise of value-based care must match practical realities.  Because value-based care relies on measuring value, it is critical for those measures to reflect and respect what patients value (13)-- including time with physicians, which is often undervalued. As ACP notes, “Even high-quality metrics that support population health have varying benefit to individual patients” (3). Similarly, it would be inappropriate to focus narrowly on cost measures without attending to the fact that how costs are borne can vary considerably among patients, the practice, and society as a whole (14).  It is important that practice policies and procedures are aligned with delivering high value care; if physicians are evaluated solely on volume-based productivity goals, for example, the mixed messages sent about value and volume can create tensions for professional integrity (the ability to know and act in ways consistent with ethical values).

Promoting a Moral Community

If pursuing an employment arrangement, Dr. Johnson should consider carefully how the moral community of medicine is reflected in leadership and organizational decisions.  Being in a profession committed to the effacement of self-interest in service of patients, to lifelong learning, and to teaching others means that physicians have obligations to patients but also to each other and to society (15). Every individual physician has the responsibility-- through words and action, in ways large and small-- to support and promote the fundamental ethical and professional values of medicine.  This starts with explicitly referencing these values in conversations and meetings as decisions are made.  There is evidence that physician leadership is essential to high-quality care (16) and that alignment of values and an emphasis on quality (over productivity) promote a positive environment that is conducive to trust (17).

Dr. Johnson should ask about the role physicians play in decision-making around practice priorities.  For example, do physicians hold leadership positions, and if so, which ones?   ACP recommends that health care employers “engage patients and physicians in priority setting across all aspects of health care” (3); how are the perspectives of practicing physicians and their patients included in decisions? What steps has the practice taken to foster a collegial atmosphere among physicians, supportive of the ethical responsibilities and moral community of medicine, to enable that community to advocate on behalf of patients?  While not part of any formal contract, such questions can help Dr. Johnson understand the practice environment before joining.

In an ever-changing practice environment, the ethical principles and professional obligations of medicine remain timeless. Applying concepts such as the primacy of patient best interests, respect for autonomy, the obligation to promote health equity, and transparency (among others) can help physicians see the details of practice arrangements, employment, and contracts in a new way.  Physicians should seek out and advocate for practice arrangements and payment mechanisms that best align with and support these obligations.

Claim CME Credit and MOC Points

  • Salib S, Moreno A. Good-bye and good luck: Teaching residents the business of medicine after residency. J Grad Med Educ. 2015;7(3):338-40.
  • Sulmasy LS, Bledsoe TA; ACP Ethics, Professionalism and Human Rights Committee. American College of Physicians ethics manual: seventh edition . Ann Intern Med . 2019;170:S1-S32.
  • DeCamp M, Snyder Sulmasy L; American College of Physicians Ethics, Professionalism and Human Rights Committee. Ethical and professionalism implications of physician employment and health care business practices: A policy paper from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2021;174:844-51.
  • American College of Physicians. Physician Employment Contract Guide. 2017. Accessed at www.acponline.org/system/files/documents/running_practice/practice_management/human_resources/employment_contracts.pdf on 11 October 2022 .
  • Kane CK. Updated Data on Physician Practice Arrangements: For the First Time, Fewer Physicians Are Owners Than Employees. Policy Research Perspectives. American Medical Association; 2019. Accessed at www.ama-assn.org/system/files/2019-07/prp-fewer-owners-benchmark-survey-2018.pdf on 11 October 2022.
  • Poses RM, Smith WR. How employed physicians' contracts may threaten their patients and professionalism . Ann Intern Med . 2016;165:55-6.
  • Goold SD. Restrictive Covenants. Report of the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs. CEJA report no. 3-A-14. 2014. Accessed at www.ama-assn.org/sites/ama-assn.org/files/corp/media-browser/public/about-ama/councils/Council%20Reports/council-on-ethics-and-judicial-affairs/ceja-3a14.pdf on 14 January 2021.
  • DeCamp M, Lehmann LS. Guiding choice—ethically influencing referrals in ACOs. N Engl J Med . 2015;372:205-7.
  • Brody H, Bonham VL Jr. Gag rules and trade secrets in managed care contracts. Ethical and legal concerns. Arch Intern Med. 1997;157(18):2037-43.
  • Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs. Physician Participation in Soliciting Contributions From Patients. CEJA Report 7-A-04. Chicago, IL: American Medical Association.
  • Frakt AB, Jha AK. Face the facts: we need to change the way we do pay for performance [Editorial ]. Ann Intern Med . 2018;168:291-2
  • Biller-Andorno N, Lee TH. Ethical physician incentives—from carrots and sticks to shared purpose. N Engl J Med . 2013;368:980-2.
  • Lynn J, McKethan A, Jha AK. Value-based payments require valuing what matters to patients. JAMA. 2015;314(14):1445–1446.
  • Parikh RB, Milstein A, Jain SH. Getting real about health care costs - a broader approach to cost stewardship in medical education. N Engl J Med. 2017 Mar 9;376(10):913-915.
  • Pellegrino ED. The medical profession as a moral community. Bull N Y Acad Med . 1990;66:221-32.
  • Angood P, Birk S. The value of physician leadership. Physician Exec. 2014;40(3):6-20.
  • Linzer M, Poplau S, Prasad K, et al. Characteristics of health care organizations associated with clinician trust: results from the healthy work place study. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(6):e196201

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    It guarantees that performance meets the required standards of professionalism, including growth in learning, ethics, and integrity. Business executives and their staff should maintain a healthy balance between their personal and professional lives. References. Cruess, S. R., & Cruess, R. L. (2012). Teaching professionalism-why, what, and how.

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    This essay, "Professional and Business Ethics" is published exclusively on IvyPanda's free essay examples database. You can use it for research and reference purposes to write your own paper. However, you must cite it accordingly. Donate a paper. Removal Request.

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    Professionalism and ethics business studies Ethics is the study and examination of human conduct, focusing on determining good or bad, right or wrong, and moral duty. It explores the nature and foundation of morality, including moral judgment, standards, and rules of behavior.

  17. T1 W4 Gr 12 Business Studies Lesson: Professionalism & Ethics

    Contribute to the Western Cape Education Department's ePortal to make a difference. Contribute Now. 2023 CAPS & TAPS. Gr.12 Examination Guidelines. HIV & TB Life Skills Grant. NSC Past Papers & Memos Telematics Booklets Textbooks (OER) WCED ePortal Online Library. About the WCED ePortal.

  18. CAPS BS 11 TERM 2 WEEK 6 Professionalism and Ethics

    TOPIC - Professionalism and ethics. • The theories and principles of professionalism and ethics; explore how they relate to the business environment. • Application of the principles and skills of professional, responsible, ethical and effective business practice. -The definitions of and differences between professionalism and ethics.

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    business studies grade 12 ethics professionalism exam questions exam answers Written for Institution University of South Africa (Unisa) Course Ethics and Professionalism All documents for this subject (1) Seller Follow Michael420 Member since 3 year 116 documents sold Reviews received 37 14 8 0 2 Send Message Exam (elaborations)

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    TOPIC 3: PROFESSIONALISM AND ETHICS Define ETHICAL and PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOUR ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR • Refers to acting in ways consistent with what society and individuals think are good values. • Ethical behaviour is expected from every employee in the business. • It means that the highest legal and moral standards are upheld when dealing with