Ethics? What is that?

Ethics. This is a word that many may not understand but a word that holds great value in the professional world. Individuals and companies alike rise and fall based on their respect of and dedication to this word and its meaning.

Bing defines ethics as “a system of moral principles governing the appropriate conduct for a person or group”.

Dictionary.com defines ethics as “the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.”

Ethics are an individual's and a company's moral code. They define what is considered valuable to the conduct of either. Good ethics can help to maintain a positive image while poor ethics can create a downward spiral.

Consider the ethics of Enron. This is a company that many know of for their bad behavior. Their ethics were poor and, as a result, they paid the price. This company, along with the individuals involved in the scandal, will continue to be known for the negative decisions that they made.

It is imperative that in both our professional and our personal lives we consider our ethics. We need to ensure that they are good in nature and that they are ethics that cause us to conduct ourselves in a manner that is appropriate. It is unlikely that anyone wants to be known for actions such as those taken by Enron.




Following this post, ethical dilemmas titled "Got Ethics" will be presented. Some will come with a decision path that I would follow while others may not. Please feel free to respond to them.