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1. Running head: ETHICAL AND MORAL ISSUES IN BUSINESS
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Ethical and Moral Issues in Business
Edward Charfauros
Organizational Ethics and Social Responsibility MGT/216
Joy Schoenecker
June 14, 2011
Johanna Kujala, Anna-Maija Lamsa and Katriina Penttila agree in the article, Managers’

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Moral Decision-Making Patterns Over Time: A Multidimensional Approach (2011). The
importance of ethical issues and responsibility has grown worldwide, and expectations regarding
sound business practices have increased throughout society (Intoduction, p. 1).
A person’s character is defined by their morals, and society is defined by ethics. Social
systems point to standards or codes of behavior where individuals belong. These standards or
codes of behavior derive from national ethics to social ethics to company ethics to professional
ethics to family ethics. So while ethics could remain unchanged and are practiced dependent on
others, morals could be constantly changing through personal preferences.
It may be helpful to consider a justice system though a defense lawyer's personal
perspective through his or her moral standard finding murder to be immoral in nature, and the act
reprehensible. The defense lawyer defending the accuse client in court knows the accuse client
is guilty, but ethics demand vigorous defense for the accuse client. Though, at the expense of
setting him free to possibly murder again. The justice system’s legal ethics override the defense
lawyer’s personal morals for the greater good of upholding fair treatment of all within a nation,
which the accused are given a fair trial whereas the prosecution require the innocent to be proven
guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ethics, according to Socrates is the practice of becoming excellent at being human as
conducted with respect to something or everything. It is thought of at first glance personal is
one’s own privacy, singular in nature with one’s own agenda, and pertaining to a life outside of
work. Professional is more public, business related, involving others outside of one’s own
agenda, and pertaining to life at work. Two separate categories within one’s own lifestyle with
aspects of the same realm: functioning in the world and being human.
Thus, personal ethics is simply a practice for human excellence (becoming an excellent

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human being) while respecting people and everyday life situations when alone, with family, with
friends, and within the community. Professional ethics just like personal ethics still remains in
practicing becoming an excellent human being with respect to people and situations, but in work
life interacting with co-workers, customers/clients, suppliers, higher management/executives
within the company employed.
The underlying basic remains the same between ethical commitments and values. It is
how they are enacted that differs. For example, a virtue vital in both personal and professional
settings is honesty. However, the amount and type of information I divulge with my wife is
much more different through filtration than the amount and type of information I disclose at
work with management and co-workers, which only relates to my employer. My customers,
clients, and my competitors all receive different type and amount of information with limitation.
Another example of honesty is a different type called accurate financial disclosure.
Within my household financial disclosure would mean budgeting software is used regularly and
is up to date, but financial disclosure at work means complying with government law and
accounting principles. At home, personally I can use any accounting system I choose, so long as
bills are continuously being paid. However, at work I cannot choose any accounting system, as
the company predetermines the system use with guidelines to be followed and laws to adhere to
in order for honesty to remain.

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References
Kujala, J., Lämsä, A., & Penttilä, K. (2011). Managers' Moral Decision-Making Patterns Over
Time: A Multidimensional Approach. Journal of Business Ethics, 100(2), 191-207.
doi:10.1007/s10551-010-0467-4