Ethics Reflection Paper
STR/581
September 30, 2013
Ethics are beliefs that considered moral, which governs a person’s behavior(Pearce, 2013). The author of this paper, a graduate student, completes an online ethic awareness surveys. While completing this survey, the author examines the concept of social responsibility of companies and the companies’ stakeholders. Additionally, the author reflects on their time as a graduate student and what the author learned that shaped his or her ethical perspective.
Social Responsibility
Presently, consumers look at companies’ practices to see if they are ethical. Why is ethics important to consumers? The reason is consumers want products and services that they trust as well as satisfy them. It is important that companies analyze their practices to search for any unethical methods. The consideration of the bottom line is not the only thing that stakeholders focus on (Marquis, 2013). Companies have the social responsibility to produce a positive image for themselves. By the use of Internet and trade magazines, companies can promote their positive image, therefore, pleasing the public. The creation of a good social responsibility strategy determines the activities and the resources that the company devotes toward showcasing this positive image (Ballows, 2013). This action increases the company’s competitive advantage and consumer loyalty. Because consumers watches what companies do, there are regulations to make sure companies’ methods are ethical. However, the consumer should not be the only ones to monitor the company practices. Managers should constantly audit their companies’ performances and methods. A push for more regulations to ensure social responsibility is important to a company’s stakeholder (Marquis, 2013). Additionally, companies ensure that the employees’ treatment is fair is another concern. The saying goes that a happy worker works harder. Companies that push for more ethical practices will see...