Accounts Of Ethics

Over the years, the discipline of ethics has increasingly gained relevance. Also, the need for proper ethical conduct has become pertinent to individuals and organizations, in order to maintain a positive image and avoid lawsuits. This essay seeks to provide an understanding and justification for ethics.

Ethics can be defined as a set or body of principles or values that govern the right conduct of a person, culture, group, organization, or society. It can also be defined as the principles, methods, or procedures for making a decision on how to act, and for analysing complex situations or issues. Ethics is applicable to several disciplines, including business, journalism, accounting, religion, engineering, and politics, to mention a few. While ethical behaviour cannot be controlled by a set of laws, they reflect a combination of values, norms, convictions, integrity, choices, courage, and behaviour that guide exemplary conduct.

One of the reasons or justification for ethics is that it helps to make the best decision in a given situation, especially a complex situation where there are no clearly stated set of rules and regulations that guide the decision making process. It provides a moral framework that can guide an individual or a group through difficult issues. Another reason for ethics and ethical behaviour is that it helps to win the trust of others. Trust refers to the willingness of a person to be vulnerable to the trustee, on the basis of an expectation of a particular action to be performed by the trustee. Through ethical behaviour, individuals are able to win the confidence of their peers, superiors, or subordinates, while organizations are able to win the trust and confidence of relevant stakeholders.

Also, ethics fosters the creation of a positive environment. Whether at a micro level such as the work place and groups, or at a macro level such as a society, a positive environment is a necessity for prosperity, and gainful collaborations. Ethics provides a framework that enables the creation and sustainability of such an environment. In conclusion, this essay has considered the definition, application, and reasons for ethics. However, it is important to note that the essence of ethics is not in its understanding or application, but in the improvement of lives.

 
 
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