Phi 445 Final Paper
Personal and Organizational Ethics Benjamin Galvan PHI 445 Personal and Organizational Ethics Richard Burke October 4, 2011 With all that is happening throughout the world in general and the economic crisis that is engulfing our nation in particular, this paper has provided me the opportunity to reflect on my ethics. Values and ethics are a part of our everyday lives. We wake up to these values and beliefs each day as they are the “rules” that govern us. Ethics is not just about morality; it is a complex dimension of personal and corporate life that can lead to higher performance by both business and society.
All of us, especially those in the business world, need to make immediate decisions. The choices we make need to be driven by our ethics. Personal Values, Mission, and Ethical Beliefs Personal values, visions, and ethical beliefs have guided my actions as a sailor with the U. S. Navy. As a future manager, equality, honesty, and accountability are the values that will allow me encourage my people to perform at the highest possible level. A better quality of living for others is a vision that will encourage me to fight for fair benefits and recognition for my people regardless of job status.
My ethical beliefs will enable me to manage without prejudice, to communicate openly, to do what is necessary to maintain a positive working environment. Workplace Values? Culture, Vision, and Code of Ethics The United States Navy was established around the mission of wanting to provide high quality defense capabilities to our nation and to the community they serve. Their vision was to become the preferred global force resulting from nationally recognized quality, personalized service, and outstanding people. According to the text “The most influential institutions within contemporary societies may be their economic institutions.
These are designed to achieve two ends: (a) production of the goods and services the members of society want and need, and (b) distribution of these goods and services to the various members of society. Thus, economic institutions determine who will carry out the work of production, how that work will be organized, what resources that work will consume, and how its products and benefits will be distributed among society’s members. ”(Velasquez, 2006) The United States Navy prides itself on being a community oriented organization.
Ventures into the community have allowed the organization to get an idea of the types of military needs that is most needed. For example, there seems to be a rise in the need for mental health services, so the military has put more emphasis on improving the care provided to this type of population and to teach society how to cope with these type of war related medical issues. The most important values of the military are geared toward leadership. Leadership is what guides the operation and encourages sailors to perform to the best of their ability.
Leadership values consist of setting positive examples in all we do; respecting all military officers, promoting unity, trust, pride, and teamwork; accepting and promoting positive change by taking risks, accepting responsibility, and being accountable for our actions; achieving high work life quality through effective communication and staff involvement in an environment of openness and fairness where everyone is treated with dignity, honesty, and respect; promoting dedication to the Navy’s commitment of achieving excellence in services rendered to all citizens; and creating a culture which emphasizes continued learning and development as stated in the United States Navy’s Administrative policy. The culture in the U. S. Navy is multinational. Although different, we are able to come together as one to reach the common goal of helping save lives. The diversity within the organization makes it less difficult to communicate with and treat the various ethnicities that seek services in the military. The multinational culture enables the organization to provide its services to all nationalities and ethnic backgrounds with little or no cultural barriers. The U. S. Navy is also a culture of safety. The culture of safety promotes a safe work environment for the benefit and protection of the sailors, U. S.
Navy team members, and visitors to the base, as well as an environment conducive to outstanding service. Safety is an important aspect of achieving service excellence. As a sailor I am required to act in the best interest of my sailors and other team members, protect the confidentiality of all information and documents, and perform with honesty and integrity. For example, all sailors and visitors of the base must have a badge on their person. If there is anyone on the premises that is not in the possession of an identifying badge, they must be directed to the nearest security officer to obtain a badge. Military Identification badges can be swiped to gain entry into restricted areas.
If these badges are lost, it must be reported so that the badge can be deactivated. This ensures that each department maintains a high level of security and safety. My role as a leader requires me to promote an environment of safety in my department. I am responsible for maintaining the proper functions of the my department, as well as making sure that my sailors are safe and ready at all times. The code of ethics adopted by the Department of the Navy articulates that all sailors will conduct themselves in a matter which promotes integrity and strengthens the Navy’s ability to achieve its mission. The code of ethics presents six principles that must be honored by all sailors.
These principles consist of (1) Legal compliance, (2) Personal ethics, (3) Confidentiality, (4) Conflicts of interests, (5) Military relationships, and (6) Protection of assets. Each sailor is required to understand and comply with the principles and standards established by the code of ethics. The standards which govern the U. S. Navy’s relationship with the government apply to all sailors engaged in the performance of activities relevant to all federal, state, and private entities. The Navy strives to guarantee that all actions taken by or on behalf of the organization are in compliance with applicable laws. In my role as lead provider I am given personal sailor information of those who which to be enlisted.
In maintaining the confidentiality principle, I am unable to disclose any information that I have received without the permission of the sailor. However, the information that I receive is kept within the confines of the department in a folder or on computer. Social Responsibilities In my opinion, The Navy has many social responsibilities to the community in which they serve. These responsibilities consist of providing outreach services to those who are unable or cannot afford to seek preventive services. The Navy must take precautionary measures when disposing of hazardous materials so that the waste does not lead to contamination of water resources. Because the Navy uses large volumes of paper, plastics, and aluminum, it should practice recycling to help preserve the environment.
According to Manuel Velasquez, “organizations should emphasize resource conservation and waste reduction at the source, and employ careful planning to anticipate adverse impacts that might arise in facilities management, as well as in distribution, transportation, use and disposal of medical waste, radiation waste, chemicals and biohazards. Effective planning should prevent problems, provide for a forthright response if problems occur, and make available the information and support needed to maintain public awareness. ” (Velasquez, 2006) In the past two years, the Navy has met these responsibilities by conducting monthly outreach events, placed recycling receptacles in all areas throughout the bases, and implemented daily pickups of hazardous materials by licensed contractors.
Manuel Velasquez also states that “organizations are inherently socially responsible because they care for the citizens in the community, and form partnerships with the community to improve safety and well-being. But societal responsibility means more than serving our communities by taking care of our citizens. It also includes becoming role models for sustainability within our communities, and leadership boards can and should play a crucial role in making that a key goal for their organizations. ”(Velasquez, 2006) Another social responsibility of the Navy is to inform society of all military outbreaks that may pose a danger to the community. The recent war outbreaks posed great danger to many communities.
Throughout the world it resulted in the deaths of several thousand people. To comply with its social responsibility, the Navy informed the community of the threat through commercials, newsletters, and posters throughout the many communities. The organization also issued free services to those who could not afford the many fees. In my opinion, the Navy performs its social responsibility on a continual basis by overseeing the well-being of its sailors, citizens, and visitors. Ethical Analysis and Training Programs The ethical principles that I affirm the most are Legal compliance; Personal Ethics; and Confidentiality, while I least affirm Military relationships and Conflicts of interest.
The strengths of legal compliance, personal ethics, and confidentiality are that they all are regulated by the government; they mandate how the organization conducts business; they present what the organization expects of sailors; and ensures that the citizens will get a superior level of quality defense of our nation. Legal compliance is the principle that promotes positive competition among the Navy and its competitors. It regulates the cost of military products and services so that price fixing will not occur. This principle also regulates environmental practices ensuring that the Navy manages and operates its business dealings with other countries in respect to the environment and conservation of natural resources. Discrimination is also under this principle. The Navy does not tolerate this type of practice. The organization believes that fair and equitable treatment of its sailors, citizens, and others is critical to achieving its vision and goals.
What I like best about this principle is that it forces Navy personnel to treat all sailors with dignity, respect, and courtesy while respecting their rights to security and personal privacy. From my experience of working in the Equal Opportunity division, I have witnessed some sailors disrespecting this type of citizen population. Because of the Navy’s legal principle, sailors have been reprimanded and even terminated for violation. I am not sure if there are any weaknesses. Personal ethics is the principle that provides guidance which guarantees conducted military activities that reflect the high standards of personal ethics and integrity. It requires and promotes honest ommunication. The Navy expects all sailors to use candor and honesty when performing responsibilities and communicating with leaders. I like this principle because it gives permission to be honest in communication information to others. For example, the Navy Inspector General was inspecting the base for about three days. During the inspection many sailors were questioned about certain aspects of military operations. There was one sailor who was a new recruit and was unable to respond to a question about the crash cart. In her honest reply, she stated that she had enlisted as an administrative tech and had not reached that part of orientation.
The inspector was impressed that she was so honest and did not try to make up an answer. The confidentiality principle requires all military members to maintain the confidentiality of sailors and all confidential information with legal and ethical standards. The Navy’s sailors have the obligation to protect and safeguard confidential, sensitive, and proprietary information in prevention of unauthorized disclosure of the information. The Pentagon mandates that sailors cannot reveal any personal or confidential information concerning sailors unless supported by written authorization from the sailor. As an example, when answering the phones on member location I sometimes get requests to speak to the sailor in the unit.
Because of the confidentiality principle I am prohibited from confirming or denying the members place in the unit. The Unites States Navy offers an extensive training program. Most training occurs on an annual basis, these training consist of in-service trainings, seminars on law compliance such as Military Compliance Program, Code of Ethics, CMEO training, and False Claims Act. A yearly report is presented to the Chief of Naval Operations of sailor compliance of the required trainings. Through my reflection of my enlistment in the United States Navy, I have determined that its success is clearly based on the manner in which the organization manages and empowers its sailors.
The United States Navy expects its sailors to conduct themselves with professionalism and integrity. If there was no code of ethics, there would be no structure or guidelines to follow to ensure that the organization and its members would do the right thing. In conclusion Ethical decision making provides opportunities to most affect our own happiness and to have the most positive effect on those around us and achieve the peace and happiness that are so threatened in these tumultuous, ethically-challenged times. Above all, a high level of ethics in your organization should be in place at least for the members. If anything, it is the members that should be considered the most when it comes to ethical organizational practices.
In the long run, an organization will reap great benefits from a member base that feels it is being treated fairly and truthfully. The United States Navy is a small, but growing organization that its mission and vision statements, as well as leadership values have increased the organization’s notoriety among members and the community it serves. My research of the Navy’s mission, vision, and leadership statements and other informational resources has enabled me to present a written reflection on how my personal values, missions, and ethical beliefs coupled with the Navy’s code of ethics have come to prepare me for a future role as a manager. References Velasquez, M. (2006). Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases (6th ed. ). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall
