Esthetics from the Greek word Ethikos meaning behavioural pattern. Ethics of a business can be seen as the behavioural pattern towards business, it deals with the judgment concerning rightness or wrongness, virtuous and Vicious, approval and disapproval of an action.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Social responsibility means
eliminating corrupt, irresponsible or unethical
behaviour that might bring harm to the community its people or the environment
even before it happens.
Therefore,
ethics and social responsibilities is concerned in the way companies conduct
their business in an ethical way, tasking account of their impact economically,
social environmentally and in terms of
human rights.
Problems And Challenges Of Ethics And
Social Responsibilities Of Business Organization/Environment In Nigeria
1.
The lack professionalism in Management Styles: Many Nigeria managers do not perceive social
responsibility as one of the key functions of management. The managers lack of
social skills to deal with social matters.
2.
Many Nigerian enterprises are very small in size
and their financial strength precludes the consideration of social responsibility
as a task that must be seriously considered. Some of the other large companies
are owned by foreign firms whose main pre-occupation is profit maximization.
Some of these firms see social responsibility as a patriotic gesture best
undertaken by indigenous businessmen to
help their country.
3.
Involvement in
social activities could adversely affected the economics health of a business
enterprise. It is contrary to the basic function of the business. For example
business enterprise may want to maximize profit or organization market share
which is the objective of the organization. Many companies involve themselves
in social activities because of the tax exemptions or the income spent on
special purposes.
4.
Lack of Supplier and Customer Relationships: Many organizations lack basic positive supplier and
customer relationships. This thereby leads to the stunted growth of their
organizations.
5.
Lack of Sustainability: Basic social responsibility and sustainability
practices in supply management are not practiced by many organizations.
6.
Lack of Confidential and proprietary Information: Some business organizations do not protect
confidential and proprietary information. They lack basic database systems that
save basic information for future use.
7.
Reciprocity:
Many officials of organizations usually involved their selves in improper
reciprocal agreements with the authority, thereby making the vision of the
organization to be destroyed.
8.
Applicable Laws, Regulations and Trade Agreements: Many employees and employers of labours sometimes
failed to know and obey the letter and spirit of laws, regulations and trade
agreements applicable to supply management.
9.
Lack of Professional Competence: Many business organizations lack developed skills,
expand knowledge and conduct business that demonstrates competence and promotes
the supply management profession.
Some common problems and challenge of ethics and
social responsibilities of business environment in Nigeria are:
1.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST: This is a situation in which a business decision may
be influenced for personal gain.
2.
WHISTLE BLOWING: This is concerned with employee’s disclosure of illegal, in moral or
unethical practices in the organization.
3.
LOYALITY VERSUS TRUTH: Business people expect employees to be loyal and
truthful but ethical conflicts may arise.
4.
HONESTY AND INTEGRITY: Telling truth and adhering to deeply, felt ethical
principals in business decisions.
5.
discouragement
reporting unethical conduct.
6.
those who
report violation are not protected from retaliation.
7.
managements
leissez affairs attitude to employee especially bon ethical violation.
8.
Social responsible
firms are likely to be less efficient and may be driven out of business by more
efficient competitors willing to single mindedly pursue-profits.
9.
Firms that
give profit are more likely to fail and become a detriment to society because
jobs and stockholders investment are lost.
10. INABILITY TO
PROVIDE ADEQUATE TRAINING FOR THE WORK FORCE: Several training programs aimed at encouraging ethical practices
within their organizations. Such programs do not attempt to teach what is moral
or ethical but, rather to give business mangers criteria they can use to help
determine how ethical a certain action might be.
11. despite these implication the restructurings,
cutbacks, and layoffs of recent years have made ethical behaviours harder to
encourage.
12. managers in restructured or downsized organization cannot monitor
employees day to day behaviors.
REFERENCES
Akinyemi,
A.O. (2002). Effective Business Training and
practice: ethical side.
Crane
(2008). The Oxford handbook of Corporate Social
Responsibility,
Ekpo-Ufot,
A. (1990). Exploratory study of indiscipline in
Lagos Unpublished research work, Department of
Business Administration, University of Lagos.
Eso,
K. (2007). Twentieth anniversary lecture in honour of
the memory of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Sunday Tribute. 1568,
p.10.
A TERM PAPER PRESENTED
DEPARTMENT:
SOIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
FACULTY: FARM
COURSE CODE: MAN 201
COURSE TITLE: ELEMENT OF MANAGEMENT