Ford and Global Batteries Corporation †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Ford and Global Batteries Corporation. Answer: Introduction: The decision that I made was to think differently about the purpose of business. After learning business ethics, I have gained a different viewpoint regarding the purpose of business. Previously, I used to think that businesses exist only to make profits for the owners. My view is now different. I currently believe that businesses should place ethics over profits. Ethics has become a more and more vital aspect of business practice and placing ethics over profits can actually pay off over the long term. Business organizations that work ethically would be able to outpace their competitors since clients would trust such companies. Corporate leaders should demonstrate ethical leadership by leading in a way that respects other peoples dignity and rights. They should ensure high standards of ethical and moral conduct rather focusing primarily on making profits. This is in line with my response for Online Commentary 3. Two companies that did not demonstrate ethical behaviour are Ford and Global Batteries Corporation (GBC) as demonstrated in the Ford Pinto case and GBC case. In the case of Ford, the company placed profits over ethics and produced faulty cars and one of these cars killed a woman. Ford used a utilitarian approach in making their decision and I do not agree with it. Global Batteries Corporation also put profits over ethics. Their unethical actions led to the death of many people after the plant exploded. What I learned from these two cases is that it is unethical for businesses to disregard ethics in their pursuit for profits. I now understand that organizations need to make a concerted effort, even in high pressure environments, to constantly focus on behaviours that are ethical. Ford and GBC do not have ethical cultures and that is why they engaged in ethical wrongdoing. In the past I also exhibited corrupt behaviour. The beliefs that I held that informed my practice to accept bribery and corruption include viewing these vices as acceptable and not wrong. I held these assumptions/views owing to my cultural background and my upbringing in Sri Lanka, where corruption and bribery are widespread and many citizens here do not consider it as wrong. On the whole, the fact that I was brought up believing that corruption and bribery are not wrong greatly influenced my views. The results from my Values Questionnaire diagnostic tool show that my highest preferences are Economic, at 89. This helps me to understand my behaviour to engage in bribery/corruption since for me to offer services or to receive a service in Sri Lanka, I would be more likely to give/receive a financial tip first as an incentive or motivator. While I may give a bribe, I may only do so not because I want to, but because I am forced to do by the circumstances. Otherwise, I would not since I am a very authentic leader as demonstrated by my Authentic Leadership Self-Assessment Questionnaire diagnostic tool in which I scored 68. I felt confusion, annoyance and anger regarding the decision to engage in bribery and corruption. I felt this way mainly because of a conflict between what I thought was acceptable and the ethical content covered in class regarding ethics. I was very frustrated after realizing that by engaging in bribery and corruption, I was in fact perpetuating these unethical vices. However, at the moment, I have a totally different perspective relating to bribery thanks to the ethical content covered in class. I now believe that bribery is a very unethical, bad and dishonourable thing to do. The content of this unit has allowed me to gain greater insight into ethics and behaviour. As a manager in the future, I will use this information to ensure that I always put ethics over profits, unlike Ford and GBC leaders/managers. I will uphold moral competencies and always uphold my highest moral competencies as demonstrated by my result in the Scoring the MCI diagnostic tool: admit mistakes and failures, keep promises, and tell the truth, in addition to other moral competencies. Furthermore, I will strive to use my position to develop and promote sustainable ethical culture within my organization, exhibit high moral standards, always act with utmost integrity, and conduct my work ethically unlike the leaders/managers of Ford and GBC. Conclusion: Being a manager in future will mean that all responsibility and accountability would be attributed to me. I will strive to avoid corporate wrongdoing and unethical actions as much as possible, and take responsibility for all my actions, unlike the managers/leaders at Ford and GBC. Similarly, when I am not to blame, I will attribute responsibility and accountability to the right person/people and rightly hold them morally responsible for their actions as demonstrated by my results in the Attributing Responsibility and Accountability Moral Praise and/or Blame diagnostic tool. I strongly believe that corporate leaders and managers are responsible and accountable for the decisions and actions taken by them. They should always uphold moral responsibility, and I will also do so when I am a manager in future. This is in line with my response on Online Commentary 1.