Implications Of Business Ethics For Quality Management - Essay Example

Implications Of Business Ethics For Quality Management 1. Ethical issues that involve current events such as the July Bombings of London, 911, in areas of the press, television, experience and even breaking corporate news such as Enron, Tyco among others, impact a lot on business and management. From the conceptualisation and onset of an enterprise, it is necessary to determine the fundamental purposes of a company of which to maximise profit could mean unethical for management to consider the interests and rights of others (Milton, 1970). For management, it would mean balancing between stakeholders: the investors, the employees, customers and suppliers. So that in cases where circumstances of conducting business would affect stakeholders who have gone through a topical crisis, such as the raising of fresh flower costs right after a terrorist tragedy where numerous lives were claimed, would be ethical for the sake of profit, but may not be the case for victims’ families who may be needing to buy flowers for their dead. Nevertheless, most managers are aware of the need to re-evaluate their priorities and approaches to conducting business (Heller, 2006) so that most adopt ways to improve “corporate image” and business standards with the understanding of the origins of ethical thought with reference to codes of ethics (McNamee, 1992). Paine et al (2005) provides an overview of the corporate code of conduct as follows: The fiduciary principle of diligence and loyalty Property principle of protection from theft Reliability principle of delivery of contracts and commitments Transparency principle encompassing truthfulness, disclosure, candour and objectivity Dignity principle of respect for individual, health, safety, privacy and confidentiality Fairness principle of fair dealing, treatment, competition and process Adherence to local and international laws and regulation Responsiveness for public concerns. 2. Evaluating the self for improvement and development could mean combining personal care with control of processes to achieve the highest level of quality in business and management (Fisscher and Nijhof, 2005). In this process, the manager must define his own and the organisation’s strengths, detail weaknesses, ready to seize opportunities and acknowledge threat with preparation. Once again, Heller (2006) emphasised agility in this aspect. To define one’s strengths, weaknesses, perceived threats and opportunities would need an evaluation and analysis of previous achievements and failures, aspirations, as well as fears. Personally, I may include personal and academic achievements and personal attitudes such as boldness, hardworking, honesty and integrity as my strength. These attributes cannot be easily taken away from me and is a part of me that goes where I am. Therefore, knowledge and skills gained, all the things I have undergone while learning, my experiences and the values I have cultivated and maintained are my own treasures that I can use in present and future endeavours. Weaknesses include impatience due to age as most youths like me crave for fast, active lifestyle and working environment. Results are wanted immediately, which could be futile at times, but can cause anxiety even in a short time basis. Another weakness could be lack of work environment political knowledge. As most organisations have a socio-political atmosphere, my lack of exposure may cause work-related stress and conflicts with inter-personal relations. Opportunities include career expansion and endless possibilities, self-improvement, career specialisation, access to more and specialised data and information, gain of work and inter-personal working skills and crafts, and related knowledge that could help me improve totally. Also, climbing up the ladder of success is an opportunity gained with every possible access to organisations. Threats may be on the attack of the self, the individual who has less knowledge and socio-political skills to deal efficiently or even competitively with colleagues, superiors, and other individuals in the work and organisation spectrum. Other threats include character assassination between office gossips, that could translate to anxiety and stress, of which ultimately affects the attitude and health in general. Nevertheless, my acquaintance with theories and proven practices in the academe prepares me to aim for what an organisation aims. One is of adhering to good business practices such as quality management adopted by companies. Though it requires organisations and enterprises to conduct and transact business in transparent manner: “doing the right things […] in the right way,” (Fisscher and Nijhof, 2005), prior knowledge on it is of advantage and can be tucked in as one of my strengths. In big business, managers may oftentimes encounter lack of creativity and innovation under their own supervision which they themselves must have promoted in the process without being aware of stagnating development of new values and rejuvenating old ones. It is therefore necessary that managers realise they belong to a multitude of parties, in a chain of eco-system of alliances, partnerships, sub-systems, collaborations, etc. linking one to the rest of the organisation and beyond taking for instance responsibility for the environment beyond the delivery of a product or service (Fisscher and Nijhof, 2005 and Heller, 2006). Once I become a part of an organisation, I had to bear in mind and practise that the value of a company that needs “to go further than a framed certificate in the entrance hall of the head office” requiring “a solid position […] for the different stakeholders such as customers, employees who have provided products and services, and society as a whole,” (Fisscher and Nijhof, 2005). Heller (2006) suggested way of evaluating approaches which every individual like me can adopt which include the following: Deliberate fusing of old and new approaches Blending of group work with individual fulfilment Combination of long, medium and short term goals without dismissing any Merge discipline and freedom Infuse humanity in commercialism Globalise in local, national and regional ways Provision of real needs and wants f customers Strengthen old values and nurturing new ones Proceed with caution Rein in fast growth to controllable limits. These suggestions may not always be new for the individual and in business standards and ethics, but has continuously evolved to embrace new aspects that crop up when the need arises. Efficient and innovative individuals foresee these things and are always a step ahead analysing and evaluating in-between implementation and execution. But there are various meanings given to a result: the quantity output which could be translated into profit, and also qualitative approach, which, when handled properly, also equates to bigger profit if an individual accepts his role as a major link within a web of interactions. 3. Self awareness. A manager plays a crucial role within the web of the organisation and beyond as expressed earlier. He serves as a link from the senior management and directorate, to his subordinates, staff or employees, as well as a horizontal link to his or her fellow managers, customers, suppliers, and even the environment. The magnanimity of his role must sink in to serve as a guide and challenge: to deliver and become reliable in the chain of command, providing as much as possible a seamless process of deliberation, interaction and positive results. This may be too ideal as there is no such thing as smooth and consistent organisation process. But it is not the consistency which is the real target of every manager, but the need to respond and apply which is best fitted to a certain need that arises. Heller (2006) called it tactics. Although previously, hierarchy, dominant market share, vertical integration and economies of scale were the means of mastering complexities in organisations, these pillars are now under threat as aggressive and more innovative players set in, within or outside. The organisation must “know that there is no one right answer, only the best answer at the time, which will be replaced as soon as a better one arrives: and there's always a better answer,” (Heller, 2006). This thought not only gives practical approach to an impending or present challenge, but also releases tension and tightness within and outside the walls of management rooms. Each striving manager would benefit well to consider what has been adhered to: continuous improvement is the essence of Total Quality Management (Fisscher and Nijhof, 2005, and Heller, 2006). Limits for implementation of approaches may be obvious from the start such as unsaturated markets, fast-changing market trends, and geographical factors. It is in this instance that the manager let down his guards and adhere to Weick and Roberts (1993) and take in the whole team as “subordination of one’s own interest to that of the group; representation of the group by each individual; and heedful interrelating between the difference members of the group.” 4. External events, illness, holidays, life and relationships. As the conduct of business or any economic means for livelihood has become such a central focus on most mature individuals, consideration for the “other” ingredients of life has also evolved in this age of globalisation. Most innovative organisations encompass the need to address personal and individual matters with regards to each member, whether a high-flier director to a common utility staff. “Balancing of tasks” and other equivalent terms have always been regarded as a healthy approach to addressing organisational challenges. As a cue, “balance” is therefore of considerable value in the order of things when it comes to personnel relations. Some companies now exist without the necessity of time card machines for entry and exit of employees, of which “output oriented” and “telecommuting” emerge. In fact, competitive organisations adopt compensation schemes and vacation packages as part of their allure to attract better and competitive performers (Kim et al, 1999, Natarajan, 1999). In this age where priorities shift from wealth accumulation to the search for true happiness, family values are reinvigorated and working parents are actually encouraged to spend more with their families through longer vacations, sick or personal leaves, and even allow grand vacation packages for excellent performers. These expected and unexpected events in every individual’s life when given ample importance within the operational context of organisations produce an amicable and non-threatening working environment, which in the short and long term both benefit workers and management. It is therefore necessary that in order to fit in the trend as well as stay competitive, m management must adopt flexible working hours and terms whenever necessary, provide ample recovery period for personal or family illnesses, grievances and losses among staff, and compensate well in welcome forms such as rejuvenating vacations and adventures that help widen the horizon of the employee and deepen his or her commitment within the web. References: Fisscher, Olaf and Andre Nijhof. (2005). “Implications of business ethics for quality management.” TQM Magazine, Vol. 17 (2) pp 150-160. Kim, Sangphill, Lowell Alahassane Diallo, Lawrence Klein (1999). “Selecting optimal executive compensation scheme under uncertainty and the role of the covariance factors.” Managerial Finance; Volume: 25 Issue: 9; 1999 McNamee, David. (1992). “Resolving Problems in Ethics and Management.” Managerial Auditing Journal, Vol 7 (2). Natajaran, Ramachandran. (1999). “Earnings-based compensation schemes and discretionary accrual and expenditure decisions over CEO tenure.” Managerial Finance, 25 (9). 1999 research paper Paine, Lynne, Rohit Deshpandé, Joshua D. Margolis, and Kim Eric Bettcher. “Global Business Standards Codex.” Business Ethics Forum. 2005. Accessed November 2006 from http://www.managementlogs.com/business_ethics.html Weick, KE and Roberts, KH (1993). “Collective mind in organisations; heedful interrelating on flight decks.” Administraive Science Quarterly 38 (3) pp 357-381 Zain, ZM, Dale, BG, and Kehoe DF (2001). “Total quality management: an examination of the writings from a UK perspective.” The TQM Magazine, Vol 13 (2) pp 129-137. Read More