Editorial

Why be ethical? by Joan Elise Dubinsky

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Editorial by Joan ELise Dubinsky

Why be ethical?

Why should we be ethical?  We are really asking two questions in one: what compels us to act with ethical intention and what are the consequences of our ethical behaviour. Here are some of my own favourite answers.

Ethical behaviour engenders trust
When your actions demonstrate that you are considering the interests of others, those others are much more likely to trust you. A work environment in which trust is present tends to be more creative and productive than one characterized by mistrust and defensiveness.

Ethical behaviour promotes reciprocity
People tend to behave towards others as they perceive others acting toward them. When you engage in ethical behaviour, you set the tone for how others are likely to respond to you and the organisation where you work.

Ethical behaviour is the underpinning for business transactions
In almost every business transaction, someone must give up something of value in exchange for receiving assets in return. For example, if I use a debit card to purchase goods from an on-line retailer, in turn I expect to receive some merchandise. The seller's reputation for ethical behaviour assures me that I will receive the goods that I have paid for, and the goods will be of the quality promised.

Organisations that develop a reputation for unethical behaviour soon find that they have either no customers, no stakeholders, or problems with the law.

Ethical behaviour promotes an ethical environment
Managers and decision-makers help shape their organisation's culture through their own behaviour. Employees who see their superiors behaving unethically are likely to find little reason to behave ethically themselves. This leads to an attitude where employees and their managers excuse unethical behavior by saying, "Everyone else does it."

Ethical behaviour promotes a positive reputation and laudable image
Beneficiaries, investors, employees, and other stakeholders look favorably upon organisations that are known to operate ethically. This leads to distinct advantages:

• We prefer to do business with organisations that we believe act ethically and are socially responsible;
• Employees appreciate being part of an organisation that is seen as ethical and whose purpose benefits society; and
• Communities and governments are more likely to react favourably to organisations they see as being ethical and socially responsible.

Ethical behaviour anticipates problems and broadens perspectives
When you can identify the ethical issues in a situation you face, you widen your perspective. Not only can you anticipate and make plans to deal with problems that you might not have otherwise recognized, you may also find ways to benefit from the situation that were not apparent otherwise.

Conclusion
Ethical behaviour is not only proper and beneficial to others, it also supports an organisation's self interest. The bottom line is that ethical behaviour can be financially advantageous. Organisations that promote ethical behaviour are likely to:

• Develop more creative and productive work environments;
• Promote stakeholder and customer loyalty and trust;
• Reduce internal costs associated with unethical behaviour;
• Enjoy the financial benefits associated with a positive reputation and image;
• Enhance their ability to anticipate expensive problems; and
• Broaden their problem-solving abilities.

That's how I like to answer the big question of "Why be ethical?"  Now, what do you think?

Joan Elise Dubinsky, Globethics.net Board member

GLOBETHICS.NET NETWORK

Globethics.net India

Essay Competition on Ethics and Higher Education in India

Globethics.net India is happy to announce the National Level Essay Writing Competition for students of recognised colleges, universities and educational institutions. This annual essay contest is organized as an effort to harness the creativity and initiative of the youth across the country for promoting a culture of Ethics and Values in the Education System. Read more

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Globethics.net Indonesia is supporting the International Da'wah Conference 2017 (iDACON) held by the Faculty of Da'wah and Communication at the State Islamic University Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta on 4-5 October 2017 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Read more

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Results of the 1st Regional Competition on Ethics in Higher Education

The Globethics.net East Africa Programme wishes to announce the winners of the 1st Regional Competition on Ethics in Higher Education. Following the call for papers, poems and songs distributed at the end of 2016. Read more

Globehtics.net Russia

Globethics.net President addresses conflicts of interest in latest edition of Russian business journal

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Globethics.net LibrarY

Two new journals in Education and Ethics collection

• E-Gnosis a journal on Science and Technology in Spanish
• Tuning Journal for Higher Education a new journal  on innovative and sustainable higher education, published by a Spanish academy, Deusto International Tuning Academy (DITA), University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain

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Following the inaugural meeting in June, announcing the formation of the Globethics Consortium on Ethics in Higher Education, we are now pleased to announce that as of September 2017, the Globethics Leadership Centre will start to implement a series of educational programmes on ethics education for teacher training purposes both online and offline with Consortium members and partners. 

Publications

Religion, Public Policy and Social Transformation in Southeast Asia: Religion, Identity and Gender Vol. 2 (2017)

Editor: Dicky Sofjan
ISBN 978-2-88931-201-6
This book series is part of a nine-country collaborative research programme entitled "Religion, Public Policy and Social Transformation in Southeast Asia". The three-part book series deals with religion and its interface with the state and society in Southeast Asia. It examines the multidimensional facets of politics, public policies and social change in relation to contemporary forms of religion, religious communities, thinking, praxes and ethos. All articles in this book series were a direct result of a policy-relevant research collaboration conducted by investigators from the participating countries. The issues under examination in this series include: gender relations, women organizations, identity formation, state policies on gender and religious identity. All of the analyses in this book series are fixed within the context of a rapidly changing society in Southeast Asia.

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Meet our author - David Brian Dennison, United States of America

David Brian Dennison, born in 1974, is a practicing lawyer in America. Previously, he served as law lecturer and the coordinator of clinical legal education at Uganda Christian University and he is currently engaged in teaching roles at numerous universities in the USA. Read more

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Welcome to Nathalie Tshilanda Ilunga

Nathalie Tshilanda Ilunga is a public relations management professional who joined the Globethics.net team as a volunteer Communications and Administration Assistant in August 2017. She has worked for various non-profit organisations in South Africa and Switzerland, inlcuding the Lusa Community Chest, African Food project, the Southern Africa Trust and Terre des hommes Suisse. Nathalie worked with Globethics.net as a volunteer during the first meeting of the Globethics Consortium on Ethics in Higher Education from 21-23 June 2017 and is currently helping in office administration and management, event planning, exhibitions and project and administrative tasks. She is multilingual (English, French, Zulu, Lingala) and has worked as a French/ English translator and Escalation Manager for Real Tele Marketing-South Africa and now assists in interpretation at the church Parole de vie (Switzerland). She is from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and has South Africa as her second home.