How do ethical decisions differ when organizations are involved than when persons are involved?

Answer 1

Hey don1clame...,

Well an organization can fire and fine you. As an individual, you can be fined. Ethical decisions have far greater reaching implications in an orgainzation - reputation, etc.. Where you can affect the future of others adversly for a bad decison.

I recommend you follow a high personal standard, and carry that forward in your professional/organizational/business life. Here are some good sites to help with that.

Answer 2

An organization is a group of people that have gotten together to form a union of common goal.
As to the difference it is the same as an individual.
It’s their motivation to that goal. An ethical decision.

Answer 3

They are corporate. A corporation is a 'person in law', literally, with rights (you cannot slander a corporation, infiltrate its computer system or damage its buildings without consequences as you couldn't do these things to your neighbour without exactly the same consequences), and responsibilities. Its responsibilities are:

1: To make a profit for its shareholders.
2. ..........

This is enshrined in corporate law and somewhat colours the corporation's view when considering, for example, the ethical dimension of its health & safety policy, or its environmental policy. Neither you nor I (as individuals) would condone wrecking swathes of pristine countryside for mining extraction or employing sweat shop labour in the Far East to make fancy shoes or shirts, but a corporation views the question from the position of the profits attainable for its shareholders, as required by law.
It's a fascinating question and my answer is simplisitc, but I'd love to hear the view of a social anthropologist because, to go directly back to your question, persons ARE involved. They are called directors, shareholders, employees and consumers-of-the-products of corporations. Viz. everybody, all of us.

Answer 4

they should not organizations should be held to ethical standards

Answer 5

Whichever makes the most money for the organization. :)