Derrick Weruu

Bus-242-018/2019
BUSINESS ETHICS
BBIT 3.1
ASSIGNMENT 1

1.Describe the concept of human conscience, freedom and choice in relation to ethics
Human conscience: The human conscience is often described as an inner moral compass. It
describes what a person believe is right or wrong and how a person decides what is right. It
is influenced by a combination of our upbringing, cultural norms, personal values, and moral
principles. The relationship between conscience and ethics is that it gives a person the
intuition of right and wrong behaviour.
Freedom: This is the power or right to act to act, speak and change as one wants without
restraints. The concept of freedom is essential in ethics because it underscores the idea that
moral choices should be made voluntarily, based on ones own values and beliefs.
Choice: Refers to the act of selecting one option among several available alternatives. In
ethics, choice are often regarded as morally significant because they reflect an individual’s
values and priorities. These choices can be influenced by various factors , including personal
values , cultural norms, and external circumstances.
2. Discuss character and personality in relation to ethics.
Character: Refers to the collection of traits that contributes to the dignity of an individual. A
person’s character is developed once a person is born and further develops depending on
social encounters. It is the moral and ethical conduct. Character makes up the moral
attribute of an individual.
Personality: It encompasses a broader range of traits and characteristics that define an
individual’s overall nature and behaviour. It includes aspects such as introversion,
extroversion, agreeableness and emotional stability. Personality traits can influence how
people interact with others and respond to various situations, including ethical dilemmas.
3. Describe the principle of good business ethics.
Loyalty: A sense of devotion to duty and attachment to something or someone. Leadership
comes with commitment to management, employees and employers.
Accountability: Business should hold themselves accountable for their actions and decisions.
This means taking responsibility for mistakes, addressing wrong doing and implementing
corrective actions when necessary.
Responsibility: This is the practice of creating customer value through the active concern of
people and environment impacts. It enables respect since people honour their
responsibilities.
Integrity: Is the foundation of good business ethic. It involves being honest, truthful, and
transparent in all business dealings. Organizations should uphold their commitments ,
deliver on promises , and avoid deceptive practice.
Honesty: Is the foundation for trust and key in social relationships. It implies being truthful.
Employees should gain trust of their employers to enable good communication with them.
Compliance with the law and regulations: Ethical businesses comply with all relevant laws
and regulations in their industry and geographic locations. They also adhere to industry
standards and codes of conduct.
Privacy: It enables personal space and no interruption or disturbance. They include
protection of customers data, personal information and important documents.
4.Giving relevant examples, discuss the benefits that would accrue to organizations that
practice business ethics today.
Competitive advantage: Ethical practices can be a source of competitive advantage.
Companies that prioritize sustainability, for example, can reduce costs by using resources
more efficiently and appeal to consumers who seek eco-friendly products. Tesla’s
commitment to electric vehicles and renewable energy sources has positioned it as a leader
in the automotive industry.
Build customer loyalty: Having a loyal customer base is one of the ways to succeed in
business. Incase customers are overcharged or treated unfairly they opt to consider other
alternative like which brand to purchase or change the preferences the company’s product
like mobile network companies.
Enhanced reputation: Ethical businesses build a positive reputation , which can lead to
increased trust and loyalty from customers, investors and other stakeholders. Eg , Patagonia
an outdoor clothing company , is known for its strong commitment to environmental and
social responsibility. This reputation has attracted environmentally conscious consumers and
investors who support the brand’s ethical practices.
Employee retention: When employees are able to comply with the organization ethical
practices it builds a brand image for the employer. This creates a sustainable competitive
environment. E.g Ethical violations may trigger employees to quit or be fired from their work
places.
5. Explain the major constraints in business in Kenya, as you cite relevant examples.
Corruption and bribery: Corruption is a pervasive issue in Kenya and poses a significant
constraint to ethical business practices. Bribes are often demanded or offered to facilitate
business transactions , secure government contracts , or evade regulatory scrutiny. For
instance , the chicken gate , scandal involving Kenyan official taking bribe for fictitious
contracts with UK printing firm highlighted the extent of corruption in government
procurement.
Sexual harassment: Some employers ask for sexual favours from their employees for them
to secure better positions at work or get promotions which against the ethical policy. For
example , men and women tend to quit their jobs due to this kind of disrespect and others
tend to remain silent to hold their current position in work.
Discrimination: This happens according to the job itself or duties related where different
people assigned different jobs. Discrimination may occur according to age, gender ,religion,
race, national origin e.t.c for example, according to the gender the male are often qualified
to jobs rather than females.
Unethical leadership: Some managers are responsible for misconduct in office places and
abuse of leadership authority. Some of this misconduct maybe changing numbers in the
records , bullying or spending companies money on inappropriate activities.