UNIT 1

1. Compare and contrast Morality, Etiquette, and Professional Codes.

• Morality: Refers to a set of widely shared beliefs and principles about what is right and
wrong, good and bad.1 It's often deeply personal and derived from one's upbringing, religion,
and culture.

• Etiquette: Relates to the rules of polite social behavior in a specific group or setting.2 These
are customs, not moral principles, and a breach of etiquette is a social faux pas, not a moral
transgression.

• Professional Codes: These are formal rules and standards of conduct for a specific
profession. They guide behavior in a work context and are enforced by the professional
body.3 Violations can lead to professional sanctions, but they are not necessarily moral
wrongs.

2. Define Ethics and explain comparison personal ethics & business ethics.

• Ethics: A system of moral principles that governs a person's behavior or the conducting of an
activity.4 It's the study of what is right and wrong.

• Personal Ethics: The moral principles that guide an individual's behavior in their private life.5

• Business Ethics: The principles and standards that guide behavior in the world of business.6
It applies ethical principles to business dilemmas.7 While personal ethics informs business
ethics, the latter often involves broader considerations related to stakeholders, corporate
responsibility, and legal obligations.

3. Explain the Indian ethical traditional values from the religion and philosophical thinking.

• Dharma: The concept of duty, righteousness, and moral order. It guides individuals to live in
accordance with their roles in society and their moral obligations.8

• Karma: The principle of cause and effect, where an individual's actions determine their
future experiences.9 Good actions lead to good outcomes, and vice versa, motivating ethical
behavior.

• Ahimsa: Non-violence and respect for all living beings, a core tenet in Jainism and Buddhism,
and a key value in Hinduism.10

• Purusharthas: The four goals of human life: Dharma (righteousness), Artha (prosperity),
Kama (pleasure), and Moksha (liberation).11 This framework balances material and spiritual
pursuits, ensuring that economic and personal goals are pursued ethically.

• Tolerance and Pluralism: Indian philosophical thought, particularly in Hinduism, has

traditionally embraced the idea that there are multiple paths to truth, fostering a culture of
religious and ideological tolerance.12

4. Explain the professional code and its requirement in professional life.

 • Professional Code: A set of ethical and behavioral principles designed to guide the members
of a professional organization.13 It defines the standards of conduct, responsibilities, and
duties for professionals in their work.

• Requirements:

o Public Trust: It ensures that professionals maintain the trust of the public they serve.

o Standard of Conduct: It provides a clear guideline for acceptable behavior and

decision-making in complex situations.

o Accountability: It holds professionals accountable to their peers and to the public for
their actions.

o Promotes Integrity: It helps uphold the integrity and reputation of the profession as
a whole.

o Disciplinary Framework: It establishes a basis for disciplinary action against those

who violate the standards.

5. Differentiate Between Morality & Law.

• Morality:

o Source: Internal, based on personal beliefs, values, and principles.

o Scope: Broad, covering all aspects of a person's life.

o Enforcement: Informal, through social pressure, guilt, or conscience.

o Penalty: Social disapproval or internal conflict.

• Law:

o Source: External, created by a governing authority.

o Scope: Specific, applies to actions and behaviors regulated by the state.

o Enforcement: Formal, through a legal system (courts, police).

o Penalty: Fines, imprisonment, or other legal sanctions.14

6. Characteristics of Moral Standard.

• Supremacy: Moral standards are considered to be of greater importance than other values,
like personal preferences or social conventions.

• Impartiality: They are based on impartial considerations, meaning they apply to everyone
equally, without personal bias.

• Universalizability: They are applicable to similar situations for all individuals.

• Emotional Component: They are often associated with strong emotions like guilt, shame,
and remorse when violated.

UNIT 2
1. Define Ethics and explain its importance in personal and professional life.

• Ethics: A system of moral principles.15

• Importance in Personal Life:

o Guides Decision-Making: Helps individuals make sound choices in their daily lives.

o Builds Character: Fosters virtues like honesty, integrity, and responsibility.

o Promotes Well-being: Living an ethical life often leads to a sense of purpose and
self-respect.

• Importance in Professional Life:

o Builds Trust: Ethical behavior builds trust with customers, colleagues, and
stakeholders.16

o Ensures Long-Term Success: Companies with strong ethical standards are more likely
to have sustained success and a good reputation.17

o Creates a Positive Work Environment: Encourages fairness and respect among

employees, leading to higher morale and productivity.18

2. Discuss the process for ethical decision-making in business.

1. Identify the Ethical Problem: Clearly define the moral issue or dilemma at hand.

2. Gather the Facts: Collect all relevant information. Who are the stakeholders? What are the
potential consequences? What are the legal and professional obligations?

3. Evaluate Alternatives: Brainstorm various courses of action. Consider the ethical implications
of each option.

4. Apply Ethical Principles: Analyze the alternatives using relevant ethical frameworks, such as
utilitarianism (what produces the greatest good), deontology (what is the right duty), or
virtue ethics (what would a virtuous person do).

5. Make the Decision: Choose the best course of action based on the analysis.

6. Implement and Reflect: Put the decision into action and reflect on the outcome to learn
from the experience.

3. Discuss the role of honesty, integrity and transparency in business ethics.

• Honesty: Refers to truthfulness and the absence of deceit.19 In business, it means being
truthful in all dealings with customers, suppliers, and employees.

• Integrity: Adhering to a strong moral and ethical code. It means doing the right thing, even
when no one is watching.

• Transparency: The principle of being open and honest in communication and actions. It
involves making business operations and decisions visible to stakeholders, fostering trust and
accountability.20

4. Explain Roots of unethical Behaviour.

 • Lack of Personal Ethics: An individual's weak moral compass can lead them to make
unethical choices.

• Pressure to Succeed: Intense pressure to meet targets, increase profits, or outperform

competitors can lead to corner-cutting and unethical shortcuts.21

• Organizational Culture: A company culture that rewards unethical behavior or fails to punish
it can normalize such actions.22

• Lack of Accountability: When there are no consequences for unethical acts, people are more
likely to commit them.

• Conflict of Interest: When personal interests clash with professional duties, it can lead to
biased and unethical decisions.23

5. Difference Between Values & Ethics.

• Values: Individual or personal beliefs about what is important in life. They are what a person
considers worthwhile or good (e.g., family, freedom, honesty).

• Ethics: A set of principles or rules that are often defined by a group or society, governing
behavior based on what is considered right or wrong (e.g., professional code of conduct).24
Values inform a person's ethics, but ethics provides a more structured framework for
applying those values to actions.

UNIT 3

1. What is an Ethical Dilemma?

• An ethical dilemma is a situation in which a person must choose between two or more
options, both of which appear to be morally right or wrong, or when there is a conflict
between a moral principle and a personal or professional goal.25

2. Resolve an Ethical Problem OR Resolve Ethical dilemma.

• This question requires a specific case study to resolve. The general process for resolution is
outlined in the answer to Unit 2, Question 2. A specific example would be a factory manager
choosing between laying off workers to improve profit or keeping them employed at a loss,
thus presenting a clear ethical dilemma.

3. Explain the importance of a code of personal ethics for employees.

• A code of personal ethics for employees provides a moral compass that guides them in their
professional lives.26 It helps them navigate difficult situations, uphold company values, and
make decisions that are both personally and professionally sound. It fosters a culture of
integrity, honesty, and responsibility, which benefits both the individual and the organization.

DEFINE TERMS

• Consequentialism: An ethical theory that judges whether an action is right or wrong based
on its consequences.27
• Utilitarianism: A form of consequentialism that holds the best moral action is the one that
maximizes overall happiness or "utility" for the greatest number of people.28

• Hedonism: The ethical theory that pleasure is the highest good and the proper aim of human
life.29

• Virtue: A trait of character that is morally excellent.30 Examples include courage, honesty,
and compassion.

• Fairness: The quality of making judgments that are free from discrimination or bias.31

• Justice: The concept of giving each person what they deserve.

• Value: A person's or society's standards of behavior; their judgment of what is important in

life.