Organizational Behavior Trends

Organizational Behavior Trends

Introduction

Ethics, defined as the study of right and wrong, is an important domain that must be studied by future leaders/managers of organizations practicing their profession in the business industry. The study of ethics is important for managers, since professional responsibility should be given to managers. As a professional, the manager is engaged in activities that are always coupled with public interest. And because of this public interest, the manager should ensure that the organization's clients, stakeholders, and market's welfare are given attention and consideration when formulating business-related decision.

Business-related decisions should always take into account proper managerial conduct, which entails having the proper "moral imagination and the courage to do the right thing" (Kreitner, 1995:99).

The impact of technology on work-related stress is important to understand as another important OB trend in order to maximize work performance and efficiency within the organization and also to increase morale across the company.

The Influence of Ethics on Decision Making

There are several ground rules that should be considered in the decision-making process, when ethics are concerned. Ethics operate according to a certain set of moral criteria acceptable to society at a given time or in a given place. Ethics or morals dictate how we as human beings should conduct our lives. They determine the standards of right or wrong actions in terms of the truly human life. A further aspect of ethics is admitting where society's ethics fall short in terms of concerns that are minimized or ignored.

In ethical decision- making it is then necessary to identify and recognize a moral issue. Such a decision is dictated by some recognized wrong in terms of personal, interpersonal or social criteria. Damage to people, animals or the environment has to be curbed by an ethical decision. Legal or institutional concerns should play a lesser part than human concerns such as dignity, rights and hopes for a better life. The second step in ethical decision- making is getting the correct facts. The individuals concerned with the decision- making process should be identified. Now the options for acting can be identified. All the relevant persons or groups need to be consulted and taken into consideration. Various moral perspectives are useful in this evaluation process. The most important determination is which option will cause the most good and the least harm? It is also important that the rights and dignity are respected by the decision, and that they be treated fairly. It is however not always possible to give everybody all that they want, but at least fairness should be ensured. The global picture in terms of society, community and family should also be taken into account. The decision should promote the common good for all, and give the stakeholders the opportunity to experience life in the community more fully and to their benefit. In a deeper sense the decision should also promote the virtues of character valued by human beings as individuals and as a society. An ethical decision is therefore a decision that promotes what we value as human beings. It should promote what is good about.

It is also important to evaluate the outcome of a decision. This is often overlooked in the overall process of ethical decision- making. It is easy to become enveloped in the morals of an issue, and then to forget the implications of the outcome. This provides the value of perspective without being in the midst of what might be a difficult process.

The Impact of Technology on Work-Related Stress

Without doubt, work can be stressful, and job demands can disrupt one's