Working with monkeys who can communicate through sign language or other means can elucidate the precursors of legal behavior and the development of a sense of justice. Long-term observations of free-living groups and experiments with control groups of half-captive great apes can educate us about the effects of environmental enrichment and deprivation on the social behavior of institutionalized individuals, which may lead to medical and legal applications for institutional care for humans. Legal and ethical behavior has important consequences for companies: legal misconduct can lead to fines and (depending on the severity of the fault) imprisonment of offenders, and ethical misconduct can lead to a loss of trust on the part of customers and partners. In this section, you`ll get an introduction to ethics and learn why it`s a particularly challenging topic for companies trying to « do the right thing. » The legal amount a driver is allowed to drink before driving is four units for men and three units. The search for brain rewards relevant to legal behavior can lead to more accurate predictions about the effectiveness of certain laws. More than half of U.S. states protect workers from employers who impose certain lifestyle requirements, such as hiring non-smokers or refusing to hire people who are obese or have high cholesterol. Of course, American Express has a legal issue to deal with with tobacco policy, but as with the ethical issue, it is not settled. This scenario allows us to examine fundamental questions about the nature of ethical and legal behavior in business. It also highlights the tension between our ideals and how they play out in the real world. Sometimes ethical action and legal action are one and the same. In other cases, this is not the case. Ethics is a set of norms that govern the behavior of a person, especially a professional.
While ethical beliefs are held by individuals, they can also be reflected in the values, practices, and policies that influence decisions made by decision-makers on behalf of their organizations. Professions and organizations regularly develop a « Code of Ethics » to guide the behaviour of members of the profession or organization. In the medical profession, for example, physicians take an ethical oath to « do no harm. » The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Code states that « engineers shall give priority to the safety, health and welfare of the public in the performance of their professional duties. » Legal conduct follows the requirements of laws that are written and interpreted by the courts. In decision-making, the determination of the legality of a course of action is facilitated by the existence of laws, regulations and codes. Contrary to ethical considerations, there are fixed penalties for illegal behavior. However, as society evolves, so does what constitutes legal behaviour. For example, until recently, possession or use of marijuana was illegal in the state of Colorado. As a result of the legislation that legalized marijuana, existing laws must be reinterpreted, and there is no doubt that other laws will be enacted to regulate formerly illegal conduct. Regardless of whether a person considers it ethical to use a potentially harmful substance, it is a fact that the law now allows such behavior. I began my first draft of this article before the recent wave of publicity and allegations of serious disrespect for women, which in many cases constituted illegal behavior.
The many descriptions that have been provided in the media indicate a serious problem, which cannot be solved if we all behave « legally » with each other. That`s not all. We need to review our behavior to see if we respect others in the many ways we interact. Precursors of legal behavior in nonhuman primates suggest that certain elements of a sense of justice are genetically transmitted, i.e., legal behavior may be an innate biological mechanism essential for survival. Ethological studies can provide models for flexible adaptations of environmental law. The results suggest that in some important areas, the legal structure must be based on the function of relevant behaviour if a species is to adapt and survive. Some common signs of infant behavior are described in detail below. Infantile behavior is a form of. As you will see in the rest of this module, there is often a complex interplay of ethical and legal considerations when companies try to do « the right thing » – by law, through their shareholders, employees, customers and other stakeholders. Actions are « legal » if they do not violate local, state, or federal government laws or codes. Actions are « ethical » or « moral » (I will treat the words in this article as synonymous) if they conform to an individual`s personal code of conduct, which may be based on a particular social, religious, or other group norm.
Unfortunately, the word « ethics » is often used more widely – for example, when a « code of ethics » is formally incorporated into state laws (see, for example, Chapter 42.23). RCW) or by a local government as a local code of ethics. A formally adopted code of ethics is required by law; If you violate a national or local code of ethics, there are certain consequences. If the company decides not to hire smokers, it would essentially infringe on the individual`s right to engage in a lawful activity. If the company requires employees to smoke, what else can they decide for employees? The National Institute of Health reports that the total national cost of being overweight and obese combined was $113.9 billion. Does the company set body mass index (BMI) limits for potential employees to reduce the cost of medical care for obesity-related illnesses? As you can see, such decisions are complex and, some would say, a slippery slope. Treating others with respect, whether in our social groups or in the workplace, is the fundamental glue that drives groups to work positively to solve problems. Even if we disagree with others on different issues, we should take the time to listen to opposing views and understand why someone else might have a different perspective. Did you spot the word « should » in that last sentence? Modern democracies do not dictate that we treat each other with respect, they can only lead the way and enact laws regarding « legal » minimum requirements. If we use them as working definitions, we go back to American Express.
Ethical and legal behavior can often be confused – in part because they can often overlap. However, legal behavior and ethical behavior are different. For example, it`s not a legal issue to argue about whether you should buy a boat or donate to charity, but it could be an ethical one. Over the years, the CSSM has received many questions about the legality or ethics of certain actions, and the way the questions are asked suggests that there is often confusion about the use of the words « legal » and « ethical ». The distinction is important. Law is seen as a living system that transcends the narrow traditional definition and is expressed through individual and group behaviour, called « legal behaviour ». The moral or ethical ideas that support the legal structure are flexible and change in relation to the environment. These moral concepts shape the individual`s sense of justice within groups and replace the rigid genetic commandments that govern social organization in other species.
As this example shows, people take positions and make decisions in different settings, and these frameworks, although they overlap, are not always perfectly aligned. The legal framework establishes laws that govern behaviour, while the ethical framework contains a set of norms and rules that govern the behaviour of individuals within groups or professions. Text adapted from « Introduction to Ethical and Legal Behavior » and « Ethical and Legal Behavior » by Lumen Learning under CC BY: Attribution. As a manager, you have a difficult decision regarding such a policy, as your choice has implications that go beyond hiring decisions. So why all the fuss about words? Well, some people are of the opinion that if you follow the law that sets the minimum standards for our society, that is all that is required. And it does not matter if their goal is to meet only the minimum accepted standards for our society, so as not to be punished criminally or civilly. If you were responsible for American Express, what would you do? Can pregnant women risk their baby`s life by not eating a healthy, balanced diet? Is a healthy diet essential for a pregnant woman? Medical ethics evaluates the benefits, risks, and social concerns in the field of medicine. What measures do sociologists use to calculate bias? This brings us back to local government here in our communities and my New Year`s wish for 2018: that we all respect each other. Above all, that all those who work in local legislative bodies or bodies strive to really listen to other members and try to understand the valuable aspects of each other`s points of view.
Instead of constantly thinking during discussions about how to refute or argue against another person`s views, take the time to listen carefully and find common ground.