Ethical Filter Usauto

Running Head: Ethical Filter

Ethical Filter

Ethical Filter

Introduction

Values are very important for the individuals and social groups. Some values are learned in school and at work or with a group of friends, at church and other places. The principal source of values is still home. Our parents teach us values, practically since we were born. Some of this values are as simply as manners (saying ‘thank’ and ‘you are welcome’). In our organizations individuals learn to develop values like honesty and trust. Trust is defined by the Journal of Communication Management (2003) as:

• an individually and generally expressed optimistic expectation about the outcome of an event or behavior

• willing cooperation anticipated to get benefits

• when there is anticipated individual vulnerability, partly dependent on other’s behavior

• something that is generally difficult to enforce

• assuming responsibility for other’s interests.

These values that we learn in our daily life are very useful for individuals when making a decision.

Values for Decision-Making

In the decision-making process there are some core values that are very important for me. The first one is integrity. This is defined in the Stafford University Encyclopedia as someone who “makes reasonable judgments about the relative importance of various desires and commitments.” (pgs. 12) The encyclopedia adds that a person with integrity has two more characteristics: “a person holding steadfastly to their commitments rather than ordering and endorsing desire” (pgs. 14) and a person whom “stands up for his or her best judgment within a community” (pgs21). Integrity is the ability to stay true to one’s beliefs.

The second value is honesty. My parents taught me that honesty is having the courage to do the right thing. Is what my parents taught me and being truthful, which leads to my next value: trust. Loyalty, reliability and the ability to keep one’s word are various characteristics that lead to trust. This is an earned value, and it comes both ways. When we trust in someone we show our respect, my fourth value on this list.

Respect leads to the Golden Rule: do not do to others