Ethics and Values for Career Success

Ethics and Values for Career Success
Alex Rodriguez
Stacy Perez
Mike Stevens
GEN 200
October 24, 2010
Lauren Jones

Ethics and Values for Career Success

Ethics and values are important in the workplace. According to Ethics Resource Center (2010), "ethics is the way people behave based on their beliefs about what is right and wrong influence behavior” (Definition 47). It can be thought of as moral principles an individual has. [Values are core beliefs that guide attitudes and actions] (Ethics Resource Center, 2010). A belief of something is important and meaningful. “Personal values are important determinants...” of professional values and ethics. Integrity, loyalty and punctuality are personal values that can be identified in a professional setting.
For example, if one believes that coming to the United States of America is a country of opportunities and wealth, then there are no limits to what one can achieve. A young man came to the USA from Korea with a personal value knowing he will succeed and expand. Not knowing the English language, he opened a business that could sell beepers and accessories. His values were very strong and goals were accomplished; he owns eleven cell phone stores and is expanding to a corporation. Positive values, goals, and a set mind will result in achievement and success.
Another source of professional values and ethics are codes of conduct. In the codes of conduct, companies require all employees to abide by the company’s sets of rules, duties, and expectations. Codes of conduct mainly bring company structures and guidelines so the company can be successful. For instance, if there were no rules to driving or traffic lights, the streets of California would not be safe. Whether people have values and ethics, the streets of California would be a disaster; car accident, violent incident and death rates would increase, and nobody would be safe. A company functions the same way – without the code of conduct the company...