Thursday 27 November 2014

Task 5c

Exploring ethics further in reader 5 has presented to me the different approaches and contexts considered throughout various walks of life. Opinions can differ on this subject which can sometimes be dependent on the culture, religion, race or law. It is the assumptions we make in order to create the guidelines we perceive to be adequate and fair for all. It is also important to realise why we make these assumptions in the first place which I feel is a necessary point to start with (Post 19/3/13 An Important Point! ).

Ethics will play a vital role in our inquiries so understanding different approaches is paramount.

What are Ethics?

Ethics are a set of guidelines we adhere to throughout life to establish equality and to create social soundness. I believe it is the way we should conduct ourselves around others and the environment to ensure that no harm is brought to anyone or anything.



"Ethics are a system of moral principles and a branch of philosophy which defines what is good for individuals and society" 
BBC Ethics- Introduction to ethics

Reader 5 explains that there are 3 different contexts of ethics used: personal, professional and organisational. These frameworks I will be conscious of when conducting my inquiry.

Personal

My personal ethics have been derived from my upbringing from my family, involving manners, family values/morals and religion. I believe personal ethics can be taken with you wherever you are in life and help define you as a person. I felt more confident in my assumption when hearing about the history of ethics 'The word ethics is widely held to have its origins in the Greek work ethos, which means character'(reader 5). Treating others how you would like to be treated is something to think about when conducting my inquiry. A declaration, consenting the information collected is vital.

Professional

Professional ethics involve the guidelines set in place in a professional working environment. For example, it could be shown as a code of conduct (post 16/3/13 The Teaching Environment).

Organizational

Organizational ethics can be likened to organizational culture.



"organizational culture is a set of shared mental assumptions that guide interpretation and action in organizations by defining appropriate behaviour for various situations. It is necessary we identify the frameworks set in each sector of organisations, especially when on a large scale as ethics could sometimes differ throughout and cause conflict"  
Ravasi, D. and Schultz,M. (2006)

This then brings me on to my next observation. What do we do when different contexts of ethics conflict with each other? What is ethically right? For instance, I am currently appearing in a profit share production at a London fringe theatre. This of course means the amount of money I make depends on the amount of profit made by the show itself. Spilt between a production team of 20 odd people could mean that I make virtually no money at all. This decision means I am going against professional ethics e.g Equity minimum wage, so why take it? After a long hard think and looking at the bigger picture, I decided that this experience offered to me was a great opportunity and not to be missed.
"And yes, the likelihood is that, come the end of the run, you still won’t make any money from the venture. In most cases, though, people don’t take these kind of jobs with the hope of a monetary reward. The incentives on offer can be far greater" 
Grewcock, D. (July 2011), The Stage: Low Pay/No Pay Week 
So how do we resolve ethical dilema? I believe there is no right or wrong answer. I feel I have only  touched the tip of the ice berg when it comes to ethics as it is such vast subject and I feel like there is a lot more to learn. However, the quote below provides me with some food for thought.


'Resolving ethical dilemmas, therefore, requires interpersonal and negotiation skills as well as the new application of employability skills--honesty, ability to work cooperatively, respect for others, pride in one's work, willingness to learn, dependability, responsibility for one's actions, integrity, and loyalty' (Lankard 1987).


Hobbles (1965) believes that in order to live in a ethically correct and equal society we must abide by a set of rules to keep peace. I agree with Hobbles but reflecting on past experiences makes me realise that sometimes, maybe my personal training wasn't always morally correct. Was everyone always treated equally? Yes that was the aim set out by the teachers and students but was it always the case? Immanual Kant (1779) views were similar to those of Hobbles but suggests that rules should be acknowledged more because of reason than religion. Helping people no matter what your desires are is definitely commendable, but does it always happen? Are we sometimes too wrapped up in our own little worlds? It is something to be aware of through day to day life because it then brings it back to the point, treat others how you would like to be treated.

Theoretical approaches

We can compare and evaluate the theoretical approaches that have emerged.

Consequentialism
The heart of consequentialism is if an act is morally right, with the outcome being to benefit the greater good.

Deontology
Deontology focus's on good will, with this being the motive behind an act. Only then is it deemed good.

Virtue
Virtue ethics, instead of concentrating on rules, looks at the persons character and what actions reveal about this person.

The reader draws up an example for us, demonstrating the conflict these ethics may have. When exploring case study 2, I can appreciate how the ethical dilemmas conflict. For example, Kevin Carter carrying out the job he intended to do but to then just leave a dying girl without trying to intervene and potentially save her life. This of course deems to be ethically wrong, however some argue that his act was justified as Kevin Carter, along with with the rest of the team where instructed to not physically come in to contact with someone for fear of catching epidemic diseases. So what was the just thing to do? Should the photographer have risked his own life to help save another? There is much deliberation on these type of cases and I am not sure if there is always a right or wrong answer, however this case demonstrated how ethics can conflict with each other.

Research

Earlier I touched upon how important it is to adhere to ethics when conducting my inquiry. I therefore found the research section of the reader very beneficial and will use the methods presented as a good framework for my research. For example, the guide lines recommend by the British Educational Research Association (BERA). Task 5D asks me to discuss my ethical dimensions and what frameworks I plan to apply when carrying out my inquiry. I will therefore touch on BERA in more detail.

Reader 5 has has made a great contribution to my knowledge surrounding Ethics. The examples given have provided me with a better understanding of the importance of ethics throughout life and how we must try and find a balance between all contracting types, no matter how hard it may be.




BBC Ethics- Introduction to ethics 2013

Grewcock, D. (July 2011), The Stage: Low Pay/No Pay Week

Hobbles, T. (1986) The Leviathan. London: Penguin Classics

Kant, I, (2007) Critique Of Pure Reason. London: Penguin Classics

Lankard, B. A. Practice Ethical Behavior. Connections. School and Work Transitions. Columbus: The National Center for Research in Vocational Education, The Ohio State University, 1987. (ED 288 981).

Ravisi, D and Schultz, M (2006) Responding To Organisational Identity Threats: exploring the role of organizational culture.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Mel I really enjoyed your report here. I can tell you understand it but also find it very interesting. Your referencing at the bottom reminded me what I forgot in mine...citing!

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