Project on Ethics

8/3/2019 Project on Ethics

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Questionnaire

ON

Islamic Relief UK International

Organization

Prepared By: Syed Imtasal Shah

Subject: Business Ethics

Teacher: Miss Anjum


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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank all the employees, securityguard, and lower level staff of Islamic Relief andspecial thanks to , Mr. Syed Shahnawaz Ali, for the

valuable advice and support he has given me in thewriting of this report. I would like to thank everystaff member of Islamic relief for theirencouragement and guidance. And their ProgramManager Aslam denarzai for answering myquestions with full coordination and with out hispresence it could not be get completed.

I would also like to thank my teacher Mrs.Anjum,for her immaculate job and her suggestions. Mydeepest thanks go to my Brother, for his love,

understanding, support and advice".

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALLAH FOR MAKINGTHIS WORK POSSIBLE.


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Summary

This Questionnaire was Basically related to our Subject Business of Ethicswhere we were taught about Ethics in business by our great supportiveteacher. And basically a project was given that we have to make aquestionnaire related to ethics and take an interview of Manager of any wellknown organization. It was given by our teacher Mrs. Anjum. It was requestedon 18th of April 2008. The Questionnaire was prepared by me with thecoordination of my teacher. And then I took the interview of Islamic relief on24th of April 2008.

Manager gave good answers and cooperated to me quite well. And I gatheredthe answers and then gave my conclusion to what he said. As More often than

not, discussions about ethics in organizations reflect only the "individualisticapproach" to moral responsibility

But perhaps the greatest challenge in discussions of ethics in organizations isto find ways in which organizations can be designed to promote the interestsof both organization and individual.

So in order to provide Ethical atmosphere everyone must cooperate themanger so that he can held his organization in a better way to develop Ethicsand concentrate and show the responsibility towards the society.


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Contents Page

1. Introduction..............................................

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2. Questionnaire

review............................................3

3. Questionnaire...........................................

................5

4. Conclusions..............................................

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5. Recommendations....................................

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http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/reports.htm#Introductionhttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/reports.htm#Conclusionshttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/reports.htm#Recommendationshttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/reports.htm#Recommendationshttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/reports.htm#Conclusionshttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/reports.htm#Recommendationshttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/reports.htm#Introduction


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Introduction

This report was given by our teacher Mrs. Anjum on 18th of April and basicpurpose is to check the Ethical values in today's organizations. I took theinterview of Manager of Islamic relief on 24th of April and prepared the reporton 25th of April 2008. This projects helps us to check the Ethical values oforganization and tells us how they rate ethics Among their different priorities


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Islamic Relief established in 1984 in Birmingham , UK , as an internationalrelief and development organization. Islamic Relief seeks to promotesustainable economic and social development by working with localcommunities through relief and development programme. Islamic Relief hasits headquarters in Birmingham , UK and offices over 30 countries acrossEurope , USA , Asia and Africa.

Islamic Relief Started working in Pakistan in 1992 and was registered as aCompany Limited by Guarantee under Section 42 of the Company Ordinance,1984.

Islamic Relief Pakistan ( IRP ) is operational in Pakistan to achievesustainable social and economic development in collaboration with the localcommunities , government and other partner organizations. This integratedparticipatory approach generates greater ownership of the programme.

Islamic Relief is dedicated to alleviating the poverty and suffering of theworlds poorest people.

In addition to emergency relief our programme cover sustainabledevelopment, emergency relief and orphan support. Our focus areas are:

Afghanistan, Albania, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Egypt, Kosovo, Indonesia, Iraq,Mali, Pakistan, Palestine, Sudan, and Chechnya

Whoever saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of allmankind"Qur'an

As well as responding to disasters and emergencies, Islamic Relief promotessustainable economic and social development by working with localcommunities - regardless of race, religion or gender.

Islamic Relief works in four main sectors:- Emergency Relief, Development, Orphans, Waqf.


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Questionnaire Rewiew

1: How do you define ethics? (Manager)

2: What is code of Ethics of your organization?

3: What is your priority customer (Public) or profits or funding?

4: Do you believe in full disclosure? How?

5: Do you listen to the complains of customer or public? How?

6: Do you inform your customer or public before any step taken?

7: Where do you rate ethics among different priorities?

8: What are you doing for the betterment of your employees?

9: How do you select employees for new post? What are your priorities forthat?

10: Do you have complaint handling system for your customers/employees?

11: How can you influence your staff and customers/or what ethical values caninfluence or motivate them?

12:How do you interact with your customers?? Any platform or mechanism?How it supports you?


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13: How do you involve your staff/others in decision making process?

14: How do you define your culture in terms of ethics? Any example?

15: Last time you reported any ethical misconduct of your employee withsenior management?

16: Any barrier you face in developing ethics in your organization?

17:What asks you or attracts you to respect your manager?

18: Has your organization been cited for violation, breaking of rules andregulations and formal action taken by government or any authority?( lastthree years )

19: Do you have any procedure or program to prevent Child labor?

20:Do your NGO has program to prevent discrimination?

21: Do your NGOS have any program in place to ensure that legalcompensation is Paid to all the employees?

22: Do you have any program to prevent corruption?

23:Do you have any procedure to ensure Bribes or other means of obtainingadvantage are not offered or accepted?

24:Do you have fairness in your organization or in doing competition withother organizations?

25: Do you have a facility to ensure the confidentiality and protection ofworkers?

26: In the end I would like to ask what do you plan or wish for future to makeyour organization strong ethically.


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Questionnaire1: How do you define ethics? (Manager)

It is right conduct and code to good life - the life worth living or life that issatisfying, which is held by many philosophers to be more important thanmoral conduct. It also broadly helps to analyze right and wrong.

2: What is code of Ethics of your organization?

Well our organization is a faith based charity with the aim to alleviate thesuffering of the poor people. We have set out general principles of behavior

while working with community and also set up internal core values like:1. Accountability 2. Humanitarianism3. Integrity 4. Inclusiveness5. Cooperation6. Neutrality and Impartiality

3: What is your priority customer (Public) or profits or funding?

Well we are non-profit organization so our priority is to benefit the society.

4: Do you believe in full disclosure? How?Well our principles says it all. We are accountable to:

o our Creator in all that we do

o our supporters for the way we use their contributions.

o our beneficiaries to provide the assistance they need, when theyneed it, in an appropriate manner.o our colleagues to carry out our responsibilities to the best of ourabilities.o the governing rules, laws and regulations of authorities.


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5: Do you listen to the complains of customer or public? How?

We have involved community in our project activities at every stage of theproject giving them right to live with dignity and have influence in decisionmaking for ownership purposes too.

6: Do you inform your customer or public before any step taken?

We believe in coordination and cooperation with others and like alreadyexplained our community is included in implementation process.

7: Where do you rate ethics among different priorities?

It is integral part of our working and we really formalized it into our system.We have set core values and quality assurance system that assures itseffectiveness and efficiency.

8: What are you doing for the betterment of your employees?

We have dedicated HR department responsible to ensure the rights ofemployees are fulfilled. They are also responsible to plan and developemployees in close coordination with their respective managers. We also haveappraisal system in places to ensure it effectiveness. We are already providingthem better opportunity for the career development too.

9: How do you select employees for new post? What are your priorities forthat?

We are equal opportunity employer and go through normal recruitmentprocess starting with the identification of place, defining job responsibilities,advertising, short listing and then final selection through tests and interviews.


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10: Do you have complaint handling system for your customers/employees??

We ensure compliant handling at grass root levels. For employees we have setHR principle and policies to guide them through. For community they arealready part of the process and are responsible for the implementation ofactivities have conflict resolution and complaint handling system.

11: How can you influence your staff and customers/or what ethical values caninfluence or motivate them?

We believe that money is not essential for the motivation for employees andneed to provide a suitable working environment where everyone is respectedand involved giving them right and ownership.

12: How do you interact with your customers?? Any platform or mechanism?How it supports you???

We work for the community and believe in their involvement through theprocess. We try to:Organize themDevelop/enhance their skillsSupport in capital formationLinkages development.

This allows us to ensure sustainability of the project.


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13: How do you involve your staff/others in decision making process?

We have regular review and planning meetings to ensure their involvement.Every strategy developed is through participatory methods. It bringsinnovation in our organization.

14: How do you define your culture in terms of ethics? Any example?

Well. Our culture is driven by Islamic values with to be aGlobal role model in:

o Assisting individuals, groups and institutions to develop safeand caring communities.o Helping the poor and those who are suffering to enjoy self-reliance, with dignity.o Making it possible for those who wish to support others to reachpeople in need of their help.

15: Last time you reported any ethical misconduct of your employee withsenior management???

There were always been minute negligence at the part of our staff but neverdealt with a big event.

16: Any barrier you face in developing ethics in your organization?

No. It is a part of our system.

17: What asks you or attracts you to respect your manager??

Actually he lead by example and follow the core principles facilitating our roleand has got good knowledge.


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18: Has your organization been cited for violation, breaking of rules andregulations and formal action taken by government or any authority?( lastthree years )

Not at all, I have been part of this organization from more than last threeyears but there are no such cases.

19: Do you have any procedure or program to prevent Child labor?

We are not directly working on child labor specifically but our Orphan welfaresupport programme ensures measures to prevent child labor.

20: Do your NGO has program to prevent discrimination??

Yes we ensure equal participation by giving equal opportunity to all groups of

society with the aim to work for right and need based development

21: Do your NGOS have any program in place to ensure that legalcompensation is paid to all the employees?

Yes. Proper contract is signed with employees explaining heir rights.. OurHR department has the responsibility to ensure effective implementation.

22: Do you have any program to prevent corruption?

We are not presently not working on such advocacy issues at national level


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23: Do you have any procedure to ensure Bribes or other means of obtainingadvantage are not offered or accepted?

What we think that Measures to minimize it are a part of system developed.

24: Do you have fairness in your organization or in doing competition withother organizations?

Well we believe in coordination and cooperation and always strive to shareand draw good practices.

25: Do you have a facility to ensure the confidentiality and protection ofworkers?We have HR department to ensure privacy and confidentiality of the matters.

26: In the end I would like to ask what do you plan or wish for future to makeyour organization strong ethically.

We have it in built in our working policies and procedure. We all need toensure its effective implementation and monitoring/control


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ConclusionThe findings are that after visiting and observing the atmosphere of the

organization I found that there is a cultural problem. And I found that theemployees and staff are not finding comfortable as per security reasons just

because of receiving so many threats while NGOs are basically trying todevelop the system of ethics.

When talking about ethics in organizations, one has to be aware that there aretwo ways of approaching the subject--the "individualistic approach" and whatmight be called the "communal approach." Each approach incorporates adifferent view of moral responsibility and a different view of the kinds ofethical principles that should be used to resolve ethical problems.

More often than not, discussions about ethics in organizations reflect only the"individualistic approach" to moral responsibility. According to this approach,every person in an organization is morally responsible for his or her own

behavior, and any efforts to change that behavior should focus on theindividual. But there is another way of understanding responsibility, which isreflected in the "communal approach." Here individuals are viewed not inisolation, but as members of communities that are partially responsible for the

behavior of their members. So, to understand and change an individual'sbehavior we need to understand and try to change the communities to whichthey belong.

Any adequate understanding of, and effective solutions to, ethical problemsarising in organizations requires that we take both approaches into account.Recent changes in the way we approach the "problem of the alcoholic" serve asa good example of the interdependence of individual and communalapproaches to problems. Not so long ago, many people viewed an alcoholic asan individual with problems. Treatment focused on helping the individual deal

with his or her problem. Today, however, the alcoholic is often seen as part ofa dysfunctional family system that reinforces alcoholic behavior. In manycases, the behavior of the alcoholic requires that we change the entire familysituation. These two approaches also lead to different ways of evaluating

moral behavior. Once again, most discussions of ethical issues in theworkplace take an individualistic approach. They focus on promoting the goodof the individual: individual rights, such as the right to freedom of expressionor the right to privacy, are held paramount. The communal approach, on theother hand, would have us focus on the common good, enjoining us to considerways inwhich actions or policies promote or prohibit social justice or ways in

which they bring harm or benefits to the entire community.


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-12When we draw upon the insights of both approaches we increase ourunderstanding of the ethical values at stake in moral issues and increase theoptions available to us for resolving these issues. The debate over drug-testing,for example, is often confined to an approach that focuses on individual rights.

Advocates of drug-testing argue that every employer has a right to run theworkplace as he or she so chooses, while opponents of drug-testing argue thatdrug-testing violates the employee's right to privacy and due process. Byignoring the communal aspects of drug abuse, both sides neglect somepossible solutions to the problem of drug use in the workplace. The communalapproach would ask us to consider questions which look beyond the interestsof the individual to the interests of the community: What kinds of drugpolicies will promote the good of the community, the good of both theemployer and the employee?

Using the two approaches to dealing with ethical problems in organizations

will often result in a greater understanding of these problems. There aretimes, however, when our willingness to consider both the good of theindividual and the good of the community leaves us in a dilemma, and we areforced to choose between competing moral claims. Affirmative ActionPrograms, for example, bring concerns over individual justice into conflict

with concerns over social justice. When women and minorities are givenpreferential treatment over white males, individuals are not treated equally,

which is unjust. On the other hand, when we consider what these programsare trying to accomplish, a more just society, and also acknowledge thatminorities and women continue to be shut out of positions, (especially in topmanagement), then these programs are, in fact, indispensable for achievingsocial justice. Dropping preferential treatment programs might put an end tothe injustice of treating individuals unequally, but to do so would maintain anunjust society. In this case, many argue that a communal approach, whichstresses the common good, should take moral priority over the good of theindividual.


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Recommendations

When facing such dilemmas, the weights we assign to certain values willsometimes lead us to choose those organizational policies or actions that willpromote the common good. At other times, our values will lead us to choosethose policies or actions that will protect the interests and rights of theindividual. But perhaps the greatest challenge in discussions of ethics inorganizations is to find ways in which organizations can be designed topromote the interests of both.

What I recommend that they should develop specific educational program sothat society should get literate. They should make the life of their employeesassure in order to maintain the Ethical values in the organization.

Irrespective of confidentiality issues personal data must not be use todiscriminate unfairly against individuals.

So in order to provide Ethical atmosphere everyone must cooperate themanger so that he can held his organization in a better way to develop Ethicsand concentrate and show the responsibility towards the society.

Special Thanks to our supportive

Teacher.


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Documents

Project on Ethics