In the article, “Ethical Role of a Manager,” it is clear that ethics and business do go hand in hand. Many people think that business leaders and businesses are not ethical because of the work that they do or the money they gain. In order to be an ethical manager, you need to make responsible decisions that are in support of the good of the group. You cannot be selfish and only act in the best interest of yourself or the larger company. You need to act in ways that support your employees and make them feel heard and respected.

A good manager leads by example. They practice the behavior that they would want to see in employees. They do not put themselves above anyone else. They also aren’t afraid to actually do work and contribute to the company. Some managers just delegate tasks without actually doing any work themselves. This could lead to employees not respecting them or wanting to follow their directions. A leader’s ability to act and immerse themselves in the company determines how well they are respected and how effective they are.

The piece in the article regarding utilitarianism was interesting. I did not really think about the application of this ethical principle to management tactics. Managers have to make difficult decisions. They have to determine the course of action for certain aspects of the company. They need to put thought into their decisions to determine if they’re ethical and fair. Managers cannot succumb to pressure from outside influences and need to use ethics to guide their decisions. They sometimes need to bend rules and act according to other ethical principles in order to make decisions that further benefit the employees and the company.

Waddock, Sandra. “Ethical Role of the Manager.” Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society. Ed. . Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE,