Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Ethical decision making in business, the manifestation of business ethics in the
individual, is influenced and shaped by various factors, including the external
environment, organisational factors and society. In China business ethics, and
consequently ethical decision making has emerged and developed mainly as a
response to the economic reforms in response to globalisation.
Globalisation, a product of the interaction of political and predominantly economic
liberalisation, largely brought about by technological change, has become a
household word since the last decade of the twentieth century. It is hailed by its
advocates as a way to spread cosmopolitan values as well as better employment
conditions and standards of living. Its critics, however, see it as a new wave of
colonialism imposed by developed countries and multinational companies on poor
countries, a synonym to exploitation and impoverishment of both people and nature.
A contested issue on globalisation is concerned with its consequences as to the
convergence of societies toward a uniform pattern of economic, political, and even
cultural organisation, and thus to the formation of a global ethic.
A change in approach towards intellectual property and the trends observed in patent
applications indicate to what degree various countries have embraced the
opportunities presented by globalisation. China is a prime example of a country that
embraced the opportunities, and also made the required changes in policies and
behaviour.
Globalisation has changed the environment in which everyone is competing forever.
International institutions play a significant role, and being part of treaties is
paramount if countries want to play in the global market. Thus, globalisation changed
the external environment that has an important influence on ethical decision making
by individuals. These changes are followed by changes in countries' legal
environments. As a result the rules by which companies have to play are also
influenced, changing the way management should and eventually do behave, which
will ultimately change the work experience gained by an individual. A change in
individual factors will eventually change the ethical philosophy and the decision ideal
of an individual, which also have an impact on ethical decision making. The end
result is that globalisation has a profound influence on every factor that influence an
individual making ethical decisions. However, these changes can take very long to
start to manifest, a fact seen in the lag between policy changes and observing
tangible changes in approach to intellectual property rights, as observed in China. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Etiese besluitneming deur die individu word beinvloed deur 'n wye verskeidenheid
faktore, waaronder die eksterne omgewing, die organisasie waarvoor die individu
werk, en ook die kultuur gemeenskap. Sake etiek in China, en dus ook etiese
besluitneming het ontwikkel as die resultaat van ekonomiese beleidsveranderinge
wat teweeg gebring is deur globalisering.
Globalisering is die produk van die grootskaalse liberalisering van ekonomiee,
aangehelp deur tegnologiese vooruitgang. Voorstanders van globalisering glo dat dit
die verspreiding en groei van kosmopolitaanse waardes tot gevolg het, en uiteindelik
lei tot beter werksomstandighede en lewensstandaarde vir almal. Die kritici meen
egter dat dit 'n nuwe vorm van kolonialisme is waardeur ontwikkelde lande en
internasionale besighede die ontwikkelende lande uitbuit.
Die mate waarin globalisering lei tot die konvergensie van gemeenskappe na 'n
uniforme ekonomiese, politiese en kulturele entiteit, word egter betwis. Gevolglik
word daar ook gevra of globalisering lei tot die totstandkoming van 'n globale etiese
kode.
Lande benader die geleenthede wat globalisering bied op verskillende maniere.
Hierdie verskille is duidelik sigbaar in die benadering wat gevolg word met
intellektuele eiendom. Die tendense oor die afgelope paar jaar in die aantal
aansoeke om patente te registreer, verskil dramaties van land tot land. China is 'n
goeie voorbeeld van 'n land wat die geleentheid met beide hande aangegryp het. Nie
net is beleid aangepas om voordeel uit die geleentheid te trek nie, maar mense se
houding het ook dienooreenkomstig verander.
Globalisering het die omgewing vir kompetisie dramaties verander. Internasionale
organisasies speel 'n belangrike rol, en die ondertekening van verskeie
ooreenkomste is ononderhandelbaar om ten volle deel te wees van die globale
ekonomie. Globalisering het die eksterne omgewing sodanig verander dat dit nie
anders kan as om 'n impak te hê op die besluitneming van individue nie. Die
veranderende eksterne omgewing het noodgedwonge gelei tot veranderinge in die
wette van verskeie lande. Die reels waaraan besighede moet voldoen is dus ook
beinvloed, en so ook die manier waarop bestuur moet optree. Uiteindelik sal hierdie
ook die ervaring van werknemers verander, en dus 'n impak hê op etiese
besluitneming. Die uiteinde is dat globalisering elke faktor wat 'n impak het op etiese
besluitneming beinvloed. Hierdie veranderinge kan egter 'n lang tyd neem om
gestalte te vind in die optrede van organisasies en indivdue. 'n Goeie voorbeeld word
gevind in China. Dit het 'n geruime tyd geneem vanaf beleid ten opsigte van
intellektuele eiendom ingestel is totdat organsiasies en individue 'n verandering in
gedrag en optrede begin toon het deur patente ernstig te beskou.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/5485 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Neveling, Arno |
| Contributors | Malan, Daniel, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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