Running Head: VALUES AND ETHICAL DECISION MAKING � PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT �1� Running head: SELECTING THE RIGHT COMMUNICATION CHANNEL � PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT �3�
Values and Ethical Decision Making
MGT 521
December 19, 2011
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Values and Ethical Decision Making
Values differ greatly across generations, cultures, genders, personalities, and many other factors (Robbins and Judge, 2010). Yet, Robbins and Judge stated, a person's "[v]alues represent basic convictions that "a specific mode of conduct or endstate of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence" (p. 145). In fact, values are the foundation of a person's understanding of the attitudes' and motivation's of others insomuch that his or her perceptions are influenced by the values he or she has (Robbins and Judge, 2011).
Each person within an organization brings his or her own values to the organization, which contains individual interpretations of what is right and wrong implying a preference for certain behaviors and outcomes thereby influencing the attitudes and behaviors of an organization (Robbins and Judge, 2011).
As noted by Yukl (2010), "[i]nfluence is the essence of leadership, and powerful leaders can have a substantial impact on the lives of followers and the fate of an organization" (p. 408). The personal values and ethics of the leaders of an organization often drive the values and ethical behavior of that organization (Yukl, 2010). Thus, it is paramount the values of organizational leaders are consistent and in line with the values of their organization (Yukl, 2010).
Alignment of Personal and Organizational Values
Our team researched and evaluated the organizational values and ethics of Sutter Health. Sutter Health is a not-for-profit network of physician organizations, hospitals and other health care providers (Sutter Health, 2008). Sutter Health focuses on enhancing the well-being of individual...