Cultural Values and Personal Ethics
...ting our way through our business dealings. Sam Palmisano, the CEO of IBM, is one of my role models in business as well as personally because of his dedication to values and ethics. Upon becoming CEO in 2002, he challenged his senior management and employees to establish a set of corporate values that would define IBM. Via the company intranet, a ‘ValuesJam’ site was constructed held wherein all employees could discuss and debate the values of the company, and what the brand name IBM meant in the business world and to consumers. The feedback over this 72-hour period was enormous. The information gathered from the intranet site was pooled and analyzed. A special team was appointed to draft the information into a set of values which was then distributed to the entire company. The implementation of this new set of values instilled a feeling of ownership and pride among the employees. In turn, IBM demonstrated their belief in the employees and looked toward the future as a combined effort with everyone vested in the quest for success. By virtue of its genesis, Palmisano believed that this new set of values provided an organic system. In an interview in the Harvard Business Review he stated that such commitment to values and ethics allows a company to “change everything, from your products to your strategies to your business model, but remain true to your essence, your basic mission and identity” (Hemp, P. & Stewart, T.A., 2004, p. 62). This type of thinking continues to propel IBM as one of the most respected companies in the world. Within my own organization, it is of great importance that I carry out the ethics and values as per the mandate of my company. Although we have not followed the outstanding example of IBM in developing our values in such a dramatic fashion, it is the duty of every employee to work within our prescribed ethical guidelines and boundaries. The University of Arkansas website for their Public Policy PhD Program counsels that a decision maker should know to what extent their ability or authority extends and whether it is in the realm of their responsibility. This mandate cannot be taken lightly. Stepping out of these bounds may carry great risk, even crossing the line as to what may be illegal. Clearly, it is incumbent upon us all to fully understand our boundaries and be vigilant in identifying any gray areas. In some instances, Arkansas’ Public Policy program points out that there may be “competing ethical systems or values held by actors within the environment” (Ethics and Decision Making: Questions for Consideration). Each employee needs to be able to identify which point of view takes precedence in these instances and whose point of view supersedes. Just as values and ethics play a role in the workplace, so do cultural values. Leadership qualities and abilities vary greatly in different cultures. “As a result there is a growing awareness of the need for a better understanding of the way leadership is enacted in various cultures” (House, R.J., 1995, p. 443). The meeting of cultures at the office or in my neighborhood requires me to learn more a...