Ethics Term Paper
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School
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology *
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Course
3010
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Apr 3, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
9
Uploaded by JusticeCrabPerson1390
Taking Credit For Someone Else’s Work
[Author name]
[Date]
Phil 3010
Table of Contents
Ethics
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2
Deontology
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2
Virtue Ethics
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3
TAKING CREDIT FOR SOMEONE ELSE’S WORK
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3
Why is it relevant?
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3
Why do people take credit for others?
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4
Personal Thoughts
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5
FINAL CONCLUSION
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5
Bibliography
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7
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Ethics
Ethics is a branch of philosophy that organizes, defends, and creates new ways of defining the concepts of right and wrong behavior. It is a branch of knowledge that deals with an individual’s moral principle, that of which governs a person's behavior or the way they do daily activities. The purpose of ethics is that it provides boundaries within society. It includes acceptable human behavior through knowing what type of action, the consequences of said action, and its acceptability. It provides an acceptable consultation to our lives that provides self-remedy and validation. Within the subject of ethics, there are different ethical theories and principles created by great individuals. These theories and principles are an important study because Ethics creates a stable society and allows individuals to nurture inner peace within themselves. By studying the ethical theories such as ethics of care, utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics individuals are
able to understand and create different ways to deal with ethical dilemmas effectively.
Deontology
The theory of deontology has been significant throughout the semester. Defined as the theory that is associated with the renowned philosopher Immanuel Kant (Deontology, 2022)
. It is the ethical theory that determines whether an individual’s action is good or bad according to a clear set of rules (Deontology, 2022)
. Relating to the topic of stealing other people’s work, the ethical theory of deontology could justify the act of stealing which helps the offender or promotes fairness and integrity which helps the victim. Since the theory of deontology is about the clarity of rules and how they are set, it all depends on the community or in this case the organization in which the individual resides. If the organization does not have rules that prevent stealing other’s Page 2
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work, then it is considered morally right and it is justified. On the other hand, if the rules clearly state that stealing other’s work is unacceptable then the act is morally wrong, and the offender should be punished accordingly.
Virtue Ethics
Another form of ethical theory is virtue ethics, and it deals with the good values and morality of
a person (Ethics and Virtue, 2023)
. The theory of virtue ethics states that if an individual exercises good habits and lives on said habits like honesty and generosity, it makes a moral and virtuous person (Ethics and Virtue, 2023)
. As for the topic of stealing other people’s work, under the theory of Virtue Ethics it is unethical and therefore morally wrong. Taking credit for other people’s work is unethical because it is a form of theft. By stealing, it deprives a person of what is fairly theirs and it is one of the actions that an individual can commit that will never fall withing the golden mean.
TAKING CREDIT FOR SOMEONE ELSE’S WORK
Taking credit for other’s work is never acceptable, especially in the world of business and the workforce. Sadly, it happens more often than not, and this is due to the fact that most jobs are very competitive, and some employers demand a lot from their employees so much so that they are willing to do whatever it takes to succeed even though its wrong way of doing it. If an employer refuses to acknowledge the behavior, it could isolate the victim and other workers and could give the offending employee a feeling of satisfaction which will most likely cause a repeat of bad behavior. The victims may also feel detached relationship with the people in the work environment which can low productivity and efficiency, and a high turnover rate among workers.
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Why is it relevant?
It is important to give proper credit to ensure that everyone is doing their best work and receives fair recognition and compensation. Giving credit will build trust between the employer and employee and will most likely create a foundation of mutual support that is important for maintaining healthy workplace relationships. Not only is giving credit a matter of one’s integrity and personal ethics, but it is also a way of showing respect and appreciation towards others for the hard work and dedication they have shown you. Taking credit for someone else’s work can cause a rift between employees which can lead to a negative environment. Negative work environment can lead to low performance and poor team morale (The Effects of Negativity in the Workplace, 2020)
. It can also harm the organization’s reputation and affect the company’s ability to find new and fresh talent.
Why do people take credit for others?
To tackle this issue, we have to ask the question “Why do people steal other people's work?”. Generally speaking, almost all the time the takers are not personally targeting the victim but instead they are filling a need (Why Do People Steal Other's Work?, 2023)
, for example a need to get
work done to the employer’s standard, where they instinctively shift their moral standard so that they can feel better about themselves (Why Do People Steal Other's Work?, 2023)
. In the moment where they are making the choice to take credit, human nature will focus on the feeling of satisfaction, the respect they gain from others and self-esteem. They will try to satisfy those needs and will do whatever it takes even if it means going against their moral code. Even more Page 4
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so, these social drivers are aroused by environmental factors and will create a strong motivation that will easily overcome moral conditioning (Why Do People Steal Other's Work?, 2023)
.
Personal Thoughts
It is never acceptable to take credit for someone else’s work. I believe that it is morally wrong and should be treated as seriously as theft. Throughout the semester I have learned different ethical theories that relate to real world ethical issues such as this. Ethics and ethical dilemmas are complicated and require a lot of reflecting to solve. It requires judgement and good decision making paired with knowledge regarding the different ethical theories that exist. Individuals will have different preferences on ethical theories as not everyone will have the same beliefs. Among all the ethical theories I have learned throughout this semester, I believe that deontology is best suited for dilemmas such as theft of someone’s work. Deontology is like a universal theory that considers whether an action is morally right or morally wrong. It creates a world with
moral rules that determine good and bad actions which I believe keep society stable. It also takes an individual’s intention into account. If one’s intention is good, then the action is good regardless of the result. The theory of deontology encompasses a duty-based and rights-based approach. This creates a level playing field between the “bosses” and regular employee. Now going back on the topic of stealing other’s work, deontology will give way to a better solution to this ethical problem. It creates a fair but structured playing field as it fits well with a human being’s natural thought of what is ethical or not and helps decrease the amount of bias in decision-making because it holds us to follow universal rules that we set for ourselves.
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FINAL CONCLUSION
Giving credit will build trust between the employer and employee and will most likely create a foundation of mutual support that is important for maintaining healthy workplace relationships. Although it is without a doubt to completely stop unethical actions being daily, it is possible to teach people what is morally right or morally wrong based on societal standards. I believe a clear set of rules will help prevent and correct unethical actions. The deontological theory holds true even to this day because it is present in modern society. Societal rules such as
do not kill, do not steal and cheating, just to name a few, holds everyone to modern societal standards of morality.
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Bibliography
Note: Relevant because it shows why an individual would act unethically for their gain. Could be argued for utilitarianism.
3 Reasons Employees Act Unethically
. (2023, January 10). Retrieved from Network for Business Sustainability (NBS): https://nbs.net/3-reasons-employees-act-unethically/
Deontology
. (2022, November 5). Retrieved from Ethics Unwrapped: https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/deontology
Ethics and Virtue
. (2023, April 21). Retrieved from Markkula Center for Applied Ethics: https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/ethics-and-virtue/
How to Handle an Employee Who Takes Credit for the Work of Others
. (2023, April 10). Retrieved from Nesco Resource Careers: https://www.nescoresource.com/resources/how-to-handle-an-
employee-who-takes-credit-for-the-work-of-others#:~:text=Taking%20credit%20for%20another
%20person's,or%20even%20help%20to%20complete.
How To Respond When Someone Takes Credit for Your Work (With Tips) - Indeed
. (2023, April 11). Retrieved from How To Respond When Someone Takes Credit for Your Work (With Tips) - Indeed: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-respond-when-
someone-takes-credit-for-your-work
How to Respond When Someone Takes Credit for Your Work
. (2015, August 12). Retrieved from Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2015/04/how-to-respond-when-someone-takes-credit-for-
your-work
Is it Ethical to Take Credit for Someone Else's Work?
(2018, July 25). Retrieved from Workplace Ethics Advice: https://www.workplaceethicsadvice.com/2018/07/is-it-ethical-to-take-credit-for-
someone-elses-work.html
Taking credit for the work of others (Toughest HR Question)
. (2013, August 12). Retrieved from Canadian
HR Reporter: https://www.hrreporter.com/news/hr-news/taking-credit-for-the-work-of-others-
toughest-hr-question/315030
The Effects of Negativity in the Workplace
. (2020, July 28). Retrieved from Small Business - Chron.com: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/effects-negativity-workplace-11655.html
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What Should You do if Someone Takes Credit for Your Work?
(2016, December 21). Retrieved from Workplace Ethics Advice: https://www.workplaceethicsadvice.com/2016/12/what-should-you-
do-if-someone-takes-credit-for-your-work.html#:~:text=Taking%20credit%20for%20someone
%20else's,because%20of%20the%20unprincipled%20behavior.
Why Do People Steal Other's Work?
(2023, April 10). Retrieved from LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-do-people-steal-others-work-john-schultz/
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