Global Values

04/12/2021 0 By indiafreenotes

The term GLOBAL ETHIC refers to a set of common moral values and ethical standards which are shared by the different faiths and cultures on Earth.

These common moral values and ethical standards constitute a humane ethic, or, the ethic of humanity. In view of the process of globalization this ethic of humanity has been termed by the famous Roman Catholic theologian and philosopher Professor Hans Küng as the “GLOBAL ETHIC”.

Although the concept of a GLOBAL ETHIC was at first introduced by Professor Hans Küng in 1989 it is, in his own words, “not a new invention but only a new discovery” of common principles which are as old as humankind.

There can be no doubt that a globalizing world with its tremendous social, ecological and moral problems needs a globalization of moral values and ethical standards, in short: a GLOBAL ETHIC, in order to survive as a place where our grandchildren and great-grandchildren can live a decent life.

In fact, already now and in the past quite a big number of fellow human beings all over the world have not been able to live a life in dignity, exactly because human beings have been unable to follow the most basic rules of humane coexistence which our religious and non-religious traditions have provided for since thousands of years.

The GLOBAL ETHIC is not a new religion but a set of common moral values and ethical standards which are shared by all faiths and belief systems. Without a basic consensus over ethics any society is threatened sooner or later by chaos or a dictatorship. Therefore, there can be no sustainable world order without a GLOBAL ETHIC.

In the words of Professor Hans Küng “the GLOBAL ETHIC means neither a global ideology, nor a single unified global religion transcending all existing religions, nor a mixture of all religions. Humanity is weary of unified ideologies, and in any case the religions of the world are so different in their views of faith and ‘dogmas’, their symbols and rites, that a ‘Unification’ of them would be meaningless, a distasteful syncretistic cocktail.”

Just as people look to history to understand political, technical, and social changes, so too do they look for changes in thinking and philosophy. There is a history to how thinking has evolved over time. What may or may not have been acceptable just a hundred years ago may be very different today from how people present themselves and how they act and interact to customs, values, and beliefs.

Ethics can be defined as a system of moral standards or values. Cultural beliefs and programming influence our values. A sense of ethics is determined by a number of social, cultural, and religious factors; this sense influences us beginning early in childhood. People are taught how to behave by their families, exposure to education and thinking, and the society in which they live. Ethical behavior also refers to behavior that is generally accepted within a specific culture. Some behaviors are universally accepted for example, people shouldn’t physically hurt other people. Other actions are less clear, such as discrimination based on age, race, gender, or ethnicity.

Culture impacts how local values influence global business ethics. There are differences in how much importance cultures place on specific ethical behaviors. For example, bribery remains widespread in many countries, and while people may not approve of it, they accept it as a necessity of daily life. Each professional is influenced by the values, social programming, and experiences encountered from childhood on. These collective factors impact how a person perceives an issue and the related correct or incorrect behaviors. Even within a specific culture, individuals have different ideas of what constitutes ethical or unethical behavior. Judgments may differ greatly depending on an individual’s social or economic standing, education, and experiences with other cultures and beliefs. Just as in the example of bribery, it should be noted that there is a difference between ethical behavior and normal practice. It may be acceptable to discriminate in certain cultures, even if the people in that society know that it is not right or fair. In global business ethics, people try to understand what the ethical action is and what the normal practice might be. If these are not consistent, the focus is placed on how to encourage ethical actions.

While it’s clear that ethics is not religion, values based on religious teachings have influenced our understanding of ethical behavior. Given the influence of Western thought and philosophy over the world in the last few centuries, many would say that global business has been heavily impacted by the mode of thinking that began with the Reformation and post-Enlightenment values, which placed focus on equality and individual rights. In this mode of thinking, it has become accepted that all people in any country and of any background are equal and should have equal opportunity. Companies incorporate this principle in their employment, management, and operational guidelines; yet enforcing it in global operations can be both tricky and inconsistent.