Personal Value Philosophy Paper

Those thought to be ethical or moral are described in terms of their values in regards to honesty, integrity and good character. Our ethical conduct originates from our values which are greatly influenced by our morals; they provide guidance and are our standard for the ways in which we carry out and view right and wrong decisions. For these reasons, personal ethics are said to be our foundation and, as such, often influence how we administer ethical codes of conduct in our personal lives, and the ways in which we carry out our organizational duties. The normative foundations of public service ethics are those standards used to justify and defend one’s conduct, i.e. reasoning about obligations, consequences and ultimate ends in specific situations. In addition to personal codes of conduct, leadership in the public sector requires the ability to apply ethical reasoning based on formal controls and technical standards.

Setting higher standards for those persons in positions of authority and power over the public establishes a prescribed set of standards for which the public expects to be upheld if authorities are to successfully exude their power and authority over the people. Williams and Arrigo state “Along with power comes an increased responsibility to use it in appropriate ways” (2012). As can be seen in current events, when officials abuse the authority by excessive use of force, kickbacks, or unethical or immoral behavior, the public loses trust and respect for the system as a whole, not just for the individual or individuals in question. An expectation of increased morality and value is expected in persons holding positions where the enforcement of laws, societal values and morals are rendered. Williams and Arrigo further state “…with the presence of increased power, discretion, and thus opportunity, the need for morality increases considerably”

Being diverse, or for better terms, upholding diversity is a fundamental aspect of what makes America the preeminent country it is today. In most instances, when you walk into a crowded room, the first thing your eyes are drawn to is something that stands out, is divergent, and is discreetly different from its surroundings. However, America has stretched to immeasurable lengths to try and controvert the eradication of diversity in society. In aWorld and Ionline article explains "Each culture provides its own special and irreplaceable contribution to our understanding of America today" and later states that "America thrives on diversity." The article validates that it is far from just cultural differences, but every demonstration of individualism. In corroboration, the support of diversity is the bondage of individualism, and strengthens the American

Culture regions tend to reveal a certain diversity but do not mean that everyone who lives there shares that feature. Therefore, it is great to comprehend that diversity typically exists within a culture region by use of specific instance. (Heatwole, 2006)

My personal beliefs and values are on par with the present health care policy in the United States (U.S.). I value and believe in compassion, empathy and respect. People have the right to access basic medical care when they are sick. So, there should be universal healthcare for the people at a cost that is affordable to them. The health care charge must be on the basis of income with a cap. The people who are under the poverty line should receive health care at free of cost. As the income level increases, there should be a reasonable increase in the cost. I have learned and believe in trying to save all lives, using the necessary resources. All lives are valuable to me. Nursing, being the care of people sick or well in all settings values the concepts of promotion of health, prevention of illness, caring the ill, disabled and the dying. Hence, the nurses believe in advocacy, promotion of a safe environment, research and health policy-making (International Council of Nurses [ICN], 2015).

Diversity: the state of being diverse; variety. We all come from different backgrounds; there’s heritage, there’s race, there’s different political views, sexuality and many more countable things that make us diverse. Not one human is the same. Not in thought. Not in experiences. I come from a latin culture, I was born in Rio Grande, Zacatecas and raised in Nieves, Zacatecas. The culture is so rich and the festivities seem like endless parties; there’s always a reason to celebrate. When I moved to the Dallas, Texas, for a more financially stable life it was two different worlds. It was something to get used to. People automatically labeled me as “dumb” a “criminal” the next “drop out” just because of skin tone.

When working with individuals from different cultures, individuals informally learn the differences that exist between them and their respective cultures (DeCenzo & Silhanek, 2001, p. 29). Often the word “diversity” is confused with political correctness or human equality but it is the understanding of differences between people and how they interact. Diversity is defined as the quality of being different but composed of distinct elements or qualities (Parvis, 2005, p. 15). Throughout history the United States has been known as the “melting pot,” but this concept was a perception not a reality because the melting pot ended up benefiting only white, prominent settlers. Looking at diversity is observing differences and there are a lot of them. For example, male versus female, religion versus no religion, homosexual versus heterosexual, foreign or domestic, republican versus democrat, Caucasian versus African American, Mexican versus Latino, Cherokee Indian versus Choctaw Indian, poor versus rich; and differences could encompass several more pages. We can deny that differences exist or we can consent to differences while discovering from others the assets of dissimilarity. People must learn, therefore, to recognize differences in others – their backgrounds, customs, and work schedules – and appreciate, even celebrate, those differences (DeCenzo & Silhanek, 2001, p. 29).

The generic definition for diversity is the condition of having people of different races and cultures in an organization, such as a school. Culture is similarly generically defined as the beliefs, customs, and attitudes of a group of people or an organization. A deeper perspective encompasses sociocultural theory, where the social and cultural context of a person’s thought and actions are considered. According to sociocultural theory, we do not live in a vacuum. Interaction with social forces, or those omnipresent social influences that surround us, goes a long way toward explaining our attitudes, character, knowledge, feelings, and other individual attributes (“Diversity Consciousness”, 2010, 2004, and 2000).

People are not alike. Everyone is different. This essay will start by giving a detailed description of what diversity is and how it applies in today's modern society. Although sometimes linked to equality and used interchangeably, the terms ‘equality’ and ‘diversity’ are not the same. It will therefore be necessary to define diversity. For the purpose of this essay diversity will be used in the societal context, the word societal will be used in relation to human society and its members, social institutions, societal evolution, societal forces and social legislation. The essay will take a very brief look firstly at the history of diversity but will focus mainly on the current perspective. The essay will follow on by giving several in-depth

The generic definition for diversity is the “state of having many different forms, types, ideas, etc.” (Merriam-Webster.com). Culture is similarly generically defined as the “beliefs, customs, and attitudes of a group of people or an organization” (Merriam-Webster.com). A deeper perspective encompasses sociocultural theory, where the social and cultural context of a person’s thought and actions are considered. According to sociocultural theory, we do not live in a vacuum. Interaction with social forces, or those omnipresent social influences that surround us, goes a long way toward explaining our attitudes, character, knowledge, feelings, and other individual attributes (“Diversity Consciousness”, 2010, 2004, and 2000).

Research indicates that the behavior of one’s superiors is among the strongest influences on ethical behavior, playing a larger role than the behavior of peers or even one’s personal ethical frameworks (Arlow & Ulrich, 1988; Brenner & Molander, 1977; Posner & Schmidt, 1984; Vitell & Festervand, 1987). Hart (2001) believes ethics cannot be effective without proper leadership. According to Rosenbloom (1989) ethics can be considered as a form of self-accountability or an “inner check” of the conduct of public administrators. Ethics are statements, written or oral, that prescribe or proscribe certain behaviours under specified conditions (Nigro & Nigro, 1989, p.37). The success of ethics programs in any organization lies with committed leadership (Lewis, 1999; Hejka-Ekins,

External controls: The typical American response to the discovery of breaches of ethical conduct is to adopt new legislation, make new rules, or issue new regulations. And perhaps the second common recourse is to rearrange the organizational structure or create new organizations to establish more careful monitoring. It’s an attempt to impose on the conduct of individual public servants constraints that originate from outside themselves. Internal controls: Still, we sometimes, although less often, witness a different response to ethics scandals: an attempt to cultivate and strengthen the professional values and standards of people in public service through training and professional socialization. Internal control refers to procedures or practices

Cultural diversity inevitably develops in the course of cultural transmission. This happens when members of the same culture and sub-culture share a large proportion of their information

Since the early ages, people managed to discover ways to venture from the familiarity of their countries. The realization that other communities and their way of living differed from what was deemed the usual by others would not be uncommon. Mankind has branched out to form many distinct cultures and in our modern times, with easy access to communications across the globe, and such convenient methods of transportation, interaction amongst people of different heritages are bound to happen. Having cultural diversity in our countries would definitely have its benefits and detriments. In this essay, I will further discuss as to what is the reasoning behind these points.

Kottak, C. P. & Kozaitis, K. A. (2003). On being different: Diversity and multiculturalism in the