Perspective! BUSINESS ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: THE STUDENTS’ FOUNDATION ON BECOMING SOCIALLY ACCOUNTABLE CITIZENS
From the idea that school is the second home of the students, the perspectives on education have evolved from simply decoding verbal lessons and interpreting reading materials to practice real-life situations responses and future career training. As awareness among people widens, the vision and mission of schools go back to defining the core values of the Department of Education, namely, love for God, love for fellow men, love for nature, and love for the country. Education should, therefore, prioritize character development and improving students' knowledge and skills.
The fundamental goal of education—to impart knowledge and abilities that will help students prepare for the real world—should be involved in classrooms as it reflects how education influences the lives of the students as individuals in the present and the future. Character development may be implemented into a variety of courses, programs, procedures, and activities in schools today. This is because character development has been shown to support students' growth.
In Accountancy, Business and Management Strand, a subject entitled Business Ethics and Social Responsibility bridges business principles to students by relating it with their code of conduct. In the academic year 2017-2018, business ethics was defined as actions done by an individual or group that others assessed as good or bad. Meanwhile, social responsibility was explained as the effects of business operations on society. People lacking knowledge of the subject may think it is purely about business. However, “ethics” and “responsibility” have more to say, which play a crucial role in molding students into socially accountable citizens.
*An Accountable Member of the Family
Anyone can be a parent, a kid, or a sibling within a family. A family is regulated by rules to maintain a harmonious, solid, and forward-thinking relationship, just like an organization. Thus, decision-making must be included as it can either break or strengthen the bond that holds everyone. Upon learning Business Ethics and Social Responsibility, students are given situations that require critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They can provide an arguable solution by presenting reasons backed by laws and policies. However, the validity of the solution depends primarily on how one interprets the problem. Hence, they undergo the process of weighing factors to consider when making an ethical decision. According to the managing director of Management Training and Development Ltd., Sean McPheat, there are five reasons why decision-making skills are significant in management; two of them imply that they prevent conflict and increase productivity. To be an accountable member of the family, decision-making allows the students to learn how to avoid misunderstandings through calculating the risks and minimizing the hazards. As a result, a solid and healthy foundation at home may be sustained.
*An Accountable Member of the Workforce
One of the main goals of education is to prepare students to become competitive and productive individuals. A typical classroom setting mirrors a workplace wherein employees accomplish tasks that are part of their jobs. The rules outlined in job descriptions guide business ethics, as they intend to protect and treat everyone relatively, both inside and outside of locations where social responsibility is practiced. Teams are created when employees cooperate to accomplish a common goal. In the same way, the subject promotes teamwork with the use of collaboration, brainstorming, and interactive activities. Alliance was presented as being favorable to the learners' development for reasons like (1) it fosters personal development, (2) it spreads the workload among the team members, (3) it increases productivity, and (4) it improves one’s creativity. This practice enables the learners to expand their capabilities and widen their understanding towards becoming intellectual and well-mannered individuals — for an accountable workforce member knows how to communicate and cooperate with his colleagues to ensure a positive and efficient work environment.
*An Accountable Member of the Community
Some will say that it takes maturity to become an official community member. Still, for Business Ethics and Social Responsibility, the person's obligations start with his will to be knowledgeable about his duties in the community. In school, the election of the officers is conducted to guarantee that peace and order in the institution are secured. However, executing them properly takes the whole group to be followers and leaders simultaneously. Business Ethics and Social Responsibility foster leadership that inspires and motivates other students by implementing projects that focus on influencing the thinking of the target people. Leadership is essential to the organization's success because it affects individuals' mindsets when performing given duties without being reminded, especially when no one is around. Being an accountable community member requires a person to take on his initiative, so schools train students to deal with things without being ordered. It can be seen in simple actions like falling in line, finishing a task ahead of time, and segregation of waste voluntarily. If one student can accomplish that, perhaps others will be inspired to follow suit. Thus, better and more significant results can be obtained. A person can be guided toward being an accountable community member with proper education, discipline, commitment, and dedication.