The Organizational Ethics of Lockheed Martin Essay Example for Free

The Organizational Ethics of Lockheed Martin EssayLockheed Martins Vision direction reads as follows (Who We Are) be the global leader in supporting our customers to streng then(prenominal) global security, deliver citizen function and advance scientific discoery. Lets break this statement d suffer into separate components. First, supporting our customers to strengthen global security, is a phrase that is limited to a customer base but likewise inclusive to the entire globe. The respectable question with this part of their mission statement is at what point does an organization like Lockheed impose their own respectable limits over their customers? This is a prime example of external factors influencing the companys ethical standards. Lockheed can find themselves at the mercy of their customers request and desires. This can lead to taking on a project that they may not be ethically inline with. They atomic number 18 in essence giving their customer complete control over wh at they believe is ethical in global security.This can obviously turn into a bias prospect of whats good for the world, when left up to a specific group of customers. The next part of the statement then puts the ethical decisions back into the hands of Lockheed, deliver citizen services. With this sentiment Lockheed gets to choose the services within a golf club that it feels will serve that citizens the best. Finally and maybe the most ethically sensitive atomic number 18a of Lockheeds mission, is advance scientific discovery. Science, especially in the ara of discovery, can lead to many ethical questions depending on the nature of the research. The biggest questions bristle when animal or human testing is involved.To specifically address their ethical philosophy Lockheed released this statement ( ) We are committed to the highest standards of ethicalconduct in all that we do. We believe that honesty and integrity engender trust, which is the al-Qaida of our melody. We abide by the laws of the United States and other countries in which we do business, we strive to be good citizens and we coach responsibility for our actions. The reality is Lockheed is in the business of making some of the worlds most advanced and destructive forces weapon systems. Even though their products are used in combat to kill the enemy, there are still laws and rules governing the how destructive and lethal these weapons can be. Lockheed does make sure to operate within the guidelines differentiate forth by Geneva Convention Treaties and Rules of Armed Conflict. These guidelines are examples of legal factors that give Lockheed guidance of where the ethical lines should be drawn.Lockheed addresses the fact that they not only have their own ethical standards to adhere to but that they are also a direct reflection of their suppliers. (Who We Are ), We want our suppliers to go through, foster, and mirror the ethical conduct we pass judgment from our employees in all business c hallenges and transactions. This places them in the unique situation, not only to monitor their practices but also those of the organizations providing the materials they need to do business. Lockheed Martin expects their contractors to behave in a manner consistent with the principles of their code of ethical motive. One cite element in regards to their suppliers is that Lockheed requires their suppliers to have a set and standardized Code of Ethics Programs within each(prenominal) organization. Lockheed also holds their employees to the same standards as their suppliers.In Lockheeds 2012 Employee Perspectives Survey, employees stated that they were more apt to report unethical bearing activity, while the percent of misconduct reported was at an all time low. Leo S. Mackay Jr., vice president of Ethics and Sustainability says, (FIve Lessons) Even if you didnt know anything about our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, if you followed the value statements Do whats right, Respe ct others, and Perform with excellence you could come pretty close to how we would want you to act in any situation that involved an ethical judgment. One thing that makes Lockheeds ethic program work is the ethics officers, at the business level, are embedded directly with the employees.These ethics officersattend business and planning meetings. This ensures that the officers understand the businesses they support, and by participating in the field they are able to bridge the gap between business and ethics. When employees have to deal with ethical issues, they have specific avenues to reach out to including talking to their ethics officer, traffic the Corporate Ethics HelpLine, or sending an email directly to the Lockheed Ethics Department. It is important to note that the said(prenominal) ethics officers are elected officials from within the company. Lockheed Martin must report certain types of misconduct to the government. This further signifies the wideness the responsibili ty of all employees to report any ethical issues. Every Lockheed employee, even executives, must participate in ethics training once a year.References.Who We Are Ethics. (n.d.). Ethics Lockheed Martin. Retrieved July 28, 2014, from http//www.lockheedmartin.com/us/who-we-are/ethics.html Five Lessons for a undefeated STEM Career. (n.d.). Polishing Our Ethics Performance Lockheed Martin. Retrieved July 28, 2014, from http//www.lockheedmartin.com/us/who-we-are/ethics/culture-ethics.html