Running head: INTEGRATION OF FAITH AND LEARNING
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Integration of Faith and Learning
Marc Hoeksema
Liberty University
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Integration of Faith and Learning
What is the impact of ethical principles or lack of ethical principles as an organization
builds its strategy to increase its competitive advantage over its competition?
In the business world, there are ethical values and principles that must be stated and
undertaken by corporate leadership in order to translate its company standards and rules of
behavior to its entire organization within the organizational strategy to be successful. Business
ethics, also termed as corporate ethics, is a form of applied ethics or professional ethics is the
philosophical examination from a moral point of private and public issues that are matters of
ethical and honest judgment [ CITATION Mun17 \l 1033 ]. Without incorporating these ethical
principles, the organization and its employees will not have a strong ethical ground to stand on
and therefore, the organization may be prone to misrepresentation or lack of honesty and
integrity. Managers with high ethical principles are usually advocates of a corporate code of
ethics and strong ethics compliance, and they are genuinely committed to upholding corporate
values and ethical business principles [CITATION Tho20 \l 1033 ]. In the long run, with or
without these ethical principles, the organization’s fate will depend on its moral compass. The
business world places a premium on turning a profit, which can sometimes make ethical
behavior hard but the simplest reason ethics matter is because they mark the difference between
right and wrong [ CITATION Fra18 \l 1033 ]. Therefore, it is critical for an organization to
incorporate an ethical strategy to establish a code of conduct to ensure delivery of honest,
trustworthy business practices to its consumers, suppliers, and shareholders. Without these
ethical principles, the competitive advantage will begin to crumble due to the lack of faith and
loyalty among the various parties the organization is conducting business with. Ethical practices
may influence beliefs as to how the organization is to be judged and perceived along with the
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image it represents and therefore, it is critical for an organization to lead by example starting
with its ethical strategy. By doing this, the organization will build a loyal following and establish
the reputation of being a trustworthy business partner. The impact and overall health of an
organization are immensely tied to the ethical principles that it represents and in turn, these
positive, ethical standards will help deliver an increased competitive advantage.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that
by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”
(Romans 12:2 ESV). In this verse, Paul is urging Christians to stop living like everyone else in
the world and change the way Christians think so we can focus on God’s plan for us. We must
respond to His mercy and seek forgiveness of our sins in order to be transformed and renewed
into God’s heavenly family, our ultimate gift from Him. This verse encourages us to abandon the
worldly status quo and to quit chasing earthly pleasure and possessions in order to understand
what the Lord has planned for us and so we can become living sacrifices for His plan. Worldly
or wrong thinking cannot lead to doing things the right way. As Christians, we must take the
path less followed and that requires giving up our worldly ways and to be transformed and
renewed into God’s vision and plan for us. We must live according to God’s will rather than
conforming to the wick ways of the world.
The ethical strategy of an organization and our Christian faith are connected in concept as
both rely on choosing the path less taken in order to achieve our ultimate goal, whether the
ultimate goal is profitability or eternity with Christ. In business, it is crucial to stand strong and
create an ethical code of contact to follow to represent the way the organization will be
conducted and at times this can create some disparity because being honest and truthful is not
always the easiest way in business. In our Christian lives, we must also take a stand against the
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wicked ways of the world and often times that can mean standing alone but trusting that God will
deliver us from evil as long as we transform our lives and accept His path for us. The strategy of
doing the right thing every time remains simple in concept but difficult to follow through in
business and in our walk with Christ. The influence of others around us and in the circumstances
of our everyday life makes the pressure of ethical principles and following Christ even more
difficult but either way, we must be transformed to reach the desired outcome. Being
transformed comes from within not just improving or trying to mend but reaching deep inside
and completely reestablishing oneself. It is critical not only as we represent Christ in the
business world but also as we strive to follow His will in our everyday lives with His ultimate
goal for us as the gift of eternal life.
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References
Munira, H. (2017). Transfer pricing in global business and ethical issues. Advances in
Management, 10(2), 1-6. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-
com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/1864042336?pq-origsite=summon
Sherman, F. (2018, December 27). Ethical Principles in the Workplace. Retrieved from
CareerTrend.com: https://careertrend.com/ethical-principles-workplace-2657.html
Thompson, A. A. (2020). Crafting & Executive Strategy: Concepts and Readings for
Competitive Advantage (22 ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
