Ethics and Civilization in Social Responsibility

Chapter 8: The Role of Ethics and Civilization in Driving Social Responsibility

• This chapter aims to define the role of ethics and civilization in understanding social responsibility within a country.
• The learning outcomes are to explain authority and distinguish it from daily definition and describe the role of ethics and civilization in upholding social responsibility and display volunteerism in achieving societal harmony.

Introduction to Social Responsibility

• Social responsibility involves fairness, integrity, and the common good.
• Prioritizing these traits helps to create a high-ethics culture that can ensure stability and harmony.
• The chapter explains how ethics and civilization can support social responsibility.

Key Terms

• Authority Definition: Determined by an authority figure, it is also referred to as the definition of authority.
• Daily Definition: Determined by each individual, family and their community needs.
• Volunteerism: The practice of providing services without expecting financial compensation.
• Social Responsibility: Values related to justice and well-being that shows the capacity to act responsibly.
• National Awareness: Realizing existing knowledge in a specific state.

Synopsis of Authority vs Daily Definition

• Authority Definition: Determined by authority with written rules, formality, involving traditions, protocols, and is more detailed.
• Daily Definition: Everyday informal lives, determined by individual, family, and community customs with no written rules.
• Both definitions contribute to social responsibility and can lead to national awareness and harmony.

Authority and Daily Definitions

• Universal Social Reality is divided into Authority and Daily Definitions

Definition of Authority in Malaysia

• It refers to the phenomenon and actions related to law, order, protocols, and constitutions.
• It is based on lawful documents that are certified by the authority in the society.
• The highest definition in Malaysia is the Federal Constitution.
• The Federal Constitution has the highest laws in Malaysia and has supreme power with no laws above it.
• New Laws that are opposite to existing laws are automatically canceled.
• Other examples include: Yang Dipertuan Agong (YDPA), Malaysian rulers and Prime Minister.

Daily Definition

• Definition is an accepted term together and does not bond by the formal laws but shows to display differences that were guided with norms and shared together.
• No Written Rules: Although not written, it shows social responsibility in the form of manners and values of respect that becomes the guideline of individual's action.
• Marriage ceremonies feature customs/cultures that are not written, but conducted by each generation.
• Other examples include the world of football where the audience unites regardless of ethnicities, religions, ages and cultures.

Social Reality Concept

• The Social Reality Concept includes Life experiences with acceptance for each group in society, based on personal interest in life's universal norms.

Link Between Ethics, Civilization, and Social Responsibility

• In Malaysia, people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds are taught ethics and morals.
• Social responsibility comes from the religions, cultures, and philosophies that people embrace.
• Ethical societies produce high social responsibility.
• Demonstrated ethical values shown can reflect Malaysians' identity as citizens with responsibilities in daily life.
• A higher standard of civilization leads to stronger national awareness in society, producing greater social responsibility and volunteerism.
• A nation's civilization contributes to the development of both the state and the world.

Characteristics of Social Responsibility (ICGPA Book)

• Includes a demonstrated capability to take actions either verbally/non-verbally.
• Includes actions during interaction that happen effectively.
• Includes honesty in performing community activities.
• Key Characteristics: Self-Confidence, Respect, Able to communicate, Self-Awareness and Responsible.

5 Characteristics of Social Responsibility

• Self-Confidence: Belief in one's own abilities, qualities, and self-evaluation for decision-making.
• Respect: Appreciating and respecting the individual or institution.
• Social Communication: Intensive, organized social interaction that strengthens relationships.
• Self-Awareness: Understanding one's own ethical actions in controlling emotions.
• Responsibility: Capacity to produce suitable actions in society.

Level of Social Responsibility

• Every Individual is able to determine the values of right and wrong pertaining to their personal actions
• Individuals can determine the values of right and wrong in collective actions with family, community, state, country, and international levels.

Dimensions of Social Responsibility

• Self-awareness about injustice and actions that happen in society.
• Actions bring change to society, state, and the world.

National Awareness

• This refers to an awareness by an individual and is among all citizens in the state.
• In 1998 during the financial crisis, the Koreans united to give some of heir wealth to the government to help take their country out of crisis.
• During floods and pandemics, Malaysians donate their time and energy to lessen the burden on victims and help the government cope with the cost of disaster management.
• Creating national awareness must be taught since young.

Steps to Build National Awareness

• Sharing and working together, programs depend on the attitude of its members to do the program successfully.
• Knowing and being friendly helps towards a better relationship and sowing unity and helping each other.
• Caring Attitude shows awareness of other people's welfare when they are in difficulty by helping and caring.
• Showing Positivity and Sincerity, members should be positive towards each other and sincere by being grateful for helping others.

National and International Social Responsibility

• Key actions include National and International contributions to the environment, social, ethical, and ethnic issues.
• Companies usually have a corporate social responsibility (CSR).
• AEON management programs help take care of the environment, social entrepreneurship and support societies in poverty.
• The Grameen Bank was buit by Muhammad Yunus, especially to help women in Bangladesh and is a well-known social responsibility.
• Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia helped a lot of the poor in Malaysia (especially women).
• Climate change affects food resources and causes hunger and poverty.
• Therefore, everyone should share the burden by conducting social activities and launching social entrepreneurship programs.
• Everyone should care for their country's political stability for individual social responsibility.

Volunteerism

• This fosters the culture from people volunteering.
• A volunteer someone who does something on a voluntary basis.
• Is any generous activities (forms, activities etc) including services without hoping for any benefits in return
• The person meaning it is being done voluntarily to other groups or organizations.
• Build connections and skills: Volunteerism is known for also improving individual's quality of life.
• Volunteers can connect with others to help assist in building their careers in those respective fields,
• Volunteerism Fields can include economics, politics, social, education, environment, and religion.

Values in Volunteerism

• Volunteerism includes; inclusiveness of all fields, lead by example with leadership, and the sustainability of activities to make continuous effect.
• Volunteerism fosters mutual respect, is meaningful, empowering, and has skilled volunteers to conduct their jobs effectively.

Ways to Instill Volunteerism

• Identify leaders among volunteers and help them increase their creativity.
• Empower the public and promotions.
• Volunteers should participate in international missions.
• Tighten the network of ambassadors and build connections with agencies and NGO's.
• Provide training for volunteers to help the collaboration with missions.

Conclusion

• Social reality contains 2 concepts; authority and daily definition.
• Ethics and civilization produces social responsibility through awareness from generations in the community to achieve justice.
• People with high social responsibility will strive to be ethical with others.