Impact of ethical practices on small and medium enterprises’ performance in Saudi Arabia: An Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling analysis

Purpose: The real challenge of establishing and maintaining business ethics in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has become a global issue. We investigated the driving forces of ethical practices (EP) and its contribution to the overall performance in businesses.Design/methodology/approach: This study collected primary data from 117 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Saudi Arabia by using a well-designed questionnaire survey amongst SMEs and draw inferences using the structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis.Findings/results: Findings suggested that top management’s characters and ethical commitment, ethical policy and culture of the organisation and external pressure positively influence the ethical practice in the organisation, which leads to a significant positive impact on both financial and non-financial performances of SMEs. But the level of fraud and corruption and the level of monitoring show a mixed moderating effect on the relationships between ethical practice in the organisation and business performance.Practical implications: The findings of this research will help SMEs’ administrators and managers, as well as the companies to instil workplace ethics, which manages the level of business performance. The policymakers and other relevant authorities can also utilise the outcomes of this study to develop ethical policy guidelines and frameworks to improve SMEs’ competitiveness and sustain their companies in the long run.Originality/value: The unique feature of this research is that both the causes and effects of EP are considered in one integrated model. This gives a more vivid picture of the ethical issue in a business organisation.

Liberalism, the Only True Humanism

Liberalism is often criticized because it is said that it is concerned only by economic problems (and not more general human problems) and because it is in favor of selfishness. This is wrong and, in fact, liberalism is, on the contrary, the necessary consequence of a universal and valid conception of ethics. The foundation of liberalism consists in the fact that everyone must be respectful of the legitimate rights of any person (as regards, for instance, his body, his mind, and his legitimate property rights). Therefore, it implies that one ought to be respectful of another person either if this person is generous or if he is selfish (one is not obliged to be selfish, but one has the right to be selfish). Thus, liberalism is founded on the fundamental universal ethics and it is respectful of the individual conceptions of personal ethics. It is not in favor of selfishness, but in favor of individualism. This is why it must be said that liberalism is the only humanistic approach of social problems. However, many people consider that it is ethically justified to impose a redistribution policy to decrease so-called “social inequalities.” But, so doing, a state is not respectful of the legitimate property rights of those who are obliged by legal constraint to pay taxes. A voluntary distribution of resources from individuals who give part of their legitimate resources to other individuals is ethically justified. But it is not the case whenever this transfer of resources is made by using coercion. And it must be added that it has negative consequences. Those who benefit from the redistribution policy are less induced to make productive efforts. And those who have to pay the taxes are also less induced to develop their productive activities. Therefore, the production of resources is diminished by the redistribution policy and all the members of a society (for instance a country) suffer from this non-ethical policy.

Ethical policy management processes research on the example of Ukrainian universities

The article considers the processes of development and implementation of ethical policy in higher education institutions on the examples of Ukrainian universities. The aim of the study is effectiveness assessing of management processes for ethical policy implementation in domestic universities. The object of the research is the twenty top-rated universities in Ukraine, according to the 2021 Consolidated Rating of Higher Education Institutions. In the proposed study, the method of content analysis was used for analysis of regulatory documents in the field of ethical policy of selected universities. The analysis focuses on the proposed basic criteria that characterize the effectiveness of the ethical policy implementation, namely, on availability: approved ethical programs; an officials responsible for implementing programs; ethical training; feedback systems; developed motivational mechanisms; ethical audit procedures; procedures for reviewing ethical programs. As a result of the study, problems are identified related to the implementation of ethical policies that are specific to the universities in question, namely: the formalistic nature of ethical programs, the lack of responsible persons for the policies implementation (ethical officers), the focus of ethical trainings solely on improving academic integrity, the lack of effective feedback systems, refusal to use employee motivation systems to comply with ethical standards, the lack of ethical audit, the lack of procedures for verifying the ethical standards of new employees. The elements of ethical policy management, which will allow its effective implementation in domestic universities, are proposed. The study should help the university management corps to use ethics more effectively as a management tool.

Medical ethics when moving towards non-anonymous gamete donation: the views of donors and recipients

Drawing on the views of donors and recipients about anonymity in a country that is experiencing a transition towards non-anonymous gamete donation mandated by the Constitutional Court, we explore how the intersection between rights-based approaches and an empirical framework enhances recommendations for ethical policy and healthcare. Between July 2017 and April 2018, 69 donors and 147 recipients, recruited at the Portuguese Public Bank of Gametes, participated in this cross-sectional study. Position towards anonymity was assessed through an open-ended question in a self-report questionnaire, which was subject to content analysis. Preference for an anonymous donation regime was mentioned by 82.6% of donors and 89.8% of recipients; and all those with children. Instead of the rights-based reasoning used by the Constitutional Court, donors highlighted concerns over future relationships and recipients focused on socioethical values linked with the safeguard of safety, privacy and confidentiality. The remaining participants advocated the choice between anonymity or non-anonymity (double-track policy), invoking respect for their autonomy. The complex, diverse ethical views and reasoning of donors and recipients expand a traditionally dichotomous discussion. Their perspectives challenge the transition towards non-anonymity and international guidelines, raising awareness to the need for their involvement in the design of policies to enable choice according to their values and preferences, and of psychosocial counselling responsive to their socioethical concerns and sensitive to their parental status. Empirical frameworks complement rights-based approaches to uphold justice, fairness and equal respect, and to incorporate utility, beneficence and non-maleficence in policymaking and healthcare in the transition towards non-anonymity.

Development of Historical Learning Media Based on Documentary Film to Strengthen Student’s Understanding of Local History

One of the goals of learning history is in addition to fostering historical awareness, it also introduces the concept of collective identity in students. Awareness of identity is very important for the life of the nation and state amidst the strengthening of globalization. Strengthening awareness of collective identity through historical education can use a local historical approach that contains local identities. Local history has a more contextual position from the student's point of view because it is closer to and around students. So that strengthening the understanding of local history is the initial stage that must be taken. Therefore, the use of historical learning media that utilizes local history material in schools is important. This study uses the first level Research and Development method, with a focus on designing learning product designs. The results showed that the design of learning media for historical documentary films with the material of the Implementation of Ethical Policies through Colonization Policies in Metro Lampung was by the core competencies and basic competencies in the 2013 Curriculum. The results of validation by stage 1 material experts were 59.3% with the criteria "Eligible", the second stage material expert was 93.3% with the criteria "Very Appropriate", while the results of the validation of the 1st stage design expert were 76.6% with the "Proper" criteria, the 2nd stage design expert was 88.6% with the criteria "Very Feasible". The results of the responses of students to the design of learning media were 88.4% (Very Feasible). It was concluded that the learning media in the form of a historical documentary film with the material of Ethical Policy Implementation through Colonization Policy in Metro Lampung deserves to be tested as a historical learning medium to strengthen students' understanding of local history in high schools. Keywords: Instructional Media, Documentary Films, Historical Understanding, Local History.

Big Data Analytics & Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Big data analysis and Artificial Intelligence have received significant attention recently in creating more opportunities in the health sector for aggregating or collecting large-scale data. Today, our genomes and microbiomes can be sequenced i.e., all information exchanged between physicians and patients in Electronic Health Records (EHR) can be collected and traced at least theoretically. Social media and mobile devices today obviously provide many health-related data regarding activity, diets, social contacts, and so on. However, it is increasingly difficult to use this information to answer health questions and, in particular, because the data comes from various domains and lives in different infrastructures and of course it also is very variable quality. The massive collection and aggregation of personal data come with a number of ethical policy, methodological, technological challenges. It should be acknowledged that large-scale clinical evidence remains to confirm the promise of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in health care. This paper explores the complexities of big data & artificial intelligence in healthcare as well as the benefits and prospects.

Colonial Normativity? Corruption in the Dutch–Indonesian Relationship in the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries

Kroeze takes the Dutch–Indonesian histories of colonial state formation as a common base to test several hypotheses that are informed by debates in the historiography of corruption and (post-)colonialism. One is that corruption is never a neutral objective term, and that when it is used in a colonial context it serves to set or challenge norms that underly colonial power structures. By invoking scandals and asking for reform, elites challenged existing norms in order to maintain exclusive power structures of (late) colonial state formation and economic exploitation. Kroeze also argues that cases of colonial corruption show how the metropole and colony were interlinked and influenced each other. Political changes in the metropole, such as the growing influence of more morally outspoken Protestant and Liberal politicians, as well as experiences of misuse in the colony, together caused the emergence of the Dutch equivalent of the civilising mission: the so-called “Ethical Policy”.

Pembelajaran Sejarah pada Masa Kolonialisme Belanda

This article aims to examine the development of historical learning during the Dutch Colonialism period, especially after the implementation of the Ethical Policy. In the field of education, indigenous elite students have access to Western (Dutch) education with the Colonial-Centrism curriculum, including history lessons. Historical learning in the early twentieth century characterized by learning materials oriented towards European superiority, Dutch legitimacy over Colonialism in the Dutch East Indies, delegitimation of rulers (kings/sultans) in Nusantara, and the indoctrination of colonized nations to accept Colonialism. This research used the historical method, namely heuristics, criticism, interpretation, and historiography. The results of this research showed us that historical learning during the Colonialism period was oriented to legitimize the political power of Dutch Colonialism and indoctrination for indigenous elites to accept Colonialism. That is because historical learning has a strategic role in influencing elite indigenous students to receive and support colonial domination and structure in society. On the other perspectives, history lessons produced indigenous students that increase the ability of critical thinking about Colonialism and Western Imperialism.