Ethics has been broadly defined as concerning certain issues or situations as being fair/unfair, right/wrong, or just/unjust according to the values adopted by a given culture or society. These values act as the acceptable standards developed and nurtured by society. As societies have developed and become more knowledge-oriented and socially alert, the need for social responsibility has increased. According to Davis and Blomstrom (1975), social responsibility is “the obligation of decision makers to take actions which protect and improve the welfare of society as a whole along with their own interests” (p. 39).

Throughout the course of your graduate studies, you have studied a variety of social problems and issues. Specifically, identify the top five (5) ethical issues confronting your field of study. After you have briefly addressed each ethical issue, then rank them according to the literature in your field of study and/or by the importance placed upon them by the current media. As you rank them, please document your sources and justification for the ranking. Finally, analyze each ethical issue according to its impact on the field, relevance to the current and future stakeholders in the field, and make any and all recommendations for improving such ethical issues, situations or dilemmas that impact your field of study. During this analysis, please consider the issue of social responsibility and how leaders in your field have addressed these ethical issues.