Analysis of Personal and Organizational Ethics and Values between For-Profit and Not-for-Profit Organizations
Organization of any type faces multiple ethical issues. In order to fulfill its mission, an organization needs to deal with them balancing the organizational interests, interests of its customers and society. Ethical orientation is beneficial for the organization in a long run.
The Company Profile
American Red Cross
American Red Cross is dedicated to helping people in the United States and, collaboratively with other Red Cross networks, all around the world. The organization was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1882 by Clara Barton. The idea to initiate Red Cross in the U.S.A. came to Barton after visiting Europe and familiarizing with the global Red Cross network. Under the lead of Barton, the Red Cross started the first domestic and abroad relief efforts, helped the U.S. military in the Spanish-American War, and initiated the inclusion of peacetime relief work to the global Red Cross network (American Red Cross, n.d.). The Red Cross started its first aid, water safety, and public health nursing programs prior to the World War I. The Red Cross was very active in helping civilians and military forces during the World War I and World War II. After the Second World War, the organization started the first national civilian blood program. Now this program provides abound 40 percent of blood in the U.S.A. During the Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf wars the organization continued to serve the members of armed forces and their families. In 2006, the organization cooperated with FEME in order to help in coordinating, providing feeding, sheltering, and family reunification services for disaster victims (American Red Cross, n.d.).
The main activities of American Red Cross include disaster relief, health and safety training and education, collecting blood donations, and international services (American Red Cross, 2014). The organization responds to approximately 70,000 natural and man-made disasters annually.
Despite popular misconceptions, the American Red Cross is not a federal agency. The organization does not receive federal funding on a regular basis. The main sources of income include foundations, corporations and individuals (American Red Cross, 2015). The organization also receives financial support from recovery charges for some of the services such as the provision of blood and blood products and health and safety training programs.
The mission of the ARC is stated as ‘preventing and alleviating human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.” (American Red Cross., n.d.). The main values are compassion, credibility, collaboration, creativity, and commitment (American Red Cross., n.d.).
American Red Cross National Headquarters is located in Washington. There are three major divisions such as American Red Cross in the National Capital Region in Fairfax, Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Blood Region, Walter Reed National Military Medical center. The company is a 501 c (3). It was granted this status in December, 1938 (American Red Cross, n.d.). As for 2015, there are 500,000 volunteers and about 35,000 employees in the ARC (American …
