Business Ethics

1
Business Ethics

• Ethic 1. The discipline dealing with what is
  good and bad and with moral duty and obligation
  2a a set of moral principles or values
  (Websters Dictionary, 1976)
• Ethics that behavior which is the right thing
  to do, given the circumstances. (Mary E. Guy,
  Business Communication, 2003)

2
Most Common Violations

• Cutting corners on quality
• Covering up incidents
• Abusing or lying about sick days
• Deceiving customers
• Lying to a supervisor or underling
• Taking credit for a colleagues ideas

3
Five Common Ethical Traps

• The false-necessity trap
• (convincing yourself that no other choice
  exists)
• The doctrine-of-relative-filth trap
• (comparing your unethical behavior with someone
  elses even more unethical behavior)
• The rationalization trap
• (justifying unethical actions with excuses)

4
Five Common Ethical Traps

• The self-deception trap
• (persuading yourself, for example, that a lie is
  not really a lie)
• The ends-justify-the-means trap
• (using unethical methods to accomplish a
  desirable goal)

5
Common ethical pitfalls

• Abusive or intimidating behavior toward other
  employees
• Misreporting of hours worked
• Withholding needed information from other
  employees
• Discrimination
• Stealing, theft, or related fraud

6
Common ethical pitfalls (cont.)

• Sexual harassment
• Falsifying financial records or reports
• Giving or accepting bribes, kickbacks, or
  inappropriate gifts

7
Goals of Ethical Business Communication

• Telling the truth
• Labeling Opinions
• Being objective
• Communicating clearly
• Giving credit

8
Six Ethical Values To Live By

• Equality - recognizing equal rights for all and
  displaying a sense of justice
• Truth - being both accurate and open in all
  business transactions
• Honesty - being fair in our own dealings and
  intolerant of deceptive behavior in others
• Integrity - following the spirit as well as the
  letter of the law and avoiding schemes that take
  advantage of ignorance or gullibility in others

9
Six Ethical Values To Live By (Cont.)

• Cooperativeness - supporting an open, ethical
  marketplace for all participants
• Self-regulation - including honoring all
  commitments and guarantees, selling safe products
  and services, and resolving any disputes in a
  fair and expeditious manner

10
True Ethics means

• Holding yourself to the highest level of behavior
  because you want to - not because youre afraid
  of getting caught and punished.

11
Tools for Doing theRight Thing

• Is the action you are considering legal?
• How would you see the problem if you were on the
  other side?
• What alternate solutions are available?
• Can you discuss the problem with someone you
  trust?

12
Tools for Doing theRight Thing

• How would you feel if your family, friends,
  employer, or co-workers learned of your action?