Business Ethics
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008 at
12:12 pm
I hear there are courses offered at B-school on this topic. This is odd, or a unfortunate sign of the times at best.
Business ethics are trivial. Two rules only.
- Don’t lie.
- Don’t steal.
Uhm, what isn’t covered in those two simple rules in the world of commerce? Why are there courses to teach how to do that?
Filed under: Culture • Ethics & Morality • Mark O.
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
Twould that it were so simple. But what of all those tricky gray areas and unknown consequences of our actions.
IF, by dumping our waste into the stream – as long as we get permission to do so – we are not lying or stealing, therefore, it’s okay?
No.
IF, by moving our factory to a third world nation that has more lax labor policies, we can chain our employees to their workstations to increase productivity (no more smoke breaks and the bathroom breaks are right in their pants), we have not lied nor stolen, it’s okay?
No.
Clearly, our businesses (and all of us) could always use some reminders of what is and isn’t ethical, what is and isn’t just. We can all do well to consider that our actions have consequences that may extend beyond our realm and, just because we didn’t INTEND to cause bad consequences, does not mean that we have no guilt in causing them.
Seems to me.
Dan,
What environmental regulations allow waste to be dumped “into streams”? If there are none, isn’t that “don’t lie?”
On chaining employees to workstations … huh? What are you talking about? First off, on what planet do you live on where where such practices increase productivity? Certainly not here on this planet we call Earth.