CHAPTER 9
The Personal Ethics Battle ALL
THAT IS NECESSARY FOR EVIL TO TRIUMPH IS FOR
GOOD MEN TO DO NOTHING.
– EDMUND BURKE
CORPORATIONS ARE MADE UP OF PEOPLE,
of course, and ultimately it is the individual that will be forced to come up with a methodology for making a decision based on balancing ethics and profits. Despite the proliferation of corporate ethics codes, the urge to cheat to win business or increase profits still remains widespread. Each and every day society pays a heavy price for the choices— both ethical and unethical—of its members.
The Person and the Personal Tough choices don’t always involve professional codes of conduct or criminal laws. Nor do they always involve headline-size issues. They often operate in areas that laws and regulations don’t reach. Ethical decision-making is highly complex. While people generally want to do the right thing, a wide range of factors influence them: culture, peers rules, regulations, fear, policies and what has gone on before. In organizations, ethics can be understood as sets of formal and informal standards of conduct that people use to guide behavior. These standards are based in part on principles derived from core values such as honesty, respect and trust. In practice, standards of ethical behavior are also learned directly from the actions of others. For example, what we see our peers and managers do in the workplace may influence our views of what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Ethical decision-making requires more than a belief in the importance of ethics. It also requires sensitivity to perceive the ethical implications of decisions, the ability to evaluate complex, ambiguous and incomplete facts and the skill to implement ethical decisions without unduly jeopardizing your career.
Ethical Choice, Cultural Quagmire A British engineer recalls her introduction to the competitive and dynamic world of international business and the classic problem faced by altruistic individuals in business: you need to make your numbers and you need to make a difference. She had joined the business development team of a large multinational corporation and was immediately assigned to help develop and implement a series of projects in East Africa. After several months on the job, she was part of a team that presented the company’s development plan to the finance and health ministries of one of the subject countries.
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