Business Ethics BY: Joshua m. Standifer

Business Ethics What is ethics? The discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation. A system of moral principals. What is business ethics? The principals and standards that determine acceptable conduct in business organizations. Is a form of professional ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment.

Types of Unethical Conduct Harassment Misrepresenting/ Fraud Theft Customer Relations Whistle Blowing

Harassment Types Of Harassment: Discriminatory Harassment Sexual Harassment Racial Harassment Personal Harassment Psychological Harassment

Misrepresenting/ Fraud Deception in the business practices Misrepresenting one’s own work is taking someone else’s ideas or work and using it as your own.

Theft Theft ranging from stealing office supplies to stealing millions of dollars from the organization.

Whistle Blowing A whistleblower is a person who raises a concern about wrong doing in an organization.

Code of Conduct What is the Code of Conduct? A set of rules outlining the responsibilities of or proper practices for an individual or organization. The code of conduct is closely related to ethics.

Decisions By Rules • Ends can’t always be known, so focus on duty, obligations, rules • Good rules lead to good outcomes • Asks how would you want everyone else to act if they were faced with this very same situation? Asks what is greatest good for the greatest number, the greatest balance of benefits over harms?

Making an Ethical Decision How do you deal with them? Address this issue first Determine who is effected What is the ethical concern of this issue What do others think? Having more than one opinion develops a well rounded solution to dealing with the situation Deciding on what to do is not up to one person, but everyone who it has an affect on as well

Steps to Making an Ethical Decision Identify the ethical issue/ problem List facts that have most affect on the decision Identify anyone affected by decision and how they are affected Explain what each affected person would want you to do about issue List 3 alt. actions and identify the best and worst case scenario for each, anyone harmed, and values compromised, and any reasons this shouldn’t be selected Determine a course of action

Ethical Decisions Companies need to be trustworthy and honest Effects Stakeholders, customers, employees, and community Ethics and Business go together Create the environment where people feel safe enough to speak up Get Facts Which solution will be for the greater good of the company and create the least harm Which solution respects the rights of everyone

THE END Any questions?