Is your business ethical?

What I mean is “Does your business do the right
thing when faced with that decision?” It’s a
simple question, which many businesses struggle
with. I just don’t understand the struggle part?

I have worked for companies that believed they were
ethical, and really have no clue. Meaning the
decisions they make everyday towards their customers
and employees does not advocate ethics.

So, what is it? When someone in business gives you
their word and then reneges, that is unethical.
Your word is your promise. Even if it is your
business making the statement.

Doing good business and being a good employer is
more than your product or people, it is the guidelines
in which you do that good business. I’m disappointed
in how many unethical businesses exist today. I have
worked for some of them and they just don’t get it…
they ‘talk tough’ but when the decisions are made I
can’t fathom what motivated them come to their decision?
It was not necessarily ‘doing the right thing‘.

Yes, I know profits are pinnacle to most, but that IS NOT
the bottom line! The bottom line is how your customer,
partner, client or prospect walked away from their
experience. What’s so hard to get? It also helps
you feel good about yourself and your business, and you
should sleep better too!

Treat them the way you want to be treated… I mean it!

Don’t say something you have no intention of backing up
with your action. Keep your word in business, in
compensation promises, in client promises, in doing good
business. This is pinnacle!

I don’t want to ramble here, but some businesses need a
wake-up-call (yesterday). What puzzles me is why?
When you do good business, you get more good business.
I’m not just talking about the Enron’s or Arthur Anderson’s
of the World, I’m talking about every type of business out
there, in every industry.

If each one of us refused to do business with these
unethical companies - we would have a lot fewer of them.

Be one of the ethical ones. Do good business, keep your
word, don’t venture into gray areas, and do the right thing!
Sure, it will occasionally cost you something, but it will
pay you back, and it won’t cost you your dignity or pride or
any client worth having. Isn’t your business worth it?
Or how about your personal reputation?

Try this: The next few times you’re faced with ‘doing the
right thing’? Well, when you ‘do it’ - do it with extreme
pleasure!*

*This will pay you and your business back ten-fold. Why?
Because that person (customer, employee, client, etc.) is
going to tell at least 3-12 other people (potential
customers who like to be treated well too). Remember, you
did it with extreme pleasure, they’re not just going to say
they received a refund, or a promotion, - they’re going to
be jumping up and down at how well their situation was handled!

- Make someone else’s day! - you’ll be surprised at how
well your day goes.

I look forward to running into more good business out there
- hopefully yours.

Remember - Doing good business rewards your business with
more of it… we’re all here seeking to do business with
reputable firms, let’s do just that.

The upside? If your business does good ethical business?
Then you are already ahead of a good chunk of your competitors!
There’s opportunity here. Keep up the good work, partner with
other ‘like types’ and only do your personal business with other
more ethical companies, like yours. We could see a decrease in
our unethical competition very soon.

Thank you for allowing me to voice my thoughts and encourage the
type of business that helped this Country, it’s people, and every
business - Grow and prosper.

Good luck in your business promotions!

About The Author

Scott is the Founder and Sr. Internet Marketing Specialist for
Hyperformance Media, Inc. a website marketing firm located
just outside of Chicago, IL. since 1996. Specifically, he
has over 24 years of sales and marketing experience and
accomplishment in the computer industry.

Written by and Copyright © Scott Sedwick
http://www.hyperformancemedia.com

Tags: doing the right thing, Ethical business, ethics, ethics in business, good businessdoing the right thing, Ethical business, ethics, ethics in business, good business

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Conflicts are inevitable, but the more we know about human nature, the more positive the outcome of a conflict might be for both parties. We know that different people have different priorities and different ways of dealing with situations that may occur, but in general, human beings have certain characteristics that are very similar - even across gender, racial, and socio-economic lines.

Tags: business ethics, confilct resolution, conflict managementbusiness ethics, confilct resolution, conflict management

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Business ethics is a form of applied ethics that examines just rules and principles within a commercial context; the various moral or ethical problems that can arise in a business setting; and any special duties or obligations that apply to persons who are engaged in commerce. Generally speaking, business ethics is a normative discipline, whereby particular ethical standards are advocated and then applied.

It makes specific judgments about what is right or wrong, which is to say, it makes claims about what ought to be done or what ought not to be done. While there are some exceptions, business ethicists are usually less concerned with the foundations of ethics (meta-ethics), or with justifying the most basic ethical principles, and are more concerned with practical problems and applications, and any specific duties that might apply to business relationships.

Business ethics can be examined from various perspectives, including the perspective of the employee, the commercial enterprise, and society as a whole. Very often, situations arise in which there is conflict between one and more of the parties, such that serving the interest of one party is a detriment to the other(s). For example, a particular outcome might be good for the employee, whereas, it would be bad for the company, society, or vice versa. Some ethicists see the principal role of ethics as the harmonization and reconciliation of conflicting interests.

Ethical issues can arise when companies must comply with multiple and sometimes conflicting legal or cultural standards, as in the case of multinational companies that operate in countries with varying practices. The question arises, for example, ought a company obey the laws of its home country, or should it follow the less stringent laws of the developing country in which it does business?

To illustrate, United States law forbids companies from paying bribes either domestically or overseas; however, in other parts of the world, bribery is a customary, “accepted” way of doing business. Similar problems can occur with regard to child labor, employee safety, work hours, wages, discrimination, and environmental protection laws.

Business ethics should be distinguished from the philosophy of business, the branch of philosophy that deals with the philosophical, political, and ethical underpinnings of business and economics. Business ethics operates on the premise, for example, that the ethical operation of a private business is possible — those who dispute that premise, such as libertarian socialists, (who contend that “business ethics” is an oxymoron) do so by definition outside of the domain of business ethics proper.

The philosophy of business also deals with questions such as what, if any, are the social responsibilities of a business; business management theory; theories of individualism vs. collectivism; free will among participants in the marketplace; the role of self interest; invisible hand theories; the requirements of social justice; and natural rights, especially property rights, in relation to the business enterprise.

Business ethics is also related to political economy, which is economic analysis from political and historical perspectives. Political economy deals with the distributive consequences of economic actions. It asks who gains and who loses from economic activity, and is the resultant distribution fair or just, which are central ethical issues.

Tags: at, behavior, business, business philosophies, business treatment, ethics, moral, regulations, rulesat, behavior, business, business philosophies, business treatment, ethics, moral, regulations, rules

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