Importance of Business Ethics
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SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
BUS 4070 BUSINESS ETHICS AND VALUES
WEEK 2: THE IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS ETHICS?
Nicholas Kimani, PhD[1]
KEY LESSON
Recent years have seen the media filled with reports of corporate misconduct. And many suspect that these represent only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. This is why people receive the term ‘business ethics’, as a contradiction in terms. In truth, the most balanced response is to accept the criticism in good faith.
However, one should not succumb to the criticism with cynicism. After all, one might add that the challenge for business ethics is to move from the fundamental to the instrumental. That is, it is generally accepted that there is conscience and ethics are not inimical (harmful) to the fiscal goals for business. However the need to focus on making the concepts of business ethics to be more instrumental (i.e. practical) is glaring. Put another way, we have accepted the need for ethics in governance, and now we should be focussing on the governance of ethics. This is no easy task. But the goal of business ethics is to one day arrive at the corporation with a conscience.
Teaching and training business ethics does not promise to provide answers to complex moral dilemmas. All the knowledge in the world cannot guarantee to make a person more ethical. With any study, it is up to the individuals how well, or even whether, they translate learning into practice. However, thoughtful and resourceful business ethics educators can facilitate the development of awareness of what is and is not ethical; help individuals and groups realize their ethical tolerance and decision-making styles; decrease unethical blind spots; and enhance a curiosity and concern to discuss moral problems openly in the workplace. Business ethics can make it difficult for people to behave immorally by exposing them to ethical issues and ethical issues and ways of resolving them.
Instruction in business ethics is not
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
BUS 4070 BUSINESS ETHICS AND VALUES
WEEK 2: THE IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS ETHICS?
Nicholas Kimani, PhD[1]
KEY LESSON
Recent years have seen the media filled with reports of corporate misconduct. And many suspect that these represent only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. This is why people receive the term ‘business ethics’, as a contradiction in terms. In truth, the most balanced response is to accept the criticism in good faith.
However, one should not succumb to the criticism with cynicism. After all, one might add that the challenge for business ethics is to move from the fundamental to the instrumental. That is, it is generally accepted that there is conscience and ethics are not inimical (harmful) to the fiscal goals for business. However the need to focus on making the concepts of business ethics to be more instrumental (i.e. practical) is glaring. Put another way, we have accepted the need for ethics in governance, and now we should be focussing on the governance of ethics. This is no easy task. But the goal of business ethics is to one day arrive at the corporation with a conscience.
Teaching and training business ethics does not promise to provide answers to complex moral dilemmas. All the knowledge in the world cannot guarantee to make a person more ethical. With any study, it is up to the individuals how well, or even whether, they translate learning into practice. However, thoughtful and resourceful business ethics educators can facilitate the development of awareness of what is and is not ethical; help individuals and groups realize their ethical tolerance and decision-making styles; decrease unethical blind spots; and enhance a curiosity and concern to discuss moral problems openly in the workplace. Business ethics can make it difficult for people to behave immorally by exposing them to ethical issues and ethical issues and ways of resolving them.
Instruction in business ethics is not