What Is Business Ethics?
What is business ethics? Would you agree that ultimately business ethics is a complete paradox, an absurd contradiction, and therefore largely a pointless exercise?
Introduction
In different periods of time, scholars provide different focuses for business ethics: systematic focus at the beginning, while organisational focus followed and individual focus at present (Fisher and Lovell, 2006). Although focuses of business ethics at different period of time are different, the basic principle and standards of business ethics is along with the social morality standards acknowledged by the society. However, being complex than social issues, commercial business involves diverse interests or benefits of different stakeholders and diverse different development objectives at different stages. Although the ultimately business ethics is a paradox, it cannot imply that ultimately business ethics is an absurd contradiction which is a pointless exercise. On the contrary, business ethics is useful in directing commercial business behaviour in both organisational and individual levels (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2000). In order to discuss the nature of business ethics as well as its exercise or function, this essay is going to discuss definition and nature of business ethics firstly. Following that, this essay will explain ultimately business ethics is a complete paradox but business ethics is not an absurd contradiction. Therefore, this essay will demonstrate that business ethics is not a pointless exercise.
Business Ethics
According to Crane and Matten (2007), business ethics is a phenomenon rather than a paradox although it is inevitably has disagreements on ethical business activities or unethical business activities, there is agreement on the principle of faire trade. Therefore, Crane and Matten (2007) provide the definition of business ethics as situation, activity, decision making aspects inside business corporations in whether they are right or wrong.
Introduction
In different periods of time, scholars provide different focuses for business ethics: systematic focus at the beginning, while organisational focus followed and individual focus at present (Fisher and Lovell, 2006). Although focuses of business ethics at different period of time are different, the basic principle and standards of business ethics is along with the social morality standards acknowledged by the society. However, being complex than social issues, commercial business involves diverse interests or benefits of different stakeholders and diverse different development objectives at different stages. Although the ultimately business ethics is a paradox, it cannot imply that ultimately business ethics is an absurd contradiction which is a pointless exercise. On the contrary, business ethics is useful in directing commercial business behaviour in both organisational and individual levels (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2000). In order to discuss the nature of business ethics as well as its exercise or function, this essay is going to discuss definition and nature of business ethics firstly. Following that, this essay will explain ultimately business ethics is a complete paradox but business ethics is not an absurd contradiction. Therefore, this essay will demonstrate that business ethics is not a pointless exercise.
Business Ethics
According to Crane and Matten (2007), business ethics is a phenomenon rather than a paradox although it is inevitably has disagreements on ethical business activities or unethical business activities, there is agreement on the principle of faire trade. Therefore, Crane and Matten (2007) provide the definition of business ethics as situation, activity, decision making aspects inside business corporations in whether they are right or wrong.
References: Bandura, A., Caprara, G. V. and Zsolnai, L. (2000) ‘Corporate transgressions through moral disengagement’, Journal of Human Values, 6: pp. 57-63 Crane, A De Geer, H. (1994) Business Ethics in Progress, New York:Springer- Verlag Dunn, C Epsetin, E. (1989) ‘Business ethics, corporate good citizenship and the corporate social process: a view from the United States’, Journal of Business Ethics, 8: pp. 583-595 Ferrell, O Fisher, C. and Lovell, A. (2006), Business Ethics and Values, 2nd edition, London: Prentice Hall George, R Hoffman, W. M. and Frederick, R. E. (1993) (eds), Business Ethics: Readings and Cases in Corporate Morality, see General Introduction Jones, C, Parker, M and ten Bos, R (2005) For Business Ethics. London: Routledge Kaptein, M. & Wempe, J. (1998) ‘Twelve Gordian Knots When Developing an Organizational Code of Ethics’, Journal of Business Ethics, 17 (8): pp. 853-869 Parker, M Stark, A. (1994), ‘What’s the matter with business ethics?’, Harvard Business Review (May-June), pp. 38-48 Trevino, L