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Business Ethics: A View From The Trenches

Business Ethics: A View From The Trenches. By: Rebecca Cessac, Nancy Roach, Mary Avants, William Worack, Brian Hall. Overview. 30 recent Harvard MBA graduates Felt strong pressures to do unethical things.

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Business Ethics: A View From The Trenches

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  1. Business Ethics:A View From The Trenches By: Rebecca Cessac, Nancy Roach, Mary Avants, William Worack, Brian Hall

  2. Overview • 30 recent Harvard MBA graduates • Felt strong pressures to do unethical things. • Ethics programs, Codes of Conduct, mission statements, hotlines offered little or no help

  3. Felt Executives Were: Out of touch Too busy Sought to avoid responsibility Issue Solved By: Largely by personal reflection Individual values Not corporate credos or company loyalty Ethical Issues

  4. Demographics • Two-thirds were men • One-third were women • Four were African American • Half were working for commercial or investment banks, or consulting, accounting, or advertising firms.

  5. Just Do It • Experience was traumatic • Important tests of character • Optimistic views

  6. Four Commandments • Performance is what really counts, so make your numbers. • Be loyal and show us that you’re a team player. • Don’t break the law • Don’t over-invest in ethical behavior.

  7. Feckless Ethics Program • Half of interviewees worked in companies with some sort of ethics program • “Total Hypocrisy” • Not creative at all

  8. Out of Touch Senior Executives • “Don’t break the law, rock the boat, or fail to make your numbers.” • Forgot what it was like in the trenches

  9. Sleep Test • “Can I look myself in the mirror in the morning?” • “Gut feel” • “Golden Rule”

  10. Difficult experiences proved to be valuable “Being able to take a stand and walk away.” Cutting corners gets easier with ties and age “very few companies embodied values consistent with those they hoped to live by” Resilience, Confidence, and Mobility

  11. Implications • More commitment means strong pressures to choose the easier wrong rather than the tougher right

  12. Conclusion & Questions

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