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Part 1. Business in a Global Environment. Chapter 2. Business Ethics and Social Responsibility. Chapter Objectives. Explain the concepts of business ethics and social responsibility. Describe the factors that influence business ethics.
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Part 1 Business in a Global Environment
Chapter 2 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
Chapter Objectives • Explain the concepts of business ethics and social responsibility. • Describe the factors that influence business ethics. • List the stages in the development of ethical standards. • Identify common ethical dilemmas in the workplace. • Discuss how organizations shape ethical behavior. • Describe how businesses’ social responsibility is measured. • Summarize the responsibilities of business to the general public, customers, and employees. • Explain why investors and the financial community are concerned with business ethics and social responsibility.
Concern for Ethical and Societal Issues • Business ethics—standards of business conduct and moral values. • Constituencies to which businesses are responsible:
The New Ethical Environment • High profile investigations and arrests in headlines. • Yet vast majority of businesses ethical. • New corporate officers charged with deterring wrongdoing and ensuring ethical standards.
The New Ethical Environment • Individuals make a difference • Development of individual ethics • Stages of Moral and Ethical Development
The New Ethical Environment • Common Business Ethical Challenges
On-the-Job Ethical Dilemmas • Conflict of Interest—situation in which a business decision may be influenced for personal gain. • Honesty and Integrity—telling the truth and adhering to deeply felt ethical principles in business decisions.
On-the-Job Ethical Dilemmas • Loyalty vs. Truth—businesspeople expect their employees to be loyal and truthful. But ethical conflicts may arise. • Whistleblowing—employee’s disclosure to government authorities or the media of illegal, immoral, or unethical practices in the organization.
How Organizations Shape Ethical Conduct • Structure of an Ethical Environment
Ethical Awareness • Code of Conduct—a formal statement that defines how the organization expects and requires employees to resolve ethical questions. • Ethical Reasoning • Codes of conduct cannot detail a solution for every ethical situation. So corporations provide training in ethical reasoning.
Ethical Action • Helping employees recognize and reason through ethical problems and turning them into ethical actions. • Ethical Leadership • Executives must demonstrate ethical behavior in their actions.
Acting Responsibly to Satisfy Society • Social Responsibility—management’s acceptance of the obligation to consider profit, consumer satisfaction, and societal well-being of equal value in evaluating the firm’s performance. • Social Audits—formal procedures that identify and evaluate all company activities relate to social issues such as conservation, employment practices, environmental protection, and philanthropy.
Acting Responsibly to Satisfy Society • Responsibilities of Business
Responsibilities to the General Public • Public Health Issues • Protecting the Environment • Recycling—reprocessing of used materials for reuse. • Green marketing—marketing strategy that promotes environmentally safe products and production methods.
Responsibilities to the General Public • Developing the Quality of the Workforce • Corporate Philanthropy—act of an organization giving something back to the communities in which it earns profits.
Responsibilities to Customers • Consumerism—public demand that a business consider the wants and needs of its customers in making decisions.
Right to Be Safe • Consumers should feel assured that what they purchase will not harm them in normal use • Product Liability • Right to Be Informed • Consumers should have enough access to education and product information to make responsible buying decisions
The Right to Choose • To select which goods and services they want and need to purchase • The Right to Be Heard • Should be able to express legitimate complaints to appropriate parties
Responsibilities to Employees • Workplace Safety. • Quality of Life Issues. • Ensuring Equal Opportunity in the Job. • Age Discrimination. • Sexual Harrassment and Sexism—inappropriate actions of a sexual nature in the workplace.
Responsibilities to Investors and the Financial Community • Fundamental goal of any business is to make a profit. • Investors and the financial community demand that businesses behave ethically as well as legally.