A lively and entertaining guide to ethics in a technological age. Most people have a strong sense of right and wrong, and they aren't shy about expressing their opinions. But when we take a polarizing stand on something we regard as an eternal truth, we often forget that ethics evolve over time. Many shifts in the right versus wrong pendulum are driven by advances in technology. Our great-grandparents might be shocked by in vitro fertilization; our great-grandchildren might be shocked by the messiness of pregnancy, childbirth, and unedited genes. In Right/Wrong, Juan Enriquez reflects on what happens to our ethics as technology makes the once unimaginable a commonplace occurrence.
Introduction to Business covers the scope and sequence of most introductory business courses. The book provides detailed explanations in the context of core themes such as customer satisfaction, ethics, entrepreneurship, global business, and managing change. Introduction to Business includes hundreds of current business examples from a range of industries and geographic locations, which feature a variety of individuals. The outcome is a balanced approach to the theory and application of business concepts, with attention to the knowledge and skills necessary for student success in this course and beyond. This is an adaptation of Introduction to Business by OpenStax. You can access the textbook as pdf for free at openstax.org. Minor editorial changes were made to ensure a better ebook reading experience. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Do you want to make sure you · Don't invest your money in the next Enron? · Don't go to work for the next WorldCom right before the crash? · Identify and solve problems in your organization before they send it crashing to the ground? Marianne Jennings has spent a lifetime studying business ethics---and ethical failures. In demand nationwide as a speaker and analyst on business ethics, she takes her decades of findings and shows us in The Seven Signs of Ethical Collapse the reasons that companies and nonprofits undergo ethical collapse, including: · Pressure to maintain numbers · Fear and silence · Young 'uns and a larger-than-life CEO · A weak board · Conflicts · Innovation like no other · Belief that goodness in some areas atones for wrongdoing in others Don't watch the next accounting disaster take your hard-earned savings, or accept the perfect job only to find out your boss is cooking the books. If you're just interested in understanding the (not-so) ethical underpinnings of business today, The Seven Signs of Ethical Collapse is both a must-have tool and a fascinating window into today's business world.
Does the need to make a profit outweigh the need to reward employees fairly? Should you tell your staff why you fired someone and risk being sued for defamation? Is it more important to make payroll or pay your vendors? Business professionals face ethical decisions like these every day. Such dilemmas will keep even the most seasoned managers tossing and turning at night. You can rest assured that at some point in your career you'll be faced with making, or witness the making of, an ethical decision-and the action you take will not only define you, but also what your company stands for. The pressure to make the right choices is incredible; indecision or one small misstep can be the kiss of death in today's highly competitive, fast-moving economy. Productivity can drop off, employee morale can plummet, dissatisfied customers can flee, and your competitor may take a large bite out of your profits-while the dilemma remains unsolved. The Good, The Bad, and Your Business shows companies how to run more efficiently by improving their navigation of everyday moral business dilemmas. Respected writer and journalist Jeffrey Seglin reveals how otherwise decent people can make mistakes and find themselves in serious ethical trouble. His practical approach uses real-life examples to help you see the difference between a "gray area" and an outright misdeed so you can act faster when faced with such ethical decisions. Without being preachy or theoretical, The Good, The Bad, and Your Business looks at how others have faced moral dilemmas and gives you the tools to help you reach your own decisions. You'll see firsthand how businesspeople have grappled with difficult issues, from how to draw the line between lying and posturing, to whether it's ever ethical to spy on competitors, to how to align personal beliefs with business practices. You'll also discover the common misperceptions about ethics in business and learn how to define your "comfort" level so that you can conduct business knowing you've made thoughtful decisions with full knowledge of the possible consequences. The Good, The Bad, and Your Business: * Looks at how company owners and managers make difficult decisions as they try to keep cash flow strong enough to stay in business * Examines how to deal with employee issues, from how far to go to help a troubled employee to what policy-if any-to take on romantic relationships between coworkers * Reveals the motivations that lie behind how people decide where to "draw the line" on what they will and will not do * Focuses on how the decisions you make can affect the common good-the larger community in which you're doing business "Well-written and lucid, this book does not preach; it teaches the reader how to think intelligently about hard choices. Every executive who wants to build a successful business and wants to do so with integrity-should read this book."-Jim Collins, Coauthor, Built to Last "It's a rare business book that can truly change your life, and Jeff Seglin's latest is just that. You'll find no grandstanding or buzzwords, but rather a compelling blend of research and worldly experience, written by a master. He's the perfect travel guide for the examined life we all must lead to achieve meaningful success. Don't miss this one!"-Steven Leveen, Cofounder and President, Levenger "Finally a book about modern ethics and business that you don't have to get all dressed up to read! Writing with a sure touch, lively language, and a wonderful wit . . . Jeff Seglin has found a way to wake up his subject without once getting bogged down. He never lectures . . . he knows his stuff and he respects his readers' intelligence. This terrific book is the next best thing to talking to your smart, warm, and funny best friend about the toughest decisions you'll ever have to make. It's flat-out superb."-Nancy K. Austin, Coauthor, A Passion for Excellence
When Business and Personal Values Collide “Defining moments” occur when managers face business decisions that trigger conflicts with their personal values. These moments test a person’s commitment to those values and ultimately shape their character. But these are also the decisions that can make or break a career. Is there a thoughtful, yet pragmatic, way to make the right choice? Bestselling author Joseph Badaracco shows how to approach these dilemmas using three case examples that, when taken together, represent the escalating responsibilities and personal tests managers face as they advance in their careers. The first story presents a young manager whose choice will affect him only as an individual; the second, a department head whose decision will influence his organization; the third, a corporate executive whose actions will have much larger, societal ramifications. To guide the decision-making process, the book draws on the insights of four philosophers—Aristotle, Machiavelli, Nietzsche, and James—who offer distinctly practical, rather than theoretical, advice. Defining Moments is the ultimate manager’s guide for resolving issues of conflicting responsibility in practical ways.
There's no such thing as business ethics. How can that be? Because a single standard applies to both your business and personal life-and it's one we all know and trust: the Golden Rule. Now bestselling author John C. Maxwell shows you how this revered ideal works everywhere, and how, especially in business, it brings amazing dividends. There's No Such Thing As "Business" Ethics offers: * Stories from history, business, government, and sports that illustrate how talented leaders invoked this timeless principle * Examples of difficult business decisions-layoffs, evaluations, billing clients, expansion-and how the Golden Rule applies to each * The five most common reasons people compromise their ethics-and how you can prevail over such moral obstacles * How applying the Golden Rule to business builds morale, increases productivity, encourages teamwork, lowers employee turnover, and keeps clients coming back. John C. Maxwell not only reveals the many ways the Golden Rule creates the perfect environment for business success, but does it with great wisdom, warmth, and humor. Backed by flawless research and the ideas of history's best thinkers, this engaging book brilliantly demonstrates how doing the right thing fosters a winning situation for all, with positive results for employees, clients, investors, and even your own state of mind. Business runs much more smoothly, profits increase, and you know that you've set the groundwork for years of future prosperity. . . and it's all thanks to the tried-and-true Golden Rule.
In his ground-breaking new textbook, Mick Fryer offers students of Business Ethics clear explanations of a range of theoretical perspectives, along with examples of how these perspectives might be used to illuminate the ethical challenges presented by business practice. The book includes: Realistic scenarios which gently introduce a theory and demonstrate how it can be applied to a real-life ethical dilemma that everyone can relate to, such as borrowing money from a friend Real organisational case studies in each chapter which illustrate how each theory can be applied to real business situations. Cases include Nike, Coca Cola, BMW, Shell, Starbucks and GSK ‘Pause for Reflection’ boxes and ‘Discussion Questions’ which encourage you to challenge the established notions of right and wrong, and empower you to develop your own moral code Video Activities in each chapter with accompanying QR codes which link to documentaries, films, debates and news items to get you thinking about real-life ethical dilemmas Visit the book’s companion website for self-test questions, additional web links and more at: study.sagepub.com/fryer
To those faced with the many questions and quandaries of doing business with integrity, here is a place to beggin. Alexander Hill explores the Christian concepts of holiness, justice, and love, and shows how some common responses to business ethics fall short of these. Then, he turns to penetrating case studies on such pressing topics as employer-employee relations, discrimination, and affirmative action.
