Can Ethical Behavior Really Exist In Business

Can Ethical Behavior Really Exist In Business

Introduction

Ethics is applied philosophy that tells us how to act when we find ourselves at the crossroads of different values. This is not only true about ethics in general, but also about business ethics and business communication ethics alike. However, many people say - without giving it much thought or just out of ease - that reflecting on the values and philosophy of ethics is far too complex and abstract and far too useless to be bothered with. In actual fact, very few people want to be actively involved against the values of other people, who may be immoral or unethical. There are more weaklings, who know it would be best to make ethical decisions and act morally, but this is not always comfortable and so they prefer to stay opportunistic. Besides upright people - those who actively stand for ethic, there are a number of people who are ruthless towards both their own and other people's values, these are amoral people. Ethical and unethical people, weaklings and opportunists, communicate in different manners in personal and business matters, and have a different relationship towards business communication ethics. 

This paper will discuss that whether ethical behavior can exists in business? Paper will write about factors which restrict the existence of ethical behavior in business. Business leaders want to run their business as profitably as it can be. They feel that a profitable business in itself can be an incredible contributor for the betterment of society, thus they don't pay attention on business ethic. This paper on can ethical behavior exist in business, will also discuss that it can be surely possible to run a successful business with business ethics but people ignore it mostly. It will present arguments for business ethics, and will prove the importance of business ethics through a real case of River Blindness. Paper will also address of how to achieve ethical environment in businesses.

Discussion

Ethics Defined

According to Watkins & Iyer (2006, 68), ethics is a philosophical term derived from the Greek word ethos meaning character or customs. There are several ethics definitions purported in the literature. Wakefield (2008, 115) has defined ethics as the conception of what is right and fair conduct or behavior and an individual's personal beliefs about whether behavior, action, or decision is right or wrong. Ethics can also be equated with the concept of morals and standards of conduct and individual choices based on rules, values, and moral beliefs (Victor & Cullen 1988, 101). Ethics and issues of right and wrong have been concerns of society for as long as societies have existed (Tweedie & Seidenstein 2005, 589). The ethics of a society affect ethical judgments of individuals, which are decisions that are legal or morally acceptable to the larger community. Thus, societal ethics may be seen as a form of control over the behaviors of individual members (Trevino, Weaver, & Reynolds 2006, 951).

Minkes, and Chatterjee (1999) state that ethics is concerned with prescribing ...