Business Ethics

Business ethics is the thought process and behavior guidelines that a business will follow and adhere to in the day-to-day operation and dealings of that business. The ethics of a business has been demonstrated on many levels such as the dealings with a customer, another business or corporation, or the world at large. For most businesses, profitability is the one of the main functions of a business. Therefore, the manner in which a business conducts itself to obtain that profit or maintain that profit margin could bring up the question of ethical behavior. One ethical issue businesses must deal with is discrimination. Discrimination can also be described as the "Medusa" of problems for most businesses because discrimination has so many faces such as nationality, age, sex, or religious affiliation. An organization such as a business must be sensitive to that of their employee's needs so that an employee believes he or she is respected and valued. An employee who believes he or she is appreciated is an employee that will give his or her all to their employer. An employee who thinks that he or she is being placed in an uncomfortable position of making choices he or she would not normally be required to make by management or anyone else as a daily requirement of their job brings me to my second choice of ethical behavior: harassment. Harassment, sexual or otherwise, has become a growing problem in many businesses despite the many laws governing harassment. In many cases, harassment can be a difficult case to prove. It becomes one's word against another's. It becomes an ethical issue when sensitivity, or the lack thereof, is at hand. No one should be made to feel uncomfortable at work for any reason because of lewd or obscene comments or suggestions, or be made to think that one must accommodate a coworker, immediate manager or higher up regarding something you believe is highly unethical just to stay gainfully employed. Harassment is a very unpleasant position for anyone to be in A third ethical issue that I will discuss is conflict of interest. Here in the city of Chicago, business is usually done with the saying one hand should wash the other. In big business that saying rings true as well. The interest of anyone's pet projects or groups should not override good business in that your dealings are to be as fair to everyone as they can be. No one special group or interest should take precedent over any other group just because he or she has "washed your hand" in a special way and now expect a special incentive from you. That kind of special interest would and should create a conflict for you and your business. Politics and big business has made for very strange business partners, so one must make certain that the business dealings of your company does not cause a conflict that may, in the end, cause your business to be sanctioned or closed down because of faulty business