Chapter Three
Business Ethics
and Social Responsibility
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Comparison of Business Ethics
and Social Responsibility
Business Ethics Refers to the principles and
standards that define
acceptable
conduct in the world
of business.
3-1
Social
Refers to a business’s obligation
Responsibility to maximize its positive impact
and minimize its negative
impact
on society.
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Ethical Issue
An identifiable problem, situation, or
opportunity that requires a person to choose
from among several actions that may be
evaluated as right or wrong, ethical or
unethical.
3-2
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Reactions to Unethical
Employers
What happened when surveyed employees found out their employers
were doing something that was against the employee’s ethical
standards…
3-3
tried to resolve the situation without losing job
40%
talked to boss
38%
did nothing
9%
quit
5%
other
1%
not sure
7%
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Source: Yankelovich Partners Survey,
PRNewswire, October 6, 1998.
Reasons for Not Reporting
Observed Misconduct
3-4
1. Fear of not being considered a team player
2. Didn’t believe corrective action would be taken
3. Feared retribution or retaliation form supervisor or
management
4. No one else cares about business ethics so why
should I?
5. Didn’t trust organization to keep report
confidential
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Source: 1997 Society for Human Resource Management/Ethics
Resource Center Business Ethics Survey Report, p. 21.
Ethical Issue Categories
•
•
•
•
3-5
Conflict of interest
Fairness and honesty
Communications
Business associations
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Questions to Consider in Determining
Whether an Action is Ethical
3-6a
• Are there any potential legal restrictions or
violations that could result from the action?
• Does you company have a specific code of
ethics or a policy on the action?
• Is this activity customary in your industry? Are
there any industry trade groups that provide
guidelines or codes of conduct that address this
issue?
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Questions to Consider in Determining
Whether an Action is Ethical
3-6b
• Would this activity be accepted by your
coworkers? Will your decision or action
withstand open discussion with coworkers and
managers and survive untarnished?
• How does this activity fit with your own beliefs
and values?
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Framework for Ethical and Moral
Decision making
1. Recognize a moral issue
2. Get the facts
3. Evaluate the alternatives from various
moral perspectives
4. Make a decision
5. Act, then reflect on the decision later
36c
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Codes of Ethics
36d
Formalized rules and standards that
describe what a company expects of
its employees
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Three Factors that
Influence Business Ethics
3-7
Individual
Individual
Standards
Standards
and
and
Values
Values
Managers’
Managers’
and
and
Coworkers’
Coworkers’
Influence
Influence
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Opportunity:
Opportunity:
Codes and
Codes and
Compliance
Compliance
Requirements
Requirements
Ethical/Unethical
Ethical/Unethical
Choices
Choices
in Business
in Business
Whistle Blower Cases
3-8a
Who paid?
SmithKline Beecham
Clinical Laboratories
How much?
$325 million
Whistleblower share?
$52 million
($42.3 million being appealed)
Allegations?
Paid kickbacks to doctors and
billed Medicare for unordered
tests
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Source: “Taxpayers Against Fraud”, USA Today,
November 9, 1998, p. 15B.
Whistle Blower Cases
3-8b
Who paid?
United Technologies
How much?
$150 million
Whistleblower share?
$22.5 million
Allegations?
Billed U.S. military for work
not yet performed
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Source: “Taxpayers Against Fraud”, USA Today,
November 9, 1998, p. 15B.
Arguments for Social
Responsibility
Voluntary
Responsibilities
being a
“good corporate citizen”;
contributing to the
community and quality of life
3-9
Ethical Responsibilities
being ethical; doing what is right, just,
and fair; avoiding harm
Legal Responsibilities
obeying the law (society’s codification of right
and wrong); playing by the rules of the game
Economic Responsibilities
being profitable
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Source: Adapted from Archie B. Carroll, “The Pyramid of Corporate
Social Responsibility: Toward the Moral Management of
Organizational Stakeholders.” Business Horizons 34 (July/August 1991): 42.
Arguments for Social
Responsibility
3-10
1. Business helped to create many of the social problems that exist today, so it
should play a significant role in solving them, especially in the areas of
pollution reduction and cleanup.
2. Businesses should be more responsible because they have the financial and
technical resources to help solve social problems.
3. As members of society, businesses should do their fair share to help others.
4. Socially responsible decision making by businesses can prevent increased
government regulation.
5. Social responsibility is necessary to ensure economic survival: If businesses
want educated and healthy employees, customers with money to spend, and
suppliers with quality goods and services in years to come, they must take
steps to help solve the social and environmental problems that exist today.
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Arguments Against Social
Responsibility
3-11
1. It sidetracks managers from the primary goal of business–earning
profits. Every dollar donated to social causes or otherwise spent on
society's problems is a dollar less for owners and investors.
2. Participation in social programs gives businesses greater power,
perhaps at the expense of particular segments of society.
3. Some people question whether business has the expertise needed to
assess and make decisions about social problems.
4. Many people believe that social problems are the responsibility of
government agencies and officials, who can be held accountable by
voters.
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Social Responsibility Issues
3-12
• Organizational relationships with owners and
stockholders
• Employee relations
• Consumer relations
• Environmental concerns
– animal rights
– pollution
• Community relations
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John F. Kennedy’s
Consumer Bill of Rights
3-13
•
•
•
•
Right to safety
Right to be informed
Right to choose
Right to be heard
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Solve the Dilemma
a. What are some of the ethical issues involved
in giving a customer an award for
consumption behavior without notifying
him/her first?
b. Do you see this as a potential violation of
privacy?
c. How would you handle the situation if you
were Jon?
3-14
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Explore Your Career Options
3-15
How do you explain the emergence
of career opportunities in the field
of business ethics and social
responsibility?
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Additional Discussion
Questions and Exercises
3-16a
1. What makes ethical decisions so difficult?
2. Many organizations are primarily concerned with earning a
profit or a return on their investment. Does this concern for
owners and investors present an ethical dilemma for
companies when weighing business decisions that
favour
employees and/or the general public?
3. The right to be heard is one of the four rights of
consumers. How are some corporations addressing this
consumer concern?
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Additional Discussion
Questions and Exercises
3-16b
4. Find examples of environmental issues in newspapers or
business journals. Do these issues influence businesses?
5. Imagine you are a salesperson. When does offering a gift,
such as basketball tickets, become a bribe rather than just a
sales practice?
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Chapter 3 Quiz
3-17a
1. Which of the following has the greatest effect on ethical behaviour in
organizations?
a. authority of an employee’s superiors
b. an employee’s perception of the ethics of coworkers and managers
c. an employee’s personal beliefs about what is right or wrong
d. investor’s perceptions of ethics
2. Copying someone else’s work and presenting it as you own is
a. ethics.
b. bribe.
c. plagiarism.
d. greenmail.
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
Chapter 3 Quiz
3-17b
3. A code of ethics is
a. a set of formalized rules and standards describing what the company
expects of its employees.
b. a government legislation enforced by government agencies.
c. a set of principles that describe what a person believes is the right way
to behave.
d. the impact of a business’s activities on society.
4. Which one of the following is NOT one of the four rights provided in
John F. Kennedy’s consumer bill of rights?
a. right to safety
b. right to be informed
c. right to sue
d. right to choose
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited
VIDEO QUESTIONS
1.
3-18
2.
3.
4.
Is it the responsibility of coffee consumers to ensure that small producers
receive a fair price for their product? Why or why not?
If the price paid to the growers represents only ten percent of the retail
price of coffee, why is the retail price of Fair Trade coffee approximately
double the regular price?
Who benefits the most from the higher price paid by consumers for Fair
Trade labeled coffee?
What alternative approach to the problem of poverty among small
producers can you suggest?
© 2003 McGrawHill Ryerson Limited