- "Business ethics (also known as corporate ethics) is a form of applied ethics or professional ethics, that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that can arise in a business environment."
This subfield focuses on the ethical responsibilities of businesses operating in different cultural and political contexts around the world, including issues such as bribery, corruption, and fair trade.
Ethical Leadership: Understanding the principles, values, beliefs, and behaviors that define ethical leadership, and how to develop ethical leadership skills as a global business leader.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Understanding the concept of CSR and its role in building a sustainable business model that integrates social, environmental and economic issues.
Globalization: Understanding the impact of globalization on business ethics, including the ethical implications of international trade, outsourcing, and foreign investment.
Cross-cultural Communication: Understanding the differences in cultural norms, values, and traditions across different cultures, and how to communicate with respect, sensitivity and empathy across diverse cultures.
Human Rights: Understanding the importance of human rights in international business transactions, and how to balance ethical considerations with business objectives.
Sustainability: Understanding the role of sustainable development in business, including the need for environmental responsibility, social equity, and economic viability.
Bribery and Corruption: Understanding the risks associated with bribery and corruption, including the role of international anti-corruption laws and regulations.
Intellectual Property: Understanding the importance of protecting intellectual property rights in international business, and the ethical considerations of intellectual property law.
Fair Trade: Understanding the concept of Fair Trade, and how it promotes ethical business practices and social justice in international trade.
Corporate Governance: Understanding the principles and practices of corporate governance, and how they influence business ethics around the globe.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): The ethical obligation of corporations to contribute to society by supporting social and environmental causes beyond their core business.
Human Rights: Respect for the fundamental rights and dignity of human beings, such as the right to life, liberty, equality, and non-discrimination.
Environmental Ethics: A set of principles and values that guide businesses to protect, preserve, and sustain the natural environment and its resources.
Anti-Corruption: The prevention of bribery, fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, and other unethical behaviors that undermine transparency, accountability, and fair competition.
Fair Trade: A movement that advocates for fair prices, wages, and working conditions for small farmers and producers in developing countries, and promotes sustainable and ethical consumption.
Supply Chain Ethics: The responsibility of businesses to ensure that their suppliers and subcontractors comply with ethical and legal standards in terms of human rights, labor rights, environmental protection, and corruption.
Ethical Leadership: The practice of ethical and responsible decision-making by managers and leaders in organizations, based on principles such as honesty, integrity, fairness, and respect.
Cultural Diversity: The recognition and appreciation of differences in language, religion, gender, race, and other cultural factors, and the promotion of inclusion, dialogue, and mutual understanding.
Stakeholder Engagement: The process of involving and consulting with employees, customers, investors, communities, and other stakeholders in decision-making and governance, to ensure their voices and interests are heard and respected.
Ethical Marketing: The promotion of products and services in a truthful, transparent, and responsible manner, avoiding false or misleading claims, and respecting the privacy, dignity, and autonomy of consumers.
- "It applies to all aspects of business conduct and is relevant to the conduct of individuals and entire organizations."
- "These ethics originate from individuals, organizational statements or the legal system."
- "These norms, values, ethical, and unethical practices are the principles that guide a business."
- "Business ethics have two dimensions, normative business ethics or descriptive business ethics."
- "Academics attempting to understand business behavior employ descriptive methods."
- "The range and quantity of business ethical issues reflects the interaction of profit-maximizing behavior with non-economic concerns."
- "Interest in business ethics accelerated dramatically during the 1980s and 1990s."
- "Most major corporations today promote their commitment to non-economic values under headings such as ethics codes and social responsibility charters."
- "Adam Smith said in 1776, 'People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.'"
- "Governments use laws and regulations to point business behavior in what they perceive to be beneficial directions."
- "Ethics implicitly regulates areas and details of behavior that lie beyond governmental control."
- "The emergence of large corporations with limited relationships and sensitivity to the communities in which they operate accelerated the development of formal ethics regimes."
- "Maintaining an ethical status is the responsibility of the manager of the business."
- "According to a 1990 article in the Journal of Business Ethics, 'Managing ethical behavior is one of the most pervasive and complex problems facing business organizations today.'" (Note: There were not enough specific quotes to address additional questions beyond this point.)