The Role of Ethics in Busines
What are two examples of organizations where ethical issues can occur?
Government, sports, nonprofits, or business
What is a payment, gift, or special favor intended to influence the outcome of a decision?
What is a bribe?
What are two things businesses are expected not to knowingly use to harm customers, employees, clients, or competitors?
Deception, misrepresentation, coercion, or discrimination
What is the most important step in understanding business ethics?
What is recognizing ethical issues?
What is the term for adhering to rules and laws such as local, state, and federal laws, office policies, and accepted industry guidelines and standards?
What is compliance?
What is the term for a situation where no values, codes, or laws clearly answer what the appropriate action is?
What is an ethical gray area?
What are two examples of misuse of company time?
Late arrivals, leaving early, long lunch breaks, inappropriate sick days, excessive socializing, online shopping, or watching sports
What are two examples of ethical concerns involving communications?
False or misleading advertising and deceptive personal-selling tactics
What are the three key factors that influence ethical decisions in an organization?
Individual moral standards and values, managers' and co-workers' influence, and opportunity
What is the term for an employee exposing an employer's wrongdoing to outsiders such as the media or government regulatory agencies?
What is whistleblowing?
What is the term for an identifiable problem, situation, or opportunity that requires a person to choose among actions that may be right or wrong?
What is an ethical issue?
What are two examples of misuse of company resources?
Using a company vehicle for personal use, stealing office supplies, personal banking on company computers, shopping online, or using social media
What is another aspect of communication that can create ethical concerns, especially with potentially harmful products?
What is product labeling?
What are two questions that can help determine whether an action is ethical?
Is there a potential legal restriction?
Does the company have a code of ethics or policy?
How does it fit with your beliefs and values?
What are two things companies may use to promote ethical behavior?
Codes of ethics, ethics policies, ethics training programs, reporting systems, or ethics officers
What are three groups whose relationships with an organization can be negatively affected by negative ethical judgments?
Customers, suppliers, investors, or employees
What is the ethical issue that exists when competing interests could compromise someone's ability to prioritize the best interests of the organization or stakeholders?
What is a conflict of interest?
What are two things ethical behavior within a business involves regarding business relationships?
Keeping company secrets, meeting obligations and responsibilities, or avoiding undue pressure that may force others to act unethically
What is the term for a set of conditions that limit barriers or provide rewards for ethical conduct?
What is opportunity?
What are three reasons a code of ethics is important?
It alerts employees about important issues and risks, provides values such as integrity and fairness, gives guidance in gray areas, alerts employees to reporting systems, establishes uniform ethical conduct, communicates company values, or helps improve ethical decision-making
What are two ways ethical conduct can benefit business relationships?
Building trust and promoting confidence
What are three examples of ethical issues categorized in the textbook?
Abusive and intimidating behavior, conflicts of interest, fairness and honesty, communications, misuse of company resources, or business relationships
What is the term for taking someone else's work or ideas and presenting them as your own without mentioning the source?
What is plagiarism?
What are three things employees need in order to choose from alternatives and make an ethical decision?
Good personal values, knowledge/competence in the business area, and knowledge of organizational policies and codes of ethics
What are three positive organizational objectives that effective business ethics programs can support?
Profitability, hiring, employee satisfaction, or customer loyalty