| "The ethics of a business are whatever
| |
| | they do not, it will not go unobserved
|
| the top-dog says they are."
| |
| | by their subordinates. Managers,
|
| - Bryce's LawINTRODUCTIONWe hear a lot
| |
| | therefore,
|
| these days about the deterioration of
| |
| | should avoid the "do as I say, not do as
|
| ethics in business, e.g., graft,
| |
| | I do" phenomenon. They must lead by
|
| corruption, cheating, favoritism,
| |
| | example. Anything less is sheer
|
| skimming money, etc. This has resulted
| |
| | hypocrisy and will inevitably lead to
|
| in a public
| |
| | changes
|
| relations nightmare for business. If
| |
| | in behavior.It is simply not sufficient
|
| consumers do not trust a company, its a
| |
| | to issue platitudes as to what is and
|
| matter
| |
| | what isn't ethical
|
| of time before it goes out of business.
| |
| | behavior. The manager must follow-up
|
| This is supported by recent studies that
| |
| | and assure ethical behavior is
|
| give
| |
| | implemented
|
| evidence there is a correlation between
| |
| | accordingly. In other words, we
|
| business performance and ethical
| |
| | shouldn't just "desire" truth and
|
| practices
| |
| | honesty, we
|
| (see the Institute of Business Ethics).
| |
| | must "demand" it. If one person gets
|
| Basically, the Institute's study suggests
| |
| | away with an indiscretion, others will
|
| there
| |
| | surely
|
| are long-term benefits associated with
| |
| | follow. As such, when writing out a
|
| enacting an ethics programs. Such
| |
| | code of conduct, be sure to stipulate the
|
| studies
| |
| | penalties for its violation.The success
|
| and recent corporate snafus (e.g.,
| |
| | of a business ethics program is
|
| Enron) are impetus for companies coming
| |
| | ultimately measured by how well it
|
| to
| |
| | becomes ingrained in the corporate
|
| grips with ethics in the workplace.There
| |
| | culture. As we have discussed in the
|
| are essentially two considerations for
| |
| | past,
|
| devising an ethics program in
| |
| | corporate culture pertains to the
|
| business; first, knowing what your
| |
| | identity and personality of the
|
| ethics are, and, second; implementing
| |
| | enterprise. All
|
| them
| |
| | companies have a culture; a way they
|
| in a consistent manner.INTERPRETING
| |
| | behave and operate. They may be
|
| ETHICSThere is little point in my telling
| |
| | organized
|
| you what is ethically right or wrong.
| |
| | and disciplined or chaotic and
|
| You already
| |
| | unstructured. Either way, this is the
|
| have an interpretation of this. But let
| |
| | culture which
|
| us understand what influences our
| |
| | the enterprise has elected to adopt.
|
| interpretation
| |
| | What is important is that in order for an
|
| of ethics; our interpersonal relations
| |
| | employee
|
| with others, such as our family, friends,
| |
| | to function and succeed, they must be
|
| neighbors,
| |
| | able to recognize, accept and adapt to
|
| fellow workers, as well as the media.
| |
| | the
|
| Ethics is learned more than it is taught.
| |
| | culture. If they do not, they will be
|
| It is based
| |
| | rejected (people will not work with
|
| on observations of the conduct of
| |
| | them).The intuitive manager understands
|
| others, people we like and respect as
| |
| | the corporate culture and how to
|
| opposed to those
| |
| | manipulate
|
| we do not. It is then up to each of us
| |
| | it. Changing the Corporate Culture
|
| to interpret these perceptions from which
| |
| | involves influencing the three elements
|
| we will
| |
| | of the
|
| base our conduct and behavior. The
| |
| | culture: its Customs, Philosophy and
|
| point is, we act on our perceptions,
| |
| | Society. This is not a simple task. It
|
| however accurate
| |
| | must be
|
| or inaccurate they may be. Another
| |
| | remembered that culture is learned. As
|
| influential factor are our own human
| |
| | such, it can be taught and enforced. For
|
| frailties of
| |
| | example, a code of conduct is useful for
|
| competitiveness, love, greed and
| |
| | teaching, as is a system of rewards and
|
| ambition. But then again, this goes back
| |
| | penalties. Designating people to act as
|
| to
| |
| | watchdogs of the culture can also be
|
| interpersonal relations.Let us recognize
| |
| | useful,
|
| that ethical behavior is interpreted
| |
| | but be careful not to create a climate
|
| differently from person to person. What
| |
| | of paranoia. Ultimately, as a manager,
|
| one person may consider right or wrong
| |
| | you
|
| may be different for the next person.
| |
| | want to create a culture that promotes
|
| The objective
| |
| | the ethical behavior you desire.For more
|
| in business is to implement a uniform
| |
| | information on "Corporate Culture," see
|
| form of behavior thereby instilling
| |
| | now live in strange socioeconomic times.
|
| consumer
| |
| | 40-50 years ago we
|
| confidence in a company
| |
| | normally had one parent staying home to
|
| overall.IMPLEMENTATIONWriting a corporate
| |
| | raise the kids. Now it is commonplace
|
| code of conduct is in vogue today as a
| |
| | to find families where both the husband
|
| means of articulating the
| |
| | and wife are working and paying
|
| ethics of a business. Such codes are
| |
| | less attention to their children,
|
| proudly displayed on web sites and in
| |
| | thereby relegating their parenting duties
|
| corporate
| |
| | to
|
| brochures more for public relations than
| |
| | teachers and coaches. In other words,
|
| anything else. True, they are useful for
| |
| | the family unit, which is the basic
|
|
| |
| | building block for learning ethical
|
| disciplining an employee for an
| |
| | behavior, is becoming severely
|
| infraction of the rules, but I do not see
| |
| | hampered.In business today we have a
|
| them as an
| |
| | "fast-track" competitive mentality which
|
| effective way of implementing an ethics
| |
| | does not
|
| program. Understand this, regardless of
| |
| | encourage a spirit of teamwork but,
|
| what
| |
| | rather, more rugged individualism. Nor
|
| the code of conduct states, the ethics
| |
| | does it promote employee loyalty.
|
| of a business are whatever the top-dog
| |
| | Further, we now live in a society that
|
| says they
| |
| | encourages people to go into debt,
|
| are. Too often I have seen companies
| |
| | thereby causing financial
|
| say one thing, then act another, e.g.,
| |
| | tensions.Bottom-line, ethics is about
|
| Enron.Printed codes of conduct are nice,
| |
| | people and trust. Consequently, we
|
| but we have to recognize that it is one
| |
| | should be
|
| thing to
| |
| | sharpening our people skills as opposed
|
| enact legislation, quite another to
| |
| | to avoiding it. We don't need more
|
| enforce it. As stated earlier, ethical
| |
| | maxims of how we should conduct our
|
| behavior
| |
| | lives; we need to lead by example. As
|
| is based on observations. Regardless of
| |
| | such, we need more role-models and
|
| what a code of conduct says in print,
| |
| | heroes than we do paperwork.Let me close
|
| ethical
| |
| | with one last thought on how ethics
|
| behavior is based on the relationship of
| |
| | impacts business; there
|
| superior and subordinate worker
| |
| | is probably nothing worse in business
|
| relationships. If a subordinate
| |
| | than being caught in a lie, particularly
|
| observes an indiscretion by his superior,
| |
| | by a customer. Any trust that there may
|
| in all
| |
| | have been before disintegrates
|
| likelihood it will be emulated by the
| |
| | immediately and business is lost. In
|
| subordinate. This phenomenon occurs
| |
| | this day and age, there is something
|
| top-down in the whole corporate chain of
| |
| | refreshingly honorable about a person
|
| command. If it breaks down anywhere
| |
| | where their word is their bond. Ethics
|
| in the corporate hierarchy, it will
| |
| | just makes good business sense.Tim Bryce
|
| become visible to the subordinate layers
| |
| | is the Managing Director of M. Bryce &
|
| and
| |
| | Associates (MBA)
|
| potentially create a "trickle-down"
| |
| | of Palm Harbor, Florida and has 30 years
|
| effect. This means the boss has to be a
| |
| | of experience in the field. He is
|
| role
| |
| | available for training and consulting on
|
| model for ethical behavior; they must
| |
| | an international basis. He can be
|
| "walk-the-walk" as well as
| |
| | contacted at: Copyright © 2006 MBA.
|
| "talk-the-talk." If
| |
| | All rights reserved.
|
