Making it Stick | Why has the increased attention to corporate scandals proven to be something of a mixed blessing?

Why has the increased attention to corporate scandals proven to be something of a mixed blessing?

On the one hand, the average investor can be forgiven for thinking that the business world is full of crooks whose only purpose is to make as much money as possible. Problems with product quality, poor customer service, and fraudulent financial reports with no admission of guilt paint a very negative picture. The response to this negative picture has been the creation of new rules and tighter controls that now represent a greater risk for organizations who fail to comply with the expected standard of behavior. On the other hand, ethics has become an issue that also positively impacts the business world. This sense of value results in increased commitment and reduced turnover, which means greater profits for the company.



Source: Ghillyer_Business Ethics A Real World Approach 2e

Making it Stick | Case / Opinion | Code of Ethics 1986

Code of Ethics 1986

Your company wrote its code of ethics in 1986.  

You have been assigned to a team that has been tasked with updating the code to make it more representative of current business ethics issues like the Internet and modern business technology. 

What are your recommendations?



Source: Ghillyer_Business Ethics A Real World Approach 2e

Corporate Governance | Key Terms

Key Terms - Corporate Governance

Audit Committee:  An operating committee staffed by members of the board of directors plus independent or outside directors. The committee is responsible for monitoring the financial policies and procedures of the organization—specifically the accounting policies, internal controls, and the hiring of external auditors.

Board of Directors:  A group of individuals hired to oversee governance of an organization. Elected by vote of shareholders at the annual general meeting (AGM), the true power of the board can vary from institution to institution from a powerful unit that closely monitors the management of the organization, to a body that merely rubber-stamps the decisions of the chief executive officer (CEO) and executive team.

Compensation Committee:  An operating committee staffed by members of the board of directors plus independent or outside directors. The committee is responsible for setting the compensation for the CEO and other senior executives. Typically, this compensation will consist of a base salary, performance bonus, stock options, and other perks.

“Comply or Else”:  A set of guidelines that require companies to abide by a set of operating standards or face stiff financial penalties.

“Comply or Explain”:  A set of guidelines that require companies to abide by a set of operating standards or explain why they choose not to.

Corporate Governance:  The system by which business corporations are directed and controlled.

Source: Ghillyer_Business Ethics A Real World Approach 2e

CSR | Corporate Social Responsibility 1 | Why is the failure of the public sector a major trend behind the CSR phenomenon?

Why is the failure of the public sector a major trend behind the CSR phenomenon?


















































Many, if not most, developing countries are governed by dysfunctional regimes. Developing countries alone do not suffer from public sectors. In the United States and in other developed countries, citizens expect less of government than they used to, having lost confidence in the public sector as the best or appropriate venue for addressing growing lists of social problems.


Source: Ghillyer_Business Ethics A Real World Approach 2e