business ethics

The term business ethics refers to the concept of right and wrong, good and evil and responsibility in the business environment. This concept really gained attention beginning in the 1980s and 90s in the United States. Somewhere around that time we began to measure business ethics by how much we perceived them to be at odds with accepted social values.

Some areas where businesses have crossed ethical lines include discrimination, privacy, safety, competition, marketing strategies and liabilities. The foundational question becomes, when does a company cross the line in promoting their goals and purposes and infringing on the rights and liberties of one or more individuals?

Individuals run businesses, therefore the ethics of those individuals will influence the ethics of the company. Generally, good business ethics promote loyalty, productivity and quality and eliminate the need for subterfuge.