Some industries have so many unscrupulous players that merely being part of such an industry makes you look bad. We all know the industries with bad reputations, for instance; Used Cars, Stock Brokerage Firms, Lawyers, and Bail Bondsmen. But just because someone is in such an industry does not mean they are all that bad. There are some fair, honest and decent people, right? Well, look at the examples I just gave again? See the problem, you hesitated didn’t you, sure you did.

It’s amazing how we stereotype people by profession and industry, even though each individual is just that, an individual. Some folks would never trust a lawyer or a used car salesmen, even if they were in their own family, it’s true, why are people so cruel and harsh, why is it that we think like this? Are people really guilt simply by the industry they work in?

What about politicians, are they all considered crooks? Why? If we are to get honest and decent politicians and we keep calling them all crooks who would want to do that job, see the problem? Now, I have met some pretty disgusting human beings in my life in the very same industries listed above. But, sure enough I have met a few honorable people in those professions too.

Discrimination by industry or guilt by industry association is not a good thing, and it’s a real problem, especially if you are trying to clean up an industry and put a little integrity back into the loop. It’s not going to be easy to stop these stereotypes, but perhaps we all ought to give it our best efforts. Think on this.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Blog Content Service. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance here

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Tags: ethical, business, job, issues, discrimination

“In the end, integrity is all you’ve got…” this statement succinctly encapsulates the

importance of ethics in the corporate scheme of things, and underscores its role as the
corner stone of business practices today.

Jack Welch, former chairman of GE is a major champion of the supremacy of ethics in
business. Whenever an employee’s actions have put GE on the wrong side of the law, he
has hastened to co-operate with investigators, admit guilt and take prompt corrective
action. Such corporate mea culpa has served the company well.

The time-card scandal in 1985 was the first significant ethical challenge of Welch’s 25year GE career. GE Re-entry Systems, a GE subsidiary, was making a new nose cone for the Air Force’s Minuteman missile. Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia charged it with 108 counts of criminal fraud. The indictment alleged that GE managers had altered worker’s time cards with improper charges totaling $800,000. Welch’s response and damage control were brilliant, thereby winning the trust of government officials. Welch personally called on Secretary Orr, presenting a comprehensive proposal for cleaning up the mess and preventing such mess from recurring. He created a top-level review board within GE to oversee compliance.

In this time-card case and other similar instances, candor and a determination to ally GE with the forces of law have enabled GE to emerge with more vitality and systematic approaches to ethics. The experiences also underscore the challenge of having to raise employees’ awareness of the need for high ethical standards.

“You can’t audit integrity into a system any more than you can inspect quality into a machine. Where you can make a difference is by changing the culture, by tireless, forceful leadership that won’t tolerate winking, rule-bending or looking the other way.” Welch was quoted as saying. His favourite question to GE employees was: “Can you look in the mirror every day and feel proud of what you are doing.” According to Welch, “In a global business, you can win without bribes. But you better have technology. That’s why we win in business like turbines, because we have the best gas turbine. You have got to be the low-priced supplier, but in almost all cases, if you have quality, price and technology, you win.”

Even the comeback kid, Donald Trump has this advice for businessmen: “Be honest,
even if there are others around you who are not.” In the 1999, he almost wanted to run as

Companies spend a lot of money in selecting its candidates. This is normally based on competence and achievements, which are easier to measure. However, it is equally important to select candidates with high levels of integrity and ethics. Strong ethical practices should pervade across the whole corporate spectrum. It is important that board members need to be more independent. Analysts too need to provide independent views and assessments in their reports on companies. Shareholders and investors need to focus and do their homework rather than merely relying on earnings per share and short term profits. All of these issues have to do with integrity as it is necessary to do what is right
and ethical.

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Dr Mike Teng (DBA, MBA, BEng, FIMechE, FIEE, CEng, PEng, FCMI, FCIM, SMCS) is the author of the best-selling business book “Corporate Turnaround: Nursing a sick company back to health”, in 2002. In 2006, he authored another book entitled, “Corporate Wellness: 101 Principles in Turnaround and Transformation.” Dr Teng is widely recognized as a turnaround CEO in Asia by the news media. He has 27 years of experience in corporate responsibilities in the Asia Pacific region. Of these, he held Chief Executive Officer’s positions for 17 years in multi-national, local and publicly listed companies. He led in the successful turnaround of several troubled companies. He is currently the Managing Director of a business advisory firm, Corporate Turnaround Centre Pte Ltd (Website), which assists companies on a fast track to financial performance. Dr Teng was the President of the Marketing Institute of Singapore (2000 – 2004),

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Tags: ethical, article, business, issues, ethics

Everyone knows that hurricanes and major storms bring with them a rising tide of flood waters, torrential rains, and high winds. The damage left behind is measured in millions, if not billions, of dollars. While many well meaning people and legitimate companies move in to lend a helping hand, enough scoundrels find their way to the damage zones and prey upon vulnerable home and property owners.

Scoundrels take many forms. Looting is common in evacuated communities. Looters are opportunists who see an opportunity and take it – along with whatever they can get their hands on. Other scoundrels include unlicensed or out-of-area contractors who want to make a fast buck – often by overcharging for services, performing shoddy work, or flat out taking your money – never to be seen again.

What other types of scoundrels descending upon your disaster area? Be wary of anyone going door-to-door promising quick fixes or asking for cash up front. Legitimate contractors and public insurance agents have plenty of legitimate business and shouldn’t need to go door-to-door. It’s not uncommon for scoundrels to pose as contractors, ask for a cash advance for “materials” and then disappear with the receding flood waters. Even those contractors and agents that are properly licensed and ready to work may not be the best choice. Inflated prices and sketchy warranties are reason enough to find your own contractor through trusted sources.

While looters may be locals and other scoundrels may come in from nearby towns and states, long distance scoundrels are ready to exploit the situation – and they may be half a world away. These reach far beyond the disaster area, targeting the goodwill of charitable people wanting to help. Online scams, phishing attempts, and e-mail campaigns soliciting donations are designed with one thing in mind: lining the scoundrel’s pockets.

In the first few days following a major disaster dozens of related domain names are typically registered. Whether these web domains belong to legitimate relief agencies or contractors isn’t always apparent upon first glance. Like phishing web sites, it’s not terribly difficult to publish a professional looking Web site in a matter of hours. With savvy search engine techniques and a huge audience of people wanting to help, the Web sites operated by scoundrels are sure to turn over a quick buck or two before being discovered (if ever) by the authorities.

Offline scams in the immediate disaster area and online scams extending from all corners of the globe are more common than you may think. Whether you live in the immediate disaster area or are a concerned citizen living elsewhere, it’s important to be skeptical and consider the possibility that the person knocking on your door or the e-mail that arrived in your inbox is either a scammer or a scam.

What should you do to prevent being the scoundrel’s next victim? Remember that scammers can be personable, professional-looking, and downright charming. Phishing messages and phony Web sites are designed to look like the real thing and pull on your heart strings. Rather than allowing contractors, relief agencies, and public insurance adjusters find you, you find them – through legitimate avenues. This means asking trusted sources for referrals, using companies you’ve dealt with in the past, or doing a great deal of research before agreeing to any work, contract, or donation. This also means never paying cash up front and asking for (and calling) references. Other steps that you can take include checking with the Better Business Bureau, checking with your state’s contractor licensing or insurance licensing board, and checking with charity watchdogs to find out if the contractor, public insurance agent, or charity has any complaints on file, is properly licensed, or is a legitimate organization.

Scoundrels are everywhere but they love to descend upon areas that are ripe for exploitation such as areas devastated by flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and earthquakes. No matter what disaster has affected you, beware of the scoundrels that are sure to emerge from the debris.

Dryout® Inc.

Dryout Inc Emergency water damage restoration, drying, deodorization, decontamination, disinfection, mold removal, water and fire damage repair services by a network of trained specialists, technicians and restoration professionals across the USA and Canada.

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Tags: issues, ethics, ethical, business, legal

Sensational headlines add fuel to the fire. In Canada, there was a report published in most of the daily newspapers saying that by 10 am on January 2nd, the 100 top paid CEOs in Canada have already earned more than what the average Canadian makes in an entire year. A few more facts on this story: The average income of the 100 top paid CEOs in Canada is $9 million per year. The income of the average Canadian worker is $38,000 per year. Look at it this way – By the end of the fourth day of each year, these CEOs make more than twice what the average person makes in the entire year!

Stories like this are sensational. Sensationalism hurts reputations. Nothing was published about whether these CEOs earn their keep or how anybody would go about measuring their worth. Sure, some of these people are probably overpaid. But some are not. Some of these CEOs, I’m sure, risked everything to start the companies that they now preside over. They risked a lot. They now enjoy the rewards that come with success. Not to mention, many of these CEOs are probably responsible for the creation of many jobs.

In the end, nothing is really told except a headline saying that CEOs make a lot of money – Headlines written in a method to grab people’s attention and sell newspapers. There is more to sensational headlines than meets the eye. The unsuspecting public naturally comes to the conclusion that these CEOs are overpaid and immoral. In most cases, I don’t think that’s true.

Tino Buntic created his website, TradePals, to provide free sales leads without cold calling to business professionals across The United States and Canada. Visit the site and create a free professional profile to get started.

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Tags: ethical, business, compensation, pay, issues

Everywhere you look there is information on how individuals can protect themselves from credit card fraud. This information can be found at banking institutions, libraries, on TV, on the Internet, its everywhere. However, that isn’t the case for businesses. How can your business protect itself from these fraudulent individuals who make purchases for products or service online or over the phone? Like most business, you may ship the products before discovering that the credit card is stolen. In this case, your company suffers the bill and the true owner of the credit card cannot be held reliable.

Nevertheless, these are the steps to protect your business from fraudulent individuals and avoid this terrifying situation.

1. It is important that you gather all the information associated with the credit card. This can be done by requesting all of the information exactly as it is shown on the card. This information includes: The cardholder’s name (Exactly as shown on the card, including middle name or middle name initial). Request all 16 digits on the credit card. Request the credit card verification number. This number is the last 3 or digits located on the back of the card after the account number. Request the expiration date on the card. Request the billing address for the card which in most cases should not be a P.O. Box. Requesting this information is very important. The fact is that most card thieves only have the card number. They will not have any other information associated with the card. By having all of this information you will be able to utilize address verification services. Address verification service compare the billing address given by the customer to the banks database and alerts the user if the addresses are different.

2. Pay particular attention to customers who list a different billing address and mailing address. In some cases, card thieves may also have the cardholders ID. In this case they will be able to supply the billing address; however, request for the product to be sent to a different address. You may opt to call the bank of the credit card and ask them to call the cardholder to verify the purchase.
It is definitely advised not to ship orders internationally with a different billing and mailing address.

3. In most fraudulent cases, the card thief will request a next day delivery. They want to get the product fast and without being caught. This is a red flag and should be carefully observed. If the order is larger than your typical orders, most definitely question it. Remember, the card thief is not concerned about how much he/she is spending; it is not their money. Most likely, he/she needs a large quantity for resale.

4.As a business owner, you want to do everything it takes to protect your business from fraudulent activity. It may be resourceful to have all the information collected validated by the customer. Since you are not meeting with the customer directly, it is wise to request that the customer fax you a copy of the credit card and photo id. This may seem extreme, but not as extreme as been taken for thousands of dollars in products. This precaution should most definitely be exercised for large orders involving heavy sums of money.

5.If you do find yourself a victim of this fraudulent activity, take immediate action to reduce loss.
a.Immediately inform your local police department. Make sure to answer all the questions the police may ask and give them all the information that you have.

b.Contact the bank of the credit card. Request that the issuing bank calls the customer to inform them of the situation. Make sure to give the issuing bank all the information that you have. Including, the billing and mailing address the card thief submitted. When the cardholder calls your company, explain the importance of the situation and why it is vital that he or she also reports the incident to the police.

By following these steps you are taking the necessary action to protect your business from credit card fraud.

William King is the director of Canada Wholesale, UK Wholesalers and Dropshippers Directory. He has 18 years of experience in the marketing and trading industries and has been helping retailers and startups with their product sourcing, promotion, marketing and supply chain requirements.

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Tags: ethic, cases, business, issues, article

Machiavelli said that “The first opinion which one forms of a prince, and of his understanding, is by observing the men he has around him; and when they are capable and faithful he may always be considered wise”.

Similarly the selection of the employees in the modern organization is critical as they are the most valuable assets of the organization. Machiavelli proposed that those should be hired who believe in the grandness of the task and greatness of the leader rather than who are simply driven by other factors like money and reputation (Knowledge@Wharton, 2003). As per him the people looking for money and reputation will leave the moment they will get it better somewhere else.

Secondly all the employees and subjects should be armed as the power of prince will considerably increase with their number. This can be easily translated into providing more opportunities to employees in the work place. This will not only prepare them for bigger task but also improve their loyalty toward the organization.

End Justify the Means

The word ‘Machiavellian’ in English is now widely referred as ‘the political doctrine of Machiavelli: any means (however unscrupulous) can be used by a ruler in order to create and maintain his autocratic government’. The book time and time again mentions that it is prudent for a ruler to use cunning and necessary evil activities, either to instigate fear among his opponents or to protect his kingdom.

The philosophy today is as outdated today as media plays an increasing role in public life and people have zero tolerance toward unscrupulousness. Even in the business world anything unethical is looked down upon and there are strict regulations against it.

Time and time again we have witnessed how the companies which adhere to unscrupulous methods to justify the means are punished not only by authorities but also by the stakeholders. Nike has seen customer protest and product boycott against employment of child labor in its vendors factories in South Asia. Wal-Mart is criticized for not allowing its employees to form labor union and making illegal workers clean stores to cut costs.

The biggest of all is the rigorous punishment to CEO’s of Enron and WorldCom who were found guilty in manipulating accounting practices and fattening profits of the company.

Anand Mann writes Marketing and Business Management articles, journal and columns for Knowledge Weekly.

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Tags:ethical, work, issues, behaviour, practice

Business Law Before you start a business, legally, you need to obtain any business licenses or permits required by law. Doing so will identify your business, protect public health and safety and help you keep track of your finances for tax purposes. The application for an employer identification number (EIN) is available at the IRS website; an EIN is required for corporations, LLCs and partnerships, as well as any sole proprietors who will hire employees. Unless your company’s service or product is regulated by a federal agency, you probably won’t need any federal licenses or permits. However, things like public transportation, investment advice, or producing drugs or firearms, require supervision by a federal agency and you will need special licenses. If, for example, you will become involved with environmental regulations at the federal level, you’ll need to deal with the EPA.

State Business Licensing Laws States license people in certain professions, such as lawyers, doctors, and accountants. Your state might also require a license for certain other businesses such as barbers or real estate agents. You should check with your state to find out if your business requires a state license or permit. Selling certain products including alcohol and lottery tickets might also require a state license.

Your municipality might require a license or permit for your business. Check with your city or town to find out about zoning laws to ensure that you are allowed to conduct business in a particular building like your home or the storefront you rent. If you are involved in retail sales, you will also have to pay state and local sales tax. Depending on your city, this could be done at the state level or both the city and state levels.

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Have you ever thought what makes one manager better than another? It might start with his or her credibility. Good values give leaders credibility. Today’s politicians argue about God’s political affiliation. Politicians promote values like they were Nike shoes. As a result, Americans are now cynical their leaders.

Let’s examine this matter closer. In 1998, President Clinton was caught in a vicious sex scandal. Clearly, it was a national disgrace. There was a circle of low character issues, including adultery, lies, and betrayal. His opponents gleamed at the possible political advantages. However, the results were different than expected.

A character train wreck pursued. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich resigned, and his replacement Bob Livingston resigned after his adulterous scandal. As a result of these personal shames among politicians, voices grew quieter about these unethical deeds. No one was discussing good family values during this scandalous timeframe. However, people want to think highly about their leaders. Leadership gurus Kouzer and Posner explain that most individuals admire leaders who are honest, inspiring, and competent.

I wonder why these powerful people don’t get it. Why do some politicians feel they can short circuit good character in their offices? People do care about character. Clearly, effective leaders need to understand that character does count and is valued among followers. Therefore, more politicians need to listen closer.

References:
BBC.co.uk (1998). Received on October 5, 2006,

Kouzes, J. & Posner, B. (2003). Credibility. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

© 2006 by Daryl D. Green

Daryl D. Green has published over 100 articles in the field of decision-making (personal and organizational), leadership, and organizational behavior. Mr. Green is also the author of two acclaimed books, Awakening the Talents Within and My Cup Runneth Over. He is a columnist, lecturer, professor, and management consultant. Mr. Green has a BS in engineering and a MA in organizational management. Currently, he is a doctoral candidate in strategic leadership.

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Tags: article, business, code, ethical, issues

When anyone commits insurance fraud, be it a one-time padding of a personal insurance claim or a conspiracy to submit false or inflated invoices in an effort to boost profits, guess who pays the ultimate price? The consumer. Sure, the insurance company may pay the bills but no one is really “sticking it to the insurance company” – they are sticking it to the policyholders.

After all, as expenses rise, so too do premiums. The Insurance Information Institute estimates that insurance fraud adds up to $30 billion per year in bogus losses. Now, $30 billion is a big number. This is a number that isn’t necessarily absorbed as a cost of doing business. No, insurance companies are in business to make money and they pass their expenses on to their customers – even bogus expenses.

In addition to the high cost of fraudulent claims, insurance companies have an additional cost related to this issue – the cost of identifying, investigating, and fighting these claims. It’s not cheap to hire teams of investigators or pursue fraud. Not only does the consumer receive higher premiums based on increased losses, the consumer must also foot the bill for investigating and pursuing legal action against fraudsters.

Think about the various policies that you hold. You might have medical insurance, life insurance, auto insurance, homeowners insurance, and workers compensation insurance just to name a few. How much do the premiums of all of your policies add up to each year? Your annual insurance costs add up to a pretty hefty number as well. Considering that you are paying for insurance fraud through increased premiums, suddenly, this problem becomes more relevant.

Now, consider the temptation involved. You pay tens of thousands of dollars for insurance and hopefully will never need to collect. However, if you do, you may be tempted to “get your money’s worth” by exaggerating your losses. Others justify insurance fraud by blaming the insurance companies for their unfair practices or lowball settlement offers. The system is far from perfect but adding fraudulent claims to the mix is not the answer.

While many consumers have a lax attitude when they hear of others filing false claims or padding their losses, others are deeply concerned. Why should the rest of us pay for greed? Insurance fraud is a crime and it hurts every policyholder in the nation.

Another way that insurance fraud hurts is that it tarnishes complete industries. For example, the recent indictment of the owner and several employees of Disaster Restoration Inc. has hurt the disaster recovery industry. Consumers wonder if all disaster remediation companies are making their own rules or participating in unethical practices. Drill these perceptions down even further and you’ll have consumers wondering if a company that feels it is okay to rip off the insurance companies also feel that it is okay to perform shoddy work or overbill for sub-par products and services.

Whether you’re a consumer or a business owner, insurance represents a large part of your budget. How you feel about the cost of insurance may influence how you feel about the so-called “victimless crime” of insurance fraud. However, once you realize that victims do indeed exist and that you are the one who ultimately pays the bill, you may not be quite so willing to sit idly by as others bilk the system.

In short, insurance fraud is wrong. It is unethical. It hurts us all. If you want to see decreased insurance premiums, you must take a stand against insurance fraud. In addition, if you want to see increased profits of your own, taking the high, ethical road is the right choice.

By: Mr. Mark Decherd

Dryout Inc Emergency water damage restoration, drying, deodorization, decontamination, disinfection, mold removal, water damage repair, restoration and reconstruction of commercial and residential properties damaged by fire, water and other disasters by a network of trained specialists, technicians and restoration professionals across the USA and Canada.

Mr. Mark Decherd
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Tags: health, care, ethics, issues, code

Review website are popping up all over the Internet giving their reviews “more like an opinion” on every topic imaginable. These review sites are not here to give you their honest opinion but rather use their website to gain commissions from those websites that they are in fact reviewing.

Who really cares what their opinion is, when their opinion is based upon weather or not they are going to get a big fat commission check for their opinion in the first place.

These sites are mere feeding off of others hard work by running comparisons between one another for the sole purpose to get you to come to their review site in the first place. The reviews that are posted are based upon which company owner will pay the biggest commission, and not on the facts or reputation of the reviewed company itself.

ScamReviewSites.com is based in the USA to bring these varmints out in the open and tell the general public why and what they are up to. Their agenda is to trick us into believing that they really have done some research on the companies they claim they have reviewed when the facts show these review sites are merely cut, copy and paste the information from a different review site and changing the company’s name to suit their agenda.

ScamReviewSites.com has nothing to gain, they are independent of others, they do not accept ANY affiliate links or any type of commissions on their reviews. They point out the Good, the Bad and the Ugly for any and all sites without accepting a dime for their time and hard work.

You will NOT find a better source and a more genuine Review Site on the Net today. The information is straight to the point and written without any money agenda, go visit, it’s free for all.

Samuel Portier

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Tags: social, ethics, business, issues, responsibility

Government regulation and public awareness are external forces that have increased the social responsibility of business. But business decisions are made within the company. Two contrasting philosophies, or models, define the range of management attitudes toward social responsibility; the economic and the socioeconomic model.

According to the traditional concept of business, a firm exists to produce quality goods and services, earn a reasonable profit and provide jobs. In line with this concept, the economic model of social responsibility holds that society will benefit more when business is left alone to produce and market profitable products that society needs. To the manager who adopts this traditional attitude, social responsibility is someone else’s job. After all, stockholders invest in a corporation to earn a return on their investment, not because the firm is socially responsible and the firm is legally obligated to act in the economic interest of its stockholders.

In contrast, some managers believe they have the responsibility not only to stockholders, but also to customers, employees, suppliers, and the general public. This broader view is referred to as the socioeconomic model of social responsibility. It places emphasis not only on profits but also on the impact of business decisions on society. Recently, increasing numbers of managers and firms have adopted the socioeconomic model and they have done so for at least three reasons. First, a business is dominated by the corporate form of ownership and the corporation is a creation of society. Second, many firms are beginning to take pride in their social responsibility records. Third, many business people believe it is in their best interest to take the initiative in this area, prior to their competitors.

The merits of the economic and the socioeconomic models have been debated for years by business owners, managers, customers, and government officials. Each side seems to have four major arguments to reinforce its viewpoint. Proponents of the socioeconomic model maintain that a business must be more than simply seek profits to support their position and they offer that businesses cannot ignore social issues because a business is a part of our society. Moreover, a business has the technical, financial, and managerial resources that are needed to tackle today’s complex social issues. Additionally, by helping resolve social issues, business can create a more stable environment for long-term profitability. Finally, proponents of socially responsible decision making practices argue that these types of tactics can prevent increased government intervention, which would force businesses to do what they fail to do voluntarily. All these arguments are based on the assumption that a business has a responsibility not only to stockholders but also to customers, employees, suppliers and the general public.

Opponents of the socioeconomic model argue that a business should do what it does best; earn a profit by manufacturing and marketing products that people want. Those who support their position argue that business managers are primarily responsible to stockholders, so management must be concerned with providing a return on owners’ investment. Furthermore, corporate time, money and talent should be used to maximize profits, not to solve society’s problems. Also, social problems affect society in general, so individual businesses should not be expected to sole these problems. In addition, social issues are the responsibility of government officials who are elected for that purpose and who are accountable to the voters for their decision. These arguments are obviously based on the assumption that the primary objective of business is to earn profits, whereas government and social institutions should deal with social problems.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Employment, Business, and Real Estate

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The following four rights are the basis of much of the consumer-oriented legislation that has been passed during the last thirty years. These rights also provide an effective outline of the objectives and accomplishments of the consumer movement.

- The right to safety

The consumers’ right to safety means that products they purchase must be safe for their intended use, must include thorough and explicit directions for proper use, and must be tested by the manufacturer to ensure product quality and reliability. Business firms should also be aware that consumers and the government have been winning an increasing number of product-liability lawsuits against sellers of defective products. Moreover, the amount of the awards in these suits has been steadily increasing. Yet another major reason for improving product safety is the consumer’s demand for safe products. People will simply stop buying a product they believe is unsafe or unreliable.

- The right to be informed

The right to be informed means that consumers must have access to complete information about a product before they buy it. Detailed information about ingredients and nutrition must be provided on food containers, information about fabrics and laundering methods must be attached to clothing and lenders must disclose the true cost of borrowing the money they make available to costumers who purchase merchandise on credit. In addition, manufacturers must inform consumers about the potential dangers of using their products.

- The right to choose

The right to choose means that consumers have a choice of products, offered by different manufacturers and sellers, to satisfy a particular need. The government has done its part by encouraging competition through anti trust legislation. Competition and the resulting freedom of choice provide additional benefits for costumers by reducing prices

- The right to be heard

The forth right means that someone will listen and take appropriate action when costumers complain. In fact, corporate management teams begun listening to consumer complains after the end of World War II when competition begun again to increase. Today, businesses are listening even more attentively and many larger firms have consumer relations departments that can be easily contacted via toll-free phone numbers. Actually, one of the services every consumer today expects to receive from the companies he or she selects to purchase things from is consumer support.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Consumer Information, Employment, and Business

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According to Michael Josephson, an ethics expert, there are four tenets that comprise ethical behavior: honesty, integrity, fairness, and concern for others. These four tenets are similar to the four legs of a chair. Even if only one leg is missing, the chair wobbles, and if two are missing, the chair collapses.

Priding oneself on your honesty and integrity isn’t anything if you’re also not fair or caring.

Ethical Behavior in Business – Today, one area of discussion that has been a hot topic is ethical behavior in business. The events of the past year make it appear that “business and ethics” are mutually exclusive. It is so downheartening to see that so many major businesses are being investigated for unsavory business practices. Mortgage companies, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, Wall Street, you name it. The institutions we once thought we could trust are no more. Have we never left the 1980s with its “greed is good” code of ethics?

The fact that today’s business leaders are unethical should cause us to want to do just the opposite by being even more ethical in our daily affairs. But, it can also be deemed the reason that they continue with their bad behavior. If your boss can make personal calls on the company phone, why shouldn’t you conduct your personal business on the company computer? When the leaders in the company set a poor example, it is only natural that the employees will follow it without a qualm.

Additionally, a downsized staff that is expected to produce an upscaled workload may feel that how they do their job doesn’t matter, as long as it gets done. When employees are under pressure from management to achieve company goals, they will do everything they can think of to increase productivity, whether or not it is ethical.

This pressure makes it seem that management is telling employees that it is alright to do whatever they need to in order to meet their goals, even if this includes lying, cheating, stealing, and so forth. The economy is unpredictable. In these uncertain times, it is that much more important that we monitor ourselves and do everything we can to keep our actions open and above-board. Unethical behavior is not okay, even when it goes unchecked. Business communication is one area that is likely to be ripe for improvement.

From the excellent book, Business Communication, Process & Product, by Mary Ellen Guffey, 2000, I would like to share five suggestions that will enable you to maintain yourself as an ethical business communicator.

1) Tell the truth. Statements that are misleading or untrue should not be made. It is not ethical to use partial truths or to exaggerate.

2) Label the opinions. Opinions are not the same as facts. Do not just repeat what someone else has already done; do your own independent research.

3) Try to be factual. Be aware that your own personal biases may be shown through your writing. Even if it is a topic that you feel strongly about, you are ethically responsible for objectively presenting the information.

4) Communication should be clear. The message should be written in such a way that it should be easily and quickly understood. Words that can be easily understood by the reader should be used. Avoid intentionally overwhelming the reader with lengthy, complicated sentences or words that the reader is unlikely to know.

5) Credit should be given. You should avoid plagiarism. Most folks know that you are supposed to use quotation marks when you use the actual words of the author. But I have seen many instances where writers don’t understand they also have to give credit for borrowed ideas. It’s still plagiarism if you have done nothing more than reorder the words in a sentence and maybe added a few words of your own, but haven’t attributed the idea to the author.

In conclusion, not only is being an ethical communicator the right thing to do but it is also required. Take the lead by being a good example. Running a successful business by ethical standards will encourage others to follow your lead.

Michelle Howe, MBA, president of Internet Word Magic, specializes in writing irresistible copy for websites. Transform the way you do business. Visit her website at http://www.InternetWordMagic.com for a FR^EE chapter download of her new book “Turn Browsers into Buyers” and FR^EE report, “The Five-Step Plan to Article Success.”

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Tags: ethical, business, communication, issues, code

Believing in what one does is important to make the work successful. If the person involved in a work does not have enough faith & confidence on the work then the probability of that work not being successful is more. Any system no matter how big the system is & how flawless it is if it does not have people involved in it who have faith on the system.

A set of people not so confident about the system is a force good enough to make the system totally inefficient & imperfect & eventually fail it. Now this is an important issue because every one of them who are designing a system must consider this.

A system & it’s success depends on the acceptance that it receives from the people involved in the system. If a company is willing to establish a new project then it should involve the people in the system, who are eventually going to be the user of the project. This will allow the company to asses their project & estimate the errors & thereby make it a success.

If people like these are involved in the formation of the system then they can suggest the modification that the system requires. These modifications will increase the chances of their acceptance of the system.
The fact that human being though pretend to like changes but really does not prevent them from accepting a new system replacing an age old one even if the new system is far better than the existing one.

This issue of human acceptance has been a very under rated one but eventually it’s the people that a system is made for. So if it does not convince them then there is no point in even thinking about a new system. So if you are planning to introduce a new system you better consider the issue seriously.

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Kayes Chowdury – EzineArticles Expert Author

Tags: ethic, cases, business, issues, article

It’s gotten mighty hard to nail down just exactly what people mean these days when they speak of corporate social responsibility.

Does it mean extracting sea turtles out of fishing nets or not eating monoculture salmon? Does it mean not out-sourcing jobs to cheaper foreign lands even if it raises the standard of living in those places? What if the outsourced jobs go to foreign union members? Is it better to build a new LEED certified building or to make due with the old building that’s sturdy if not entirely energy efficient? Is it more socially responsible for a company to donate to an AIDS orphan cause in Africa than to a ballet company in Africa? What if the ballet company employs AIDS victims?

I’m not an ethicist and some of these questions are ethical questions. But for the rest of us how are we supposed to navigate the thicket of sometimes competing and oftentimes perplexing conundrums framed as issues of corporate social responsibility?

This was all so much easier when “the business of America [was still] business,” to paraphrase the famously-taciturn former U.S. President Calvin Coolidge.

I am, however, a marketer. And in marketing one way to know where you stand with stakeholders who are important to you is to ask them. It won’t necessarily yield perfect moral clarity, but it can suggest pathways.

Fleishman-Hillard, a public relations firm and division of Omnicom, in conjunction with the National Consumers League has now conducted three studies on the subject of corporate social responsibility; in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

I read the executive summary for the 2007 study and if you can get past the laughably inaccurate renderings of the bar charts and the occasional editorializing in the summary… which has been no small hurdle for me… there may be something here for cause marketers.

What does “corporate social responsibility” mean? Fleishman-Hillard asked consumers just that as an open-ended, unprompted question. A truncated list of responses from the 2007 survey released in May included the following:

Commitment to communities—23 percent
Commitment to employees—17 percent
Responsibility to the environment—11 percent
Provide quality products—10 percent
More charitable donations—1 percent
Don’t know—9 percent

What contributions do consumers expect from companies? Again, the truncated list included:

Non-financial contributions—29 percent
No expectations—13 percent
Treating employees well—11 percent
Fixing problems created by company—11 percent
Doing a good job—11 percent
Environmentally-friendly practices—10 percent
Financial contributions—10 percent

What to make of these low numbers when it comes to corporate charitable donations? The authors of the study’s executive summary surmise that:

“…the consistent findings across both the 2006 and 2007 CSR surveys, when it comes to defining the meaning and expectations surrounding CSR, suggest that companies’ charitable and philanthropic giving is no longer enough to impress consumers. Perhaps it is now viewed as a standard expectation that consumers have — a bare minimum requirement — to even be considered as a socially responsible company.”

They’re suggesting that there’s a kind of market price for corporate social responsibility and that consumers have already factored into that price corporate generosity to charity.

According to the Fleishman-Hillard study, what is likely to move the needle for consumers when it comes to corporate social responsibility? As it turns out, it’s self interest.

When asked what is most important to consumers with regard to corporate social responsibility the top vote getter with 29 percent was ‘treats/pays employee well.’ If England is a nation of shopkeepers then the U.S. is a nation of employees. And the survey’s respondees are internalizing the question and answering it as employees.

And yet, unemployment is 4.5 percent right now in the United States… quite low… which has driven real wages up. So while the newspaper headlines here are filled with stories of jobs being exported to India and China, the fact is that the American worker is in pretty good shape overall; the glass is half-full. But the perception is that the American worker is endangered… that the glass is half-empty. The Fleishman-Hillard study bears that out.

Changing that perception is in no small way a public relations challenge.

Call Fleishman-Hillard. I’m sure they’d be glad to help

Paul Jones is the principal of Alden Keene & Associates, a consultancy specializing in integrating marketing and communications, market research, and internal and external communications. One of Alden Keene’s especialidads de la casa is cause-related marketing. That is, helping businesses and nonprofits come together in ways that profit both. Check his blog at http://causerelatedmarketing.blogspot.com . Copyright 2007 Alden Keene & Associates.

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Tags: individual, ethics, code, issues, business

With the growing economic problems of late, many corporations would be questioning whether it is prudent for businesses to still undertake corporate social responsibility initiatives, given that they should be starting to closely analyse their business operations looking for any and all opportunities to reduce unnecessary expenditure in an effort to batten down the hatches and weather the financial storm that may be set to continue for some years.

Naturally the first expenditures that come under the microscope are those viewed not to be directly related to the corporations core business, or considered a “luxury” item that the business doesn’t really need on a day-to-day basis. Many businesses may jump to the relatively new expenses they have started to incur, that of corporate social responsibility jobs and initiatives they have created and are funding. This may give relief in the short term but will it prove to be the wisest move in terms of the long term sustainability of the company?

Of course, if a company has the choice of spending a dollar in order to be an ongoing concern rather than on CSR jobs and activities, then naturally the choice is easy. Its obvious that if the company ceases to exist, any social benefits it can pass on become non-existent as well. Particularly for smaller companies, with smaller budgets, undertaking corporate social responsibility initiatives, it is much better to forgo investment in CSR now, in order to build a stronger company over the longer term. And once the company has starting earning well again it can re-institute efforts to develop CSR jobs and activities again, over the longer term.

Having said that, before any business (big or small) makes a decision with regards to corporate social responsibility jobs and expenditure, it should seek to question exactly what CSR means and encompasses for their corporate entity. Many may have the simplistic view that it is simply about giving money to charities, or donating the time of employees with needed skills to the community. However, the very phrase “corporate social responsibility” seeks to establish the notion of a company as a citizen of society. A citizen responsible and accountable to all of its stakeholders, neighbours and all others in society at the same time. Any citizen of society needs to do much more than just give money or services to those in need. First and foremost, it should be undertaking to ensure that it’s very own day-to-day business and actions are being conducted in a responsible manner. Ensuring that it is not creating and injecting ‘wrong’ into society, that may or may not be corrected by one of society’s other citizens. That is, corporate social responsibility should not be about debits and credits. (I’m doing some ‘wrong’ over here which I will balance out by doing some ‘right’ over there.)

It’s an important notion to consider in light of recent world changing events. Take this thought: If companies selling sub-prime loans had a comprehensive CSR practice in place and were truly working with the notion of being a participating citizen of society, and doing no ‘wrong’, then this should have prevented them from knowingly giving out loans to people that had no chance of repaying them in a sensible manner. That is to say, it is possible that the central root cause of the current global financial crisis could have been avoided if more truly socially responsible practices had been in place.

In conclusion, companies should carefully consider their next moves, if they are thinking about cutting back on CSR jobs and initiatives. Although such action could lead to short term gains, much more severe long term losses for both the ongoing viability of the business itself and society at large could be at stake.

Ant K,

Corporate Social Responsibility Jobs

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Tags: behaviour, ethical, issues, practice, work

An Arab businessman who was purchasing real estate in South Africa expressed amazement at the long time it takes to conclude a deal in this country. “In my country we just shake hands and the deal is done,” he said. He told me that if it became known that any person had reneged on an agreement sealed by a handshake, he would be ostracized and that nobody would do business with him again.

In South Africa it is standard business practice to shake hands at the beginning and end of meetings. But in the property arena the deal is not over until a host of legal hurdles have been crossed, the title deeds are registered and the money is in the bank. And even then, it is not uncommon for one of the parties to the deal to challenge its validity later on some legal pretext.

Early in my career in real estate, my partner and I introduced a buyer and seller who did a deal together but refused to pay us any commission. Armed with ample email evidence that showed that we had introduced the buyer to the property he bought, we consulted a lawyer, confident that the wrong against us would be righted. But the lawyer said our emails, handshakes and verbal agreements were worthless: we did not have a written mandate and therefore had no case.

So what does the handshake mean in our business culture? It seems that the origin of the handshake predates written history and so different stories are told about how and where this practice started. One tale is that medieval knights would show and grip each others’ hands to demonstrate that they were not concealing weapons and therefore meant each other no harm.

Our business handshakes seem to signal a willingness to interact but they may in fact conceal a hidden agenda. The handshake technique, perhaps is a bit revealing. The knuckle-cruncher wants you to know that he is a tough guy. The limp handshaker arouses your suspicions. The handshaker who adds twists and twirls to the ritual tells you something about his cultural, political or social identity. But sadly, except perhaps in my Arab friend’s world, the currency of our handshakes has devalued substantially.

Andre Viljoen is a registered estate agent who specializes in online property marketing. He is a partner in Skilpad.Com Property Portal, South Africa’s exiting new real estate portal and African Showcase Realtors (http://www.afshowcaseprop.com) which markets game farms and tourism property in South Africa. Before joining the real estate industry he was active for many years in the journalism, media and advertising fields.

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Tags: ethical, work, issues, behaviour, practice

Within the past four and a half years or so, I have been “fortunate” to run into – and in certain instances – work quite closely with – some unscrupulous, or “not very honest”, entrepreneurs. In most cases, I was heartbroken to find that the impressions I initially had, tended not to be accurate representations of what they did in reality(I say “fortunate”, because I learnt quick, valuable lessons as a result, that now make it possible for me to write THIS article for the reader’s benefit).

Quite a number of these individuals seem willing to – every once in a while – allow themselves a little indiscretion here and there. Some are greedy cheats, and will go out of their way, given the slightest opportunity, to take advantage of another person – even if s/he is a relative!

Yet they KNOW it is wrong to deceive or defraud customers, clients – or indeed anybody. James Cook in his book, “The Start-up Entrepreneur” was obviously familiar with the widespread nature of this problem, and hammered quite a bit on the need for entrepreneurs to be ethical in all their business dealings, at all times. The fact remains that no matter how many people openly engage in dishonest or fraudulent business practices, it will still be wrong for YOU to do the same thing!

But Why Do People Do It?

We must not be too abstract in the way we discuss this problem. To understand it, one could ask the question: Why do some people in business appear to so readily succumb to the temptation to cut corners?

The truth is that many who embark on entrepreneuring with honest intentions, often encounter traumatizing trials, challenges, setbacks and disappointments. In Think And Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill acknowledged that an individual, due to the pressure of a prolonged period of adversity may become temporarily dishonest, in a bid to secure some relief for the pain s/he feels.

So the necessary suffering that a person undergoes in the pursuit of a challenging goal might make him/her do one or two things that are dishonest, for a while. Ideally however, his/her conscience would eventually force him/her to take corrective action to discontinue the bad habits.

Where it becomes a problem is when the affected person, or another who does not even have such a problem – but who seeks a quick and easy route to success – makes engaging in dishonest or insincere acts a regular habit. In other words, s/he adopts routine and repetitive corner-cutting or crooked dealings, as a preferred alternative route to reach a desired goal(s).

You Do Not Need To Do It

I want anyone confronted with this kind of challenge to understand that IT IS POSSIBLE to weather those rough periods of adversity without engaging in unethical business conduct. Simply dig in, learn quickly from your experiences, and correct your mistakes. Keep in mind ALWAYS, the proven fact that periods of difficulty and hardship WILL help you develop psychological stamina, and become more resourceful in dealing with problems you encounter while pursuing your goals.

Again, and at the risk of sounding boastful, I know this to be true because I’ve been there. Had it not been for those terrible losses and disappointments that I have continually overcome in pursuing my goals, I would not have become as self-confident, as I am today, when it comes to discussing entrepreneuring or what it takes to persistently pursue challenging life goals under situations that appear utterly hopeless and discouraging.

What Will You Do, If/When Confronted With A Fraudulent/Tempting Offer ?

Before you give me an answer, I will ask you to read the following statement I use to guide myself: “you will never know if you will steal, UNTIL the day you find yourself presented with a perfect opportunity to do so, in a way that you can be certain no one will ever find out that you did it”.

Now that you have read it, think about my preceeding question again. Do you KNOW for certain what you will do if/when confronted with a tempting proposition to do something dishonest or unethical in business(or elsewhere) in exchange for a reward/return you place a high value on? For many, what they are willing to do is usually dependent on how they feel it will make them look to those who KNOW about it. This is the reason why people keep getting caught for corruptly enriching themselves: they ALWAYS think no one will find them out!

I believe every person who desires to achieve authentic success, must be able to successfully say NO to the above stated type of fraudulent/tempting opportunity (i.e. one known only to him and which s/he is sure no one will find out about). It however takes HAVING a compelling vision, strong values, plenty of self-discipline, great will power and an achievement orientation, to behave in this manner consistently – especially when you experience painfully prolonged periods of lack and hardship.

Work Hard To Immunize Yourself Against The Temptation Of “Corner Cutting”

You must work hard to develop the needed moral strength to resist the temptation when it does come…and it will! In the case of the entrepreneurs described above, they allowed their desperate desire to succeed quickly, to cloud their judgment of what was proper and ethical, and consequently adopted shameful practices.

Sometimes (especially in societies where entrepreneuring is not yet widely accepted as a viable means of earning a living, and social welfare schemes are absent or in their infancy) clients or customers may push the point(where they consider “switching from honest to dishonest”), by refusing to pay up after the entrepreneurs had delivered requested products or services. When this happens, those entrepreneurs who are unable to stay strong under these conditions, look for ways to cushion the “pain”: they begin to cheat those who do bring business to them! Having said that, there are certain entrepreneurs who don’t need any “tempting”, because they are just naturally greedy cheats – perpetually on the prowl for unsuspecting persons they can take advantage of.

BUT the truth must be said: Whether or not you have been cheated by clients, punished, exploited, or betrayed, there is absolutely no excuse for becoming fraudulent in your dealings with others. You won’t last long if you go on doing that. So, it’s up to you to decide where you want to stand. I hope when you take your decision, it will be the right one: which is to act with integrity at all times, in all your dealings, be it in business or life in general.

Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist – Tayo Solagbade – works as a Multipreneur, helping individuals/businesses develop and implement strategies to achieve their goals, faster and more profitably.

To get more useful Tips, Information And News that can help you do what you do more successfully, visit this site to subscribe to Tayo’s “Five(5) Minute Read” Performance Enhancement Newsletter.

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Tags:ethical, issues, ethics, training, business

Many people believe that when they buy a franchise that the franchise business model has been reviewed by the government, yet this is not the case. In fact, franchising companies are only required to register their franchises with some, but not all states that they choose to franchise in. There are only 13 registration states in the United States of America, which require that the franchise or submit their disclosure documents to the state for review prior to franchising.

They are not looking to see if the business is viable or if the business model is even successful. Their only objective is to make sure that the franchisor has indeed submitted the required disclosure documents and has them available for prospective franchise buyers. They do not check to see if they are correct or if they have lied in these documents.

Another interesting thing that most people do not know is that; The Federal Regulators and State Regulators answer to literally “”NO ONE”" and that is the biggest fraud of all. No one is watching those OUR government is being paid with taxpayer’s monies to watch out for us. That is Scary. You would not believe me, if I told you what I have seen in life.

Nevertheless, franchising is a relatively safe industry despite all this. Generally the regulators will look into complaints made by consumers who feel they have been fraudulently induced into buying a franchise where the Franchisor misrepresented the investment in the franchise.

Often, the franchising regulators will is still the Franchisor is guilty even though 85% of all the complaints from consumers are themselves misrepresentations of what happened. Suffice it to say if you are going to buy a franchise or Franchisor company you need to study up on what franchising is all about before you take the plunge. Please consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online ThinkTank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Workplace harassment affects Americans on a daily basis. Sexual harassment often receives the most attention, but there are other forms of harassment that can cause equal offense in the workplace. These other forms include harassment based upon: ethnic or racial, age, disability, or religious affiliation. Harassment does damage to both employees and the company. When an employee is uncomfortable or suffering hardship, production can decrease, and the company suffers overall. Harassment also builds up resentment and bitterness between employees. With the rise of workplace violence, management should be eager to prevent any ill will between workers.

This can include jokes against a fellow employee for being “young and stupid.” Or for older employees, teasing about being “as old as dirt” can be hurtful. Jokes of Catholic priests or Rabbis can be offensive to those practicing the respective faiths. Jokes that play upon stereotypes are forms of harassment. Harassment is not your supervisor being tough on you for failing to meet expressed expectations unless he or she is treating you differently than others who have also failed to meet expectations.

These other forms of harassment are often more difficult to prove. If a person feels harassed and confides in a supervisor, they may ultimately be placed in a “he said/she said” situation where there may be no return. If the harassing individual is a particular favorite of management it can cost the accusing employee their position or job.

For this reason, an employee facing this form of confrontation should consider finding proof before going to any higher-up. There are a variety of tools and methods available to catch the harasser in the act. Voice recorders can be carried in pockets or purses. Hidden cameras can be held on ties or worn in jackets.

Another reason these forms of harassment are as common as they are may be simple ignorance. Perhaps the employee or employees in the workplace aren’t aware that they are truly offensive. Oftentimes they may believe they’re just joking and genuinely don’t know how hurtful they are.

There are a variety of training programs available that teach sensitivity to ethnic, cultural, and religious differences if management wishes to begin an awareness program. This can eliminate many future claims of workplace harassment.

A calm workplace environment can be a beneficial addition to any company. If your HR department or supervisor does not deal with the issue head on especially if you have evidence consult an attorney who specializes in workplace harassment.

Mike rao writes on Crime Prevention. Visit his websites and sign up for his free crime prevention newsletter visit this site or this site

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You know that one. He’s the one in the office who puts out all the great ideas then steps out of the way while you do the work, but comes back just in time to tell you how you did it all wrong. His interest gravitates only to Power and Recognition. He isn’t interested in doing the work, actually participating in the project, or actively becoming involved in the accomplishment. He only wants the glory of suggestion and the recognition of completion.

Tags: business, concerns, ethics, issues, workplace

“It’s the old snake oil routine. Find out what people are worried about, sell them anything, and call it a cure. A certain number will get better, because faith heals. They’ll attribute their better health to the snake oil and others will buy.

I’m not saying all former business was a matter of fraud. Many people in any age gave honest goods for the money they charged. Farmers sold milk and butter and eggs and vegetables in town. Carpenters built houses and stores. Bakers threw in a thirteenth roll when you bought a dozen, still do sometimes. But somewhere along the way a two-by-four got shaved back to 1½ inches. And you can’t find a pair of cotton knee lengths anywhere in the mall.

All in all, throughout the industrial world, life has been a bit of a scramble, with winners and losers. Two things are true about that. One, some people haven’t worked as smart as others. Two, smart entrepreneurs deserve the money they make. Anyhow, before the industrial age was even a teenager, there were new levels of rich and poor. I suppose if you didn’t believe you had anything worthy to sell, you might decide upon trickery. Mark Twain used to love to write stories about how a couple of swindlers came into town and found enough fools to make a killing before the town caught on. But I can’t think the swindlers had any kind of a life, always having to move on before the sheriff came to find them. No friends, no community, no trust, no truth, no salvation.

It may have been Carl Sandburg, Chicago’s wry poet, who said, “”Only the rich can afford salvation.”" The poor seem to have to give up their ethics in trade for the barest survival. An example would be a young woman such as Moll Flanders, raised in an orphanage and surviving as a prostitute. Or any number of Dickens’ characters.

Are there, on the internet today, snake oil salesmen, swindlers, and forms of prostitution such as viruses, identity theft, and a host of scams? We know there are. These shady activities have grown from the seeds of the weeds our ancestors sowed, one of which was the idea you had to lie and be tricky to make it.

You and I have choices Moll Flanders and The Artful Dodger didn’t have. When I consider the careers of Kendall Summerhawk, Susan Liddy, Jeff Johnson—none of whom are paying me a cent to mention their names—when I watch how successful internet entrepreneurs turn around and offer a helping hand to anyone who wants to make it on the internet, it makes me downright cheerful. I know success comes with ethics, truth, and spirit.

Article by Patricia Lapidus, author of the memoir SWEET POTATO SUPPERS: A Yankee Woman Finds Salvation in a Hippie Village. Patricia is a writer, editor, teacher, and an encourager. Up coming books include SWAMP WALKING WOMAN, a mythic fairy tale about women’s strength, and GIDEON’S RIVER, a novel dedicated to all who live with a temper, their own or someone else’s. Note: SWEET POTATO SUPPERS is due out soon in a second edition. This memoir is for those interested in communities, in spiritual hippies, and in the personal journey of discovery.

Patricia is widely read in literature and the social sciences.

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Tags: ethical, work, issues, behaviour, practice

We always seem to be hearing in the news that a government contract has been awarded to a company, which has not fulfilled its responsibilities. As a matter of fact this is so commonplace that one should be asking why does this keep occurring? Well, there are a number of reasons why this is the case.

Sometimes politicians persuade bureaucratic agencies to lean towards a certain government contractor and the bureaucrats know that they must comply otherwise they could lose their job and or their agency will not receive the funding it needs for next year’s budget. Those companies, which pander to podium pushing politicians through lobbying and fund raising for their campaigns tend to get the best contracts. We all know this is true.

Another common reason is that the government is known to be after the lowest price. Therefore many companies underbid the contracts just to get the work and then cannot afford to do the job correctly. Likewise many companies refuse to bid on government contracts because the government is so slow to pay and if you are a smaller company the cash flow could kill your business.

It is interesting that the government at all levels promotes small businesses and yet at the same time strings them out on accounts receivable sometimes for as much as 120 days or more. This seems quite un-reputable and unfortunate, but it is the truth. Some might say the government does not deserve the very best companies in the marketplace and that is upsetting considering the taxpayer is footing the bill. Please consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags:ethical, dilemas, ethic, issues, training

There is an unlimited drive to innovate in nearly any area. And the easiest way to innovate is to copy a concept that has been invented in an adjacent or remote area.

Donations where originally reserved to non-profit organizations (Amnesty, Greenpeace, Red Cross, WNF, etc) to fund their (ideological) activities.

Now you see this donation pattern on a regular basis on the internet. The best example I saw was on a internet site of which the owner exhibited a self development ideology — acting against the traditional order (society). The owner had just switched from an adsense method to this donation mechanism because the adsense income fell short.

Even though it seems a harmless idea borrowing the concept of donation for a profit business — which did seem to work in his case — you might wonder whether you act in line with conventional ethics.
In the case I saw, the site owner wasn’t really concerned about something earthly as ethics, yet others that follow this example should.

Donations go hand in hand with some kind of an ideology. If there is one you are free to use the concept, both as a buyer or as a seller.

If you have a strait forward profit in mind you are misusing the concept. This is not a problem for the one with the malicious business, they are everywhere. You as a potential buyer should know better. Be prepared before you engage yourself with this kind of businesses. Take a minute and think about the ideology you value.

© 2006 Hans Bool

Hans Bool is the founder of Astor White a traditional management consulting company that offers online management advice. Astor Online solves issues in hours what normally would take days. You can apply for a free demo account

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation is getting ready to make a huge bust on a giant Chinese Spy Ring, which goes very deep and involves many players. In fact, the group has been operating for years in the United States and stealing technology. The number of companies they are involved with is astounding and the number of college students who are involved is also interesting.

In fact the number of important bureaucrats and officials is scary. The number of nationalities involved in this ring and ad hoc circle of friends we’ll give you a headache just looking at the spider web of all the people involved.

Luckily the FBI has got to the bottom of all this and is getting ready to make a huge announcement. I know this because I heard about it in a dream and I always trust my dreams how about you? Much of the corporate espionage involves military contractors and equipment manufacturers, which the Chinese spy ring has infiltrated.

The spy ring is happening in more than one country. This is an interesting development but it is nothing new as intelligence officials and the community is well aware that this has been going on and although there have been a few arrests over the last five years there are now said to be over 4000 Chinese Spies operating independently and almost like terrorists cells. It is great to know that the FBI is working on real cases finally and we will see what they come up with. Please consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online ThinkTank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: ethical, topics, business, issues, training