“Dilemmas that require an ethical explanation are quite common at work. Both employers and employees have to face dilemmas in an organization. Conflicts are bound to arise when an organization has people who are diverse in nationality, age, education, race, religion, sex, socioeconomic status and employment experience. The most common ethical dilemmas at work include power, authority, confidentiality, honesty and loyalty. While resolving these dilemmas, both the employer and the employee have a different perspective.

Employers are often found to be stubborn. According to them, their actions are in the best interests of the organization and are according to the legal code of conduct in the company. Employers never tend to disclose the reasons that lie behind their behaviors. However, they need to develop the skills and experience required for tackling ethical dilemmas. They should assess the situation while taking a neutral stand. Analysis would be proper if they are able to locate the root cause of the conflict. Decisions should be taken after consultation with the affected parties. The consequences of the decision should be analyzed and explained to the management.

The perspective of the employees in an organization is always in a dilemma. The employee does not even know how to work since organization beliefs and values are often kept confidential and are not revealed to the employees. However, it is the responsibility of employers to clearly describe the goals, objectives of the organization to the employee if they are expecting to create a harmonious and acceptable working environment. Employees should be trained to resolve conflicts.

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Recipes For Making Hot Chocolate Mixes – Holiday Gift Food Baskets, click this link to read more about this topic.

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Tags: ethical, dilemmas, workplace, list, problems

“Sexual harassment is degrading, inappropriate and embarrassing and has absolutely no place in the modern workplace. This article considers some practical ways of dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace from the organisational perspective.

Adopt a Clear Sexual Harassment Policy.

Any organisation will have a general policy about how employees should behave in the workplace, but a specific sexual harassment policy is becoming an increasingly popular means of communicating clearly to the workforce that inappropriate behaviour of a sexual nature, towards colleagues will not be tolerated. Remember sexual harassment whether in a verbal or physical form is a violation of another persons intimate space, which should never occur in the workplace. Organisations should strive to create a safe respectful working environment for staff.

Encourage Reporting

It is the organisation’s responsibility to encourage staff to report incidents of sexual harassment by making the process accessible to all and by being approachable and dealing allegations in a sensitive and confidential manner. Some organisations worry that this inflates sexual harassment incidents, but the reality is that very few employees would report such a serious matter unduly, although it can happen. However, fostering a culture where staff are actively encouraged to report incidents will quickly encourage staff to think before they speak or act in a sexually inappropriate way.

Take Allegations Seriously

It can be a difficult and anxious experience for a member of staff to bring an allegation of sexual harassment to the attention of their employer. Often employees have to overcome a number of internal barriers to do this including concerns about how they will be perceived by staff for reporting an incident and concerns about the effect reporting sexual harassment might have on their long term career within the organisation. All these are real fears for an employee and it is exceptionally rare for an employee to report a sexual harassment incident just for the sake of it. As such the organisation’s response should always be one of taking the allegation seriously and providing support to the alleged victim to make it easier for them to discuss what has happened.

All allegations should be investigated thoroughly by staff who are trained to do so and should be reported to the police with the permission of the victim where required in more serious cases. Remember slapping or patting someone’s bottom or touching another person without the individual’s consent is considered an act of assault in the eyes of the law. As such it is important that the organisation does not try to cover up sexual harassment allegations in a vain attempt to safeguard its reputation.

Educate Staff

Organisations should seek to spend time producing and communicating information about sexual harassment and about what is deemed inappropriate behaviour. Policy documents concerning sexual harassment should be provided to all staff and followed up with presentations to communicate salient points. Get staff discussing the topic in small groups so that they can learn from each other why sexual harassment is inappropriate as peer learning is an effective learning strategy.

Organisations should use posters around the office to highlight inappropriate behaviour. These can be a very powerful tool as it allows staff to challenge inappropriate behaviour or comments easily by drawing the attention of staff to the posters. This often addresses issues quickly and easily and guilty staff are left in no doubt about the organisation’s attitude towards inappropriate behaviour, without it being seen as an individual employee just trying to cause a fuss. This approach takes the emphasis off the employee and places it firmly onto the organisation to create a safe respectful environment.

Suspend the Alleged Offender During Investigations

If an allegation of sexual abuse is bought to the attention of the organisation then always suspend the alleged offender. Whilst this may seem severe in the absence of actual proof, it is unfair to ask the victim to continue to work alongside the person who may have committed the sexual harassment. Suspending the alleged offender gives them time to reflect on what they have done, if they know they are guilty and send a clear message about the seriousness in which sexual harassment in the workplace is viewed. If they are later found to be innocent then they will have lost nothing as they can return to their post.

Never suspend or remove the victim from the workplace, unless they decide they don’t want to be there, as this sends out the message that if you report sexual harassment you will be punished. Alleged victims should never be punished for reporting an incident.

Appoint a Competent Investigator

It is never appropriate for an individual with daily involvement with either party to investigate a sexual harassment allegation. It should always be undertaken in a sensitive manner by a trained member of staff, ideally from the human resources department.

This article was written by J Dawkins who created Friends and Money in March 2007. His site is dedicated to providing reviews of paid survey, social networking, and cash back shopping communities. His aim is encourage visitors to Make Friends, Earn Money online.

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Tags: Ethical, problems, employer, harrasment, law

“The quickest way to tell if your stock broker is a scam artist, using your account for broker profits rather than yours, is to look for evidence of “”churning.”"

Say you have just opened a stock brokerage account and your broker puts you into Fast Buck Industries as your very first “”investment.”" You get your first statement and see that she has traded Fast Buck three times. You also note several stocks listed that you had not discussed.
It’s only unethical or illegal if you get caught, is often the rationale.

You ask a few knowledgeable people, who know a little something about the stock brokerage business as well as stock scams, and they feel that your new broker is a scam artist who is “”churning,”" buying and selling for your account–frequently–in order to generate more income for herself through increased commissions. A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes, you might note, as you try to fit applicability to scam artists.

This practice–”"churning”"–occurs more often than you might think. Many people succumb to their broker’s appeal to give them “”flexibility”" so they can react quickly to take advantage of fast-rising opportunities, for the benefit of their customers. Whereas you could have easily avoided all this in the beginning by simply refusing to sign the discretionary papers giving your broker authority to trade on your behalf, without your prior authorization. “”Experience”" is a socially-accepted word people often use to explain accumulated mistakes. This mistake would have to be classified as a substantial contributor.

O.K., so you had granted your broker–or scam artist?–such unilateral authority. Losses to you occurred, while commissions to your broker mounted. What to do now?

You have multiple avenues of recourse. First you must protest, in writing, immediately. (Failing to do this could be deemed tacit approval, on your part, for what your broker has done.) Conflict of Interest is a possible complication to check out. Suitability Claims is another. (Has the broker fitted the trades to your “”risk profile?”") Misrepresentation is a good one.
(Failure to disclose important information to you involving the trades.) Unauthorized trading. (This brings the focus right back to where you started: what exactly does the document say–in what words–which gave your broker authority to trade for you in the first place?)

In self-defense, a broker will commonly sell off the winners to show, at least, a small profit. Don’t be fooled by this. This could still be scam artists’ activity. The losses were most likely retained.

In business, stocks are the basis of essentialism. In the beginning your broker may have played herself up as the greatest authority on free enterprise stewardship since J.P. Morgan. But, to counter the hype, you must consider all angles. In many ways, stock scams are now a whistle blower’s delight. So many new tools have been made available to the stock-buying consumer (including, even, the infamous Sarbanes-Oxly Act) that you now have every chance of getting justice over any stock “”churning”" dispute. Nobody cares if you can’t dance; just get up and dance. Fast, decisive action on your part is key.

The Con Man’s Blog, and first two chapters of Jack Payne’s legal thriller book, Six Hours Past Thursday, are now available online. Both readable for free. You are invited to visit it.

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Tags: business, manner, training, conduct, problems

“Human nature is of dominance or to feel superior over others. If not, he surrenders to the forces where he can feel secure and find peace. Through out the history of mankind there have been wars, conquests, dominance, and freedom struggle. So, have we come to a threshold point? The answer is No.

We are going to be the same in nature no matter what. Even if the technology changes, the way we communicate changes, even if the whole world is given proper education, deep within we are same as we were 1000 years ago.

There will be unanswered questions, there will be cults, there will be saints and there will be peace and as well wars, there will be good and bad, there will be creation and destruction and we need to understand that we cannot change that.

When an Individual (soul) becomes liberated and becomes independent personally, financially, spiritually and his span of influence or control increases he becomes a master. The imprisoned soul is that of the slave.

What does all that narrow down to? Well, every self help book talks about value, Integrity and positive attitude. Say, if a man covets other mans wife it is lack of Integrity and value. If he takes away something of value form someone without his concern then it is called steeling or theft. Is it not?

“Ask and you shall receive it” that’s Integrity is it not? That’s why it’s written in the bible.

When there is difference of value or lack of Integrity there will be conflicts, problems, issues, conquests and wars.

Integrity is nothing but to be integrated. I.e. to be considerate, considering all factors, all people and decide the best decision. Integrity requires assertiveness, communication skills and above all a good heart.

The ability to take loosing as part of wining is one quality which will make you a winner for sure.

Say your employee or your subordinate fails to keep his promise of delivering his work as per schedule. Is it a lack of Integrity? It may be and may not be. “Do on to others as you do on to you!”
Can you deliver the same on time? If your answer is No, then stop complaining.

Cooperate means co-operate i.e. operate together.

In the business world many companies treat there employees very badly. In many sales and as well production departments they used to say “work like a dog and in end of the day you become god”. This is certainly lack of Integrity and value.

“Be a saint to choose peace and be a warrior to attain freedom“that’s Integrity.

“That which changes with time cannot be considered eternal and is not the ultimate reality because the ultimate reality is neither temporary nor does it change with time and it is indestructible. This is the conclusion that seers of truth has arrived after having deliberated on both the aspects,
Know that all pervading is indestructible. The all pervading consciousness and the imperishable soul can therefore never be destroyed. Thus it is only the external body that the imperishable, indestructible and immeasurable soul inhabits, that is destroyed, hence get up and fight, O descendent of Bharata.”

- Bhagvad Gita

Barath Surendran is a budding Entrepreneur and gives career Guidance in his blog. Also runs a small Direct Marketing business and few Internet sites.

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Tags: ethics, problems, dilemmas, moral, live

“One of the backside realities of case law in Discrimination Cases is known as the Equal Opportunity Harasser. It is based on the 1998 U.S. Supreme Court Case of Joseph Oncale vs. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc.

In this Supreme Court Decision, the basic players were a Macho male He-Man of a rough and rowdy nature, and a small 5’4″” male co-worker who became the brunt of Mr. Macho’s attentions, disdain and pranks. To say the Mr. Oncale was picked on understates the situation completely, and threats reached all the way to rape. Our macho guy loved to bully and demean Mr. Oncale and it only got worse when Mr. Oncale complained to management.

This case establishes the concept of Sexual Harassment being inclusive of Male — Male, Female — Female, as well as heterosexual pairings.

The backside of the law is the concept of the Equal Opportunity Harasser. Had Macho Man been abusive to underlings of both genders–then the sexual component of Sexual Harassment would have been nullified.

In parallel situations a manager who is abusive of persons of all AGES, may avoid being charged with age discrimination. And the same with abuse to persons of multiple races, national origins, and varying ability levels.

As one young man I was explaining this concept to so eloquently stated “”This manager is just an A**hole”". He was exactly right. Unfortunately there is little you can do within Discrimination Law with managers of this description.

But in the case of Sundowner Offshore Services Inc., it was an all male crew, so Mr. Macho Bully and his company were taken to court, in fact to several courts, and much to Mr. Oncale’s surprise and disfavor, ended up with a precedence setting case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Disfavor, yes, Mr. Oncale just wanted to be left alone to do his job, and he did not wish upon himself the notoriety of being involved in a case at this level.

Now the last thing I want to be seen as approving, is bad management of this nature. I would much prefer that managers and employees get along in a humane and respectful manner. To hide behind a concept such as the Equal Opportunity Harasser, will not serve you or your company well at all. You may stay out of court, but that is the least of your worries when you treat your employees badly.

Why is it the least of your worries/ Disenfranchised employees are always looking for things that might not be being done within the job protocols or job specifications. They may veiw themselves as self-proclaimed auditors, and most of us cringe with the thought of auditors being invited onto the premises. So it is best for all concerned to treat your employees fairly, causing them to aspire to the credo of a fair days work for a fair days pay. Everybody wins in that situation.

More information on Harassment and Sexual Harassment can be found here

Bill Barger

Barger Specialties LLC

Mr. Barger became interested in the subject of Sexual Harassment early in his present job. He then began a course of study ending in the 2001 awarding of a Master of Arts degree in Business. During that course of study, and since that time he has researched, reported on, and taught Sexual Harassment to Business Communication’s Strategies students, and Ethics students in the Business and Nursing Colleges.

How do you deliver yourself to others? In other words, the presentation of yourself to people you meet. Is that delivery honest? Is it real? Or is it just to get them in the door?

If the presentation is not honest, once they get in the door, they will see the truth anyway, so be brutally honest with yourself when answering this question.

Take a minute to think about that, we must do an honest assessment of how people see us upon meeting them. They will see what is in our heart. You must grasp your “persona” for what it truly is, once you have honestly evaluated yourself, you can begin to work on the delivery of yourself and become stronger every day.

The health of your mind and heart will determine how you deliver yourself in this life’s journey. I should hope that you would want to deliver happiness, strength, love, and encouragement.

Everyone desires to have things delivered to them in good shape. We enjoy getting packages on our door step that have been properly prepared and shipped with care. We should have the exact same mind set when we deliver ourselves to others in this life, whether in everyday interaction, or in business. And in business, if we have been contacted in regards to the products or service we offer, people expect us to be the total package and we must be prepared and deliver with true compassion.

Are you ready to make the next delivery?

I encourage you to prepare, handle with care, and dare you to make the next delivery the best one yet.

Best regards to all and may your day be blessed!

Mike Daley
Visit him here

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Tags: business, conduct, manner, problems, training

Did you know that at home & at work, each year over 65 million inkjet printer cartridges & toners are unnecessarily thrown away when they run out of ink? Recycling these ink cartridges, inkjets & toners will help to protect the environment, subsequently saving energy & safeguarding the health of future generations.

When we throw these printer cartridges, inkjets & toners away few of us consider where they will end up. Many are ultimately put into land fill sites which are already seriously overburdened. These sites contain an ever-increasing amount of non-biodegradable material that can take well over 1,000 years to break down. By recycling these ink cartridges, inkjets & toners we relieve the burden on these landfills.

Printer cartridges, inkjets & toners which are not put into landfill or recycled are otherwise often incinerated. This process releases harmful poisonous toxins and gasses into the atmosphere thereby contributing further to the destruction of the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect.

Millions of new printer cartridges, inkjets & toners are produced every day. On average each new one requires nearly 3 litres of oil to manufacturer further increasing the massive drain to our otherwise fragile resources.

A recycled printer, inkjet or toner cartridge is comprehensively cleaned, conditioned and refilled for use again and in virtually all cases will produce as good a result as an original.

Not only will a recycled printer, inkjet or toner cartridge perform every bit as well as an original equipment manufacturers printer, inkjet or toner cartridge but the financial savings can be huge and up to 80% savings can be achieved!

But why do recycled printer cartridges, inkjets & toners cost so much less? No one seems to completely know this answer but we can suppose that like a lot of other companies, printer manufacturers make their money from consumables. Consider the scenario when a printer is purchased. More money tends to be spent on consumables in the first few months than on the initial cost of the printer! An excellent example of this is Lexmark where their printers sell for next to nothing but their original printer cartridges, inkjets & toners are expensive.

Furthermore, in many cases recycled printer cartridges, inkjets & toners last longer than originals as some manufacturers have been known as standard practice to deliberately partially fill their cartridges particularly those cartridges, inkjets & toners included with the new printer!

Don’t let printer manufacturers put you off using recycled printer cartridges, inkjets & toners by attempting to intimidate or scare you with an “invalid warranty” claim. Printer manufacturers have been contacted by the office of fair trading who have made it clear that printer warranties should not be affected just because the customer chooses to use a recycled printer cartridge, inkjet & toner and that to do so will be deemed unfair.

So there you have it. Some excellent reasons to recycle and use recycled printer cartridges, inkjets & toners.

Mark Reid works for Postpack Ltd, an online distributor of packaging materials & office consumables throughout the UK, Ireland & Europe. They also offer quantity discounts & free delivery for orders over £100. Click here to order recycled printer cartridges, inkjets & toners at great prices

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Tags: ethical, issues, problems, business, recycle

Whether you want to buy a used phone as an upgrade to your existing account or simply replace a broken one, it is getting more and more difficult if you are provided service by Verizon. It seems that Verizon has taken steps that are not in the best interest of their customers, almost forcing them to buy brand new phones rather than reactivating used ones.

It is no doubt that cell phones are BIG business and it seems that Verizon might be making some attempts to make it even larger and more profitable for them. Keep in mind that when you “sign up” for service from one of the major carriers you usually sign a 2 year contract. Not too long ago it was only one year. You are also charged an early termination fee if you should happen to break that agreement. The new trend that seems to be employed, most notably by Verizon, is to retire your cell phone once your agreement is up and you choose to move on or upgrade.

So what does “retire” mean? How do you retire an old phone and why should anyone care? First of all, “retire” means disabling the ESN (electronic serial number) that identifies that phone. This means that once the phone has been disabled, it can no longer be re-activated. So again, you might ask, “What’s the big deal”? Well, the reasons are two fold.

1. First, and most importantly, that phone is your property. If you should decide to change carriers after your term is up or upgrade to a new phone, you should be able to do what you want with it. It is somewhat similar to your car. Once your payments are up, does the finance company deactivate the VIN thus rendering your automobile useless? Of course not. So how does a large carrier, like Verizon, get away with it? Technology changes so fast that the laws cannot keep up with it. Eventually, a young, new and energetic lawyer will initiate a class action lawsuit that will force the courts to examine the issue. That is similar to what is going on now regarding the early termination fees that the carriers charge for breaking contract. There is Governmental movement to ban the practice. But again, let’s not gloss over the ownership rights of the phone. You bought it, that gives you ownership. Ownership grants you the right to do what you want with the phone (within legal boundaries). To have a carrier render the ESN useless could be construed to be nothing less than stealing the phone from you. You are probably thinking, “Why would they do this? How could they benefit from this?” The answer is simple. Revenue. If you cannot reactivate a used Verizon cell phone and you have more time on your contract, then you must buy a brand new one. So the next time you drop your phone one too many times or get it wet and it doesn’t work anymore, the likelihood that you will be able to go online and buy a used Verizon cell phone will be slim to none. Get ready to shell out several hundred dollars for a “run-of-the-mill” cell phone. So now you own a useless phone which brings us to the second reason why you should care.

2. The second reason you should care centers around the environment. If you have 1 million Verizon cell phone users over the course of say five years have their cell phone ESN’s retired, then what do you think might happen to them? I would venture to say they would not end up at a recycling plant! I doubt anyone will take time out of their day and spend a fortune in gas to drive to a recycling plant to dispose of one or two phones; it just isn’t going to happen. They are more likely to find their way into your household garbage which will find its way into our landfills. The problem? Cell phones are highly toxic and enough of them could do serious and irreparable damage to the environment. It is irresponsible for a company of that magnitude to inadvertently encourage people to dump their useless cell phones into the environment, all in the name of the dollar!

That is the fundamental reason behind the creation of cell phone buyback companies, such as SellMyOldCellPhone.com, to help recycle used cell phones and keep them out of the landfills. So that when people broke their phones, they could purchase a lesser expensive alternative used cell phone. Some people simply want to upgrade, but before buying the new one, they want to try a used one first to see if they like it. When carriers render the ESN useless, they cannot do that. People are forced to buy brand new phones. Old useless cell phones end up in the garbage, polluting our environment.

What can you do about it? The best thing to do is just be aware of this. Knowledge is power and power enables people to make change.

1. First and foremost, when you call an agent on the phone or visit one at a local store, do not be surprised when the first thing they tell you is, “It can’t be activated.” Do not settle for that as an answer. Some agents simply do not know what they are doing. I have encountered that problem numerous times. Insist on another agent until you get one who can handle the problem or request to speak to a supervisor. The ones who may lack knowledge are followed by the ones who were trained to “sell, sell, sell.” You can’t make a commission if you don’t sell service, accessories, or a phone and a store cannot make money if they don’t sell service and phones.

2. Do not hesitate one minute to write a letter to the company threatening to cut off your service and go with another carrier. You might think, “Big deal, no one is going to listen to one letter,” but you would be surprised what happens when they start getting a stream of letters all threatening to cancel service. Sprint had the worst customer service record of all the carriers for several years recently and eventually culminated into a huge financial loss, thus forcing them to change their practices. They had what appeared to be the highest exit rate in their history. Also, don’t be afraid to follow through with your threat. They are a cell phone service provider, not a home or auto loan. There are no legal repercussions. Look for companies that do not engage in these practices. A lot of small, local cell phone carriers (like Pocket PC and Cricket) have these practices. They are month to month with no termination fees.

3. Finally, if you choose to sell your cell phone to a buyback company, such as SellMyOldCellPhone.com, let the carrier know that they must “release” the ESN for reactivation. All release means is that they remove your name from the phone and make it available for re-use. Do not settle for any excuses as to why that cannot be done. You are the customer and the phone is yours as long as you have met your obligations (which might be changing soon, regarding the termination fees).

We let these large companies dictate to us how the rules work, when in reality, without our money, they have no rules. We are all guilty of just accepting what we are told by these giants, but sometime we need to remind them who pays the bills!

Mr. Johnson has been the operations manager of a website for the past several years. He has noted a large increase in the number of Verizon phones that cannot be reactivated. A similar trend has been noted in the industry.

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Tags: legal, ethics, problems, rules, professional

In a recent survey, teens reported, by a stunning margin (81%) that they felt “significant pressure” to succeed or achieve – no matter the cost. What’s more – those same teens expect the pressure to get worse as they enter the workforce.

This is evidenced by the competitive nature of schools even in the elementary age. Colleges are tapping into the gifted and talented students beginning their recruitment strategy as early as nine years old. What happened to child’s play?

“The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program” is an internationally recognized rigorous, two-year pre-university program. In addition to being required to complete college-level courses and exams, IB students are also required to engage in community service, individual research, and inquiry into the nature of knowledge. Students who successfully complete the requirements are awarded an IB Diploma. It is highly competitive and highly valued among many students.

Not that highly competitive programs are bad – they’re not. But, where do young people get taught proper ethical values? Here they are striving to get ahead preparing them for their future. It is highly pressurized and it starts early. Perhaps they are learning, without the wisdom of age, the illusion of success without a sound ethical foundation.

No wonder the media appears slammed with stories about the consequences of ethics and ethical lapses. The media captures attention in almost every venue – from broadcast to internet to print. Once the illusion of success is accepted as reality, then making ethical choices becomes difficult for some. Whether we hear about Enron, HP, or Martha Stewart – one thing we know is that the choices we make can have a profound impact on the consequences we live.

These issues not only affect adults, but also teens. Recently a “Teen Ethics Poll” was released by JA Worldwide™ (Junior Achievement) and Deloitte & Touche USA LLP (Deloitte). The results were featured on the Junior Achievement web site (http://www.ja.org/about/about_newsitem.asp?StoryID=376) dated December 6, 2006 and support the concept that unethical decisions start at an early age.

“The notion that large numbers of students feel somewhat unprepared to make ethical decisions, coupled with the fact that they feel pressure to succeed at all costs, is a troubling combination,” said David Miller Ph.D., Executive Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture and Assistant Professor (Adjunct) of Business Ethics.

Published survey results showed that 69% of teens admitted to lying, 34% to illegally downloading music, and 22% to cheating on tests. One of the most interesting statistics in the survey and perhaps one of the most telling is that more than a quarter (29 percent) of all teens surveyed stated that they are currently only “somewhat” or “not at all” prepared to make ethical decisions.

Quoting from the news release, “We have to take it seriously when students who are under so much stress tell us they think it’s not going to get any better, especially if they don’t feel prepared to make the right calls,” said Ainar D. Aijala, Jr., vice chairman and deputy chief executive officer of Deloitte Consulting LLP and chairman of the board of JA Worldwide.

In presentations I made over ten years ago to students in the same age group as the Junior Achievement study, the students reported extreme pressure to achieve and a willingness to compromise their integrity and ethical choices. Many said, in their own unique way, that they would take their chances on negative consequences from unethical choices.

Their reality was – immediate gratification – outweighed the potential consequences of their choices. Immediate gratification is common with infants and young children. As they grow it is expected that they learn the value of delayed gratification. What has happened that they are not growing out of the immediate gratification stage? Where are they learning this behavior?

Two of the students reported to me in the 1996 presentation series that look, stature, and the illusion of success was critical in the eyes of their peers. In fact, one stated that, “You do what ever it takes to get ahead. If I can get ahead now, then I’ll have a greater chance in the business world later.” When asked if that meant compromising his integrity – his response was “Success trumps all – What ever it takes.”

The challenge for our young people today is once you take that first bite, once you engage in unethical behavior, it’s hard to undo the consequences. If we expect our future leaders of tomorrow to function in a more ethical manner than the current business leaders of today, then we must take the initiative to train decision making in an environment of integrity and ethics. We must demonstrate and teach that success typically does not arise out of immediate gratification.

How do we stem the tide of pressure beyond ethics? Ethical behavior, like most behavior, is learned. If we can teach success beyond ethics (what apparently we are doing now per our young people) – then we can, likewise, teach “Ethical Success.”

While there is no single solution to the problem, we can take some simple steps to effect positive change. One thing is certain, there is a need for focused ethical training and awareness.

How we can help!

Ø JA Worldwide and Deloitte are collaborating on a multi-faceted educational program, which can be delivered as early as the fourth grade, to help students learn to make ethical decisions and alleviate the pressure to behave unethically. The “Excellence through Ethics” program includes classroom lessons that teach the value of ethical behavior, a $5,000 college scholarship essay contest which requires high school seniors to demonstrate their ability to apply ethical decision-making to real-life situations, expansion to the U.S. of an existing Global Ethics Challenge, and implementation grants for U.S. Junior Achievement offices which use the program.
Ø The Choices Foundation (a non-profit organization) provides a forum through which ethical behavior is taught to high school and college students during their formative years. Perhaps, if a young person is exposed to real life effects of ethics choices, he or she will have a frame of reference as to the real consequences that can follow. To sponsor a presentation to a College or University, contact Chuck Gallagher at here.

Over the years, through many speaking engagements with young people, I have found that young people thirst for reasons to do the right thing. Yet, society places a premium on success at all costs, which fosters an environment for inevitable ethical delimmas. It’s time we take responsibility as adults to reverse the trends supported by this current study. We can take action today.

For information on the Choices Foundation (a non-profit organization) and the presentations on ethics given by Chuck Gallagher visit his site.

On a crisp October day in 1995, Chuck Gallagher took 23 physical steps… opened a door… and began a new experience that was life-changing. This series of articles explores that experience and the success that followed… while involving the reader in ways that could be life-altering for them. Gallagher captures the heart of the audience in an honest way that deals with human emotion. For information on Chuck’s keynotes and workshops go to this site.

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Tags: ethics, problems, dilemmas, moral, live

We hear a lot about business ethics issues in the United States and yet our businessmen and women are some of the most ethical business practitioners anywhere in the world. The transparency, integrity and accountability in American business is not found anywhere else in the world. With all the disclosure, over regulation, lawsuits and government forms it would be difficult to call any American businessperson unethical. Yet, we find that the mass media hysteria, incited by folks who do not understand commerce has cheated the positive American opinion about business ethics.

The truth of the matter is that ethics in business, the military, sports, government or even the nonprofit sector in the United States is a reflection of the overall ethics of the average human in our civilization. For someone to say that people are less ethical in business than let’s say it law-enforcement; this would be a failure to adequately observe the reality of the situation.

Many people believe that our court systems and lawyers are of the highest ethical standards, but it simply is not so. Even the fine folks in government who are regulating the business community have to draw from this same population base. This is why the ethics in Government are no better than those in business; perhaps Government ethics are worse because there is less oversight. Is this good or bad? It is neither, it just is.

For us to discuss business ethics properly we must be honest with ourselves, we cannot simply label all business people as crooks, shysters or con men. Unfortunately it seems that many people in our society are pointing fingers at the business community, when in actuality they should be looking in their mirrors. In this book we will discuss and contemplate the reality of human psychology and ethics and look into the abuses of power in government, government regulators and how over regulation to prevent criminality in business is a self-fulfilling prophecy and how we are making criminals out of hard-working men and women and our brightest entrepreneurs.

As a businessperson and a Franchisor, I have been critical of over regulation at every level; Associations, City, County, State, Federal and International and more often than not government agencies, Trade Organizations and Associations are used by companies to attack their competitors. In fact, that in itself is unethical and once again proves that you cannot regulate morality and if you allow those who will point fingers to assist in the abusing of power you will undermine the inherent integrity of free-markets between buyers and sellers. I hope you will enjoy this discussion and the thoughts on business ethics and I thank you for reading this article, as it is one of my first on this subject. Perhaps this topic is of interest to propel thought in 2007?

“ Choosing one’s leaders is an affirmation that the person making the choice has inherent worth.”

Linda Chavez

As I glanced at the news, I was reminded of the ugliness of humanity. Do we really need another ethical scandal in America? Bernie Ebbers, WorldComm founder, started a 25-year sentence for an $11 billion account fraud. Likewise, HP had its own embarrassing moment with scandals. Recently, HP decided to keep Board Chairman Dunn after the chairman was discovered wiretapping her board. What are these executives thinking when they conducted these transgressions against their corporations?

Does character count in capitalism? Guinness, a religious authority, explains that contemporary society views character as something that distinguishes an individual; however, biblically, character is viewed as essentially moral. In many cases, character doesn’t count in secularism.

Most corporations preach high ethical behavior but are sidetracked morally by the bottom-line. Joyner, author of Leadership Management, argues that outstanding leaders fail unless their lives are underpinned with honor, morality, and character. Under the current model, anything goes. Don’t get caught! Any path will do. However, Jesus disagreed in Luke 13: 24 “Do all you can to go in by the narrow door! A lot of people will try to get in, but will not be able to.”

Don’t expect companies to clean themselves up. However, a wave of moral conduct is coming. Maynard and Mehrten, renowned futurists, maintain outside forces will demand high ethics and a moving away of a focus solely on material gain.

Therefore, leader get ready. We are entering this moral revolution.

References:

Guinness, O. (2000). When No One Sees. Colorado Springs, CO: The Trinity Forum.

Joyner, R. (1994). Leadership Management. Charlotte, NC: MorningStar Publication.

Maynard, H. & Mehrten, S. (1996). The Fourth Wave: Business in the 21st Century. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehlers.

USA Today.com (September 13, 2006). New HP chief makes the best of a bad situation. Received on September 26, 2006

USA Today.com (September 26, 2006). Ebbers winds up at federal prison in Louisiana. Received on September 26, 2006

© 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. For more information,visit his website

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Tags: ethical, problems, leadership, dilemma, relationship

A few months ago, I was given a bar of soap from a very well know high-end chain store. The person who gave me the soap knew I worked with this type of product and wanted to give something she thought I’d like.

I looked at product, liked color and fragrance, put it on a shelf, and honestly forgot about it. The other day, needing a new bar of soap, I found the bar and decided to use it.

Reading the back, it gave the name of the company with their motto, “From the Heartland of America.” The very next line read, “made in Guatemala.”

So when, may I ask, did Guatemala become a “State?”

And, on top of that, once I took the clear wrap off, I was disappointed in the soap itself.

To anyone who has used M&P, you will understand. To all others M&P means Melt & Pour. You go to your local craft store, buy a base, heat it up and pour into molds of choice. Nice way to have decorative soap without the hassle and having lye around the house.

So, this soap looked like someone had used M&P, added color and fragrance. Because it came from this well know chain, I was curious about what the cost was and decided to go to my local mall to check out the price for myself. $8.00 a bar, only one word for that, RIP-Off! OK, so that’s two, but who’s counting.

Now, please don’t get me wrong, I’m all for fair trade, but to say the product is from the heartland of America, than have the very next line read “Made in…….,” sounds a little false advertising to me.

Company headquarters, yep, in the heartland of America, but Guatemala? Maybe my sense of geography is playing tricks on me. Last time I looked at my map of the world Guatemala was in Central America, or have we annexed it, so that it is a protectorate like Puerto Rico and Guam? If so, then yes, it can then say, “Made in America,” or for that matter from any region of this great country.

But, maybe I’ve read it wrong, they were on two separate lines. Just maybe in my old age, I’m beginning to run words together. But to read From the Heartland of American, then to read Made in Guatemala, simply does not ring true.

Producing products outside of the USA, may save companies money by paying less for wages, but why not pass that savings to the consumer. If they can give retiring executives retirement packages worth millions, why not give a little back to the average buyer.

High-end products are nice, but when money is running low, guess I will not be going to the mall for my soap. The best soap I’ve used has been made by a friend, the old fashioned way. In fact, my son swears by her Goat’s Milk Soap.

Since “made in …..” has become our 53rd state, wonder if I can save money but shopping there?

Copyrighted 2006

Michele Winslow

Owner: Gaia’s Breowan, Inc.

Find us at http://www.ladyoftheherbs.com

When word gets around about your command of Ethical facts, others who need to know about Ethics will start to actively seek you out.

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Tags: ethical, problems, business, legal, ethics

In business management classes across the country MBA students study business ethics. In fact, there are now MBA degrees available that are called Ethics MBAs. But in the real world how ethical is the business community? How ethical is our own government?

How many business travelers for their corporations charge personal items to their credit cards of their corporations? Corporations watch this very closely to make sure everyone follows the rules. Not everyone follows the rules and often there are people who go to extreme lengths to hide their misdeeds.

From a business ethics standpoint corporations and their workers are much more honest and forthright than those who work in government. In fact government credit card abuse at all levels of government is at an all-time high. It is so bad that the federal government actually had to make another law to try to curb the abuse of government credit cards. Has this new law helped?

Actually it looks as if it has on paper audits but in reality those fine folks in government still abuse their government credit cards, which is taxpayers money. The problem is so severe and the punishment so little that nothing is really being done. That is to say the problem is running rampant still.

Simply instituting controls and checks and balances on government credit cards does not alleviate the fraud. Dishonesty in government is the norm and although many people believe that those who work in government are of less IQ they are still clever enough to beat the system and steal taxpayers money.

From an MBA standpoint of fiscal management this is a good case study. A piece of corporate credit cards or government credit cards must be followed up on. It is essential to make sure that the purchase is made by government employees are indeed for a facial government business and not personal pleasure; such as gentlemen’s clubs, personal car washes or a dinner for a family of four for personal use.

It appears we cannot trust those fine folks in government and it is about time that we enforced the letter of the law on to the government and the workers who think they are above it. Consider 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, problems, business, legal, ethics

The widespread government credit card abuse has forced the federal laws to change to protect the American taxpayers money as government workers would violate the trust of the American people and spend money, which is supposed to be used for official government business.

The Government Credit Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2006′ has so far it not been able to cure the fine folks in government from cheating us and stealing taxpayers money. When a government worker it uses a government credit card for expenditures of personal use they are stealing and yet we are not putting these people in jail but rather reprimanding them and in many cases not even taking away their government credit cards. Does this mean the American taxpayer is forced to endure widespread government credit card abuse?

I find it ironic that we already know that stealing is against the law no matter who you are and we are told that no one is above the law. But apparently those people who work in government do not believe they are to follow the law in Washington, DC and this is the exact attitude that is causing problems. We need to start putting people in jail for stealing in our government.

There are so many cases including law enforcement, the Justice Department and many agencies, which are supposed to help the American people doing this. And it yet we still do not have this problem solved. Why do we need another law or federal legislation to prevent government workers from stealing? Why can we trust our own government and why should we listen to them when they are ripping us off blind?

I wish someone would answer my question because I believe trust in your government is a very important thing for the ongoing vitality of our nation. Perhaps I am just naïve and belief in a dream and bought the story of a noble government; hook, line and sinker? Let us remove the crime and the rotten core of dishonesty, misrepresentation and fraud from Our government. Please consider 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, problems, legal, potential, ethics

It is completely amazing all the scams out there in the world, many feed of people’s egos and some folks would say; it serves them right! Well, maybe they have it coming to them for their shear arrogance, but a scam is a scam and these folks for whatever reason are victims and the scam artists, well they are unethical practitioners if not outright criminals.

How do such scams work? Well, they call you up and tell you that you have won an award and then they tell you to get your prize send them money. Pretty interesting isn’t it, worse it works, people actually send in money for a plaque, trophy, certificate or a listing in a book. Of course, the book is $50 or more and the only reason they are in it, is because they bought the book, or trophy or plaque or high-priced certificate. Amazing!

This is a common scam – we’ve seen this for years. It actually works very well. You can tell by the number of consultants and “business coaches” that display pictures of these awards on their websites and include such awards in their resumes. Once you realize and notice this, you have to laugh at all the vanity, ego, and kudos generation going on these days. And isn’t it a lot like folks purchasing fake degrees through mail order or online? Our society is rapidly becoming a group of cheaters from kids in college cheating on tests, athletes using steroids and politicians playing us and the media for fools.

It is my contention and realize I get at least one of these types of emails per week, that these types of scams and email offers will go on. Many of these types of groups are also calling blocks of business cell phone numbers as well. Their story sounds compelling and they are very good at ego stroking to get the orders. Think on this.

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Tags: customer, ethics, product, problems, issues

Greed and a lack of an internal moral compass produced our current economic meltdown – incredible numbers of people so focused on making astronomical profits that ethics went right out the window. Corporate executives have a fiduciary responsibility to their stockholders and investors that they completely ignored. Now, the American taxpayers are bailing out industries that had our funds in trust.

It Gets Started When We Take Ethical Shortcuts

The interesting thing is that it’s easy to point fingers at the people in the news to complain about how they committed theft and ignore our own ethical shortcuts. This past week I got some insight into how difficult it is to set our own ethical limit.

My Ideal Is When Both Client and I Win

I had the great good fortune recently to participate in training with a major small business consulting firm. I was excited about being there because the trainers said the things I wanted to hear about doing what’s best for both the client and their company. Everybody wins. I love it!

Even though I tend to be idealistic in how I approach caring for a client, I too have failed at times to live 100% according to my values. Sometimes personal survival temporarily overrode what I felt was right because I “needed” to keep my job. So this past week was good because I got to see other viewpoints that softened my rigid standards a bit.

Sincere Statements Can Mean Different Things to Different Speakers

But in the end, one executive’s story showing how he cared about what was in the client’s best interest, back when he was a field consultant, really stuck with me — because it showed me how far apart we could be in our viewpoints while both of us sincerely say the same words.

“Joe” told the story of a client who hired his company to identify the problems his daughter was having taking over his business. Within thirty minutes, “Joe” had identified the problem but knew the job would close the minute he told the client what he found so he had to find ways to delay telling the client that his daughter was gay and the company’s very macho employees would not work with her. After three weeks of billing, he finally decided that it was unfair to the client to bill any more. He needed to tell the client that she preferred an “alternative lifestyle” and his employees took issue with that. Once he finally made it clear that they wouldn’t work for a gay woman, the job was over.

When the Value We Provide Is Less Than We Charge, We’re Stealing

My initial self-righteous position was that he took advantage of that client just to get his billing numbers – and bonuses – up. But as I thought about it, I realized that even I would have had to bill for some number of hours, doubtless several days while I looked for ways to turn the situation around. Once I was convinced that nothing I could do would enable her to run the company, I would be obligated to inform the client, even though the job would “crash.” To drag it out is the same in my mind as stealing. The client or customer is paying for value – value equal to or greater than what we are charging. When we can no longer provide that amount of value, we are now robbing him.

The Ethical Dilemma We Face Is Knowing Where the Cut-off Is

The difficulty lies in identifying where that point is. This is the ethical dilemma that most of us in sales and marketing, in consulting, and in business management face. It’s the first step onto a slide that eventually leads to Enrons, Worldcoms, sub-prime mortgage collapses, and all of the other self-serving business decisions that produced our current worldwide financial crisis.

Tips to Avoid Going Too Far

So how do we know where we need to stop billing a client — or selling a customer — on our solution if we are to avoid becoming a thief?

- Follow the Golden Rule – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

- Follow the two rules that Richard Maybury gave in Whatever Happened to Justice

1) Do all you have agreed to do, and

2) Do not encroach on other persons or their property.

- Ask yourself, how would I feel if I was the client paying for this advice?

1. Your advice or products and services need to provide benefits equal to or greater than the price you are charging.

2. Do no harm – even when your advice is desperately needed, if your client can’t make payroll after paying your invoice, something is wrong with that picture.

Ethical dilemmas are challenging because there is no black and white answer. Ethics hold you to a higher standard than human laws. But it is a standard that requires you to decide. In my example of “Joe” above, only he knows if his billing was legal theft because only he has all the facts that went into determining what value he provided his client. Life is full of grays and very few black and white choices. Maybe that is why customers treasure relationships they can trust. The simplest standard to be sure you are giving the value your customer or client is paying for is, “How would I feel if the positions were reversed?”

Would you like to reprint this article? You may as long as you include this blurb in its entirety: John R. Aberle is a consultant, coach, and speaker on sales and marketing, teaching a transformational style of selling that makes it fun and mutually rewarding for the customer as well as the salesperson. By helping customers buy, you develop long-term customer relationships, minimize sales rep turnover, and make profitable sales. This style of selling fits naturally into the social networking approach to marketing.

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Tags: ethical, dilemmas, problems, behaviour, conduct

When it comes to alternative interpretations on a subject, it is interesting that many business ethics textbooks contain The Parable of the Sadhu, about how these Westerners wrestled with the implications of a freezing Indian mendicant Sadhu. In summary, the author had been beating himself up for years because on a trip to Nepal to climb in the Himalayan Mountains he and other climbers had come across a freezing mendicant lying exposed in the mountains. They revived him and left him in a hut, last seeing him throwing rocks at a dog. For years thereafter the author suffered from guilt, feeling that he should have helped to carry the Sadhu down to a village a two-day walk away.

What the story does not say, of course, is that the Sadhu had been exactly where he intended to be, doing what he intended to do, when suddenly these Westerners grabbed and manhandled him, and then turn his presence into some grave moral crisis for themselves. To top it off, they left him to be eaten by a dog; instead of dying peacefully on the mountain he gets to be torn to pieces and eaten. Not a very happy ending for the Sadhu.

This seems typical of interactions between Americans and the rest of the world. Nowhere did the Sadhu appear to have asked for anyone to help him. The author interprets the lesson of the Sadhu to be “In a complex corporate situation, the individual requires and deserves the support of the group.” The lesson I see, instead, is: Be careful around Westerners, they might grab you, manhandle you, and take you somewhere you have no interest in being taken, to be torn to pieces by dogs. A Syrian friend of mine sent me a picture of a bumper sticker apparently becoming common in the Middle East: “Be Nice to America–Or we’ll bring democracy to your country.”

The real question we should be asking ourselves, therefore, before getting involved in the internal affairs of other countries or the day-to-day affairs of other people, is whether what we propose to do going to help or harm the other people. If we assume the answer to that question, then we will continue to make the mistake made by the author of the Parable; that anything we do to someone else is justified because it is we who are doing it. I suggest that this presumption is itself unjustified and unjustifiable.

copyright (c) 2009 Paul Croushore

Paul Croushore, JD, LLM
Attorney at Law
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Tags: ethical, problems, employer, justice, law

For most people, the process of buying property requires great attention. It is often a huge investment – possibly the largest that an individual is likely to make; and they would want true value for the money invested. Coupled with the decision to liberalise the FDI norms in the construction sector, it comes as a surprise that the real estate sector continues to function unregulated without a consumer friendly legal framework, especially when mutual funds, insurance policies, fixed bank deposits and securities are all subject to the guidelines of a market regulator. Until now, only Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) were permitted to invest in the housing and the real estate sectors. Foreign investors other than NRIs were allowed to invest only in development of integrated townships and settlements either through a wholly owned subsidiary or through a joint venture company in India along with a local partner.

Though the real estate sector in India is proclaimed to be the most promising sector today, it is still hugely plagued by market uncertainties and inhibitions. The real estate market in India predominantly continues to remain unorganized, fairly fragmented, mostly characterized by small players with a local presence. Thus, a Rs 500 transaction has a regulatory structure in place, while a Rs 50,00,000 contract runs on trust or might. What makes the purchase process even more harrowing is the complete lack of professionalism. The sector is replete with builders and brokers who are not only ignorant of the law, but also about the ways of civil engineering. The Finance Ministry has also expressed concerns about the exponential growth in the highly unorganised sector, which is also supposed to be one of the most corrupt sectors of the economy.

In a bid to protect consumers, the urban development ministry plans to create a regulator for the real estate sector. A real estate commission will be set up to frame guidelines and a code of conduct for property dealers. This would mean that property dealers and architects would have to get themselves registered before doing business. These moves are all likely to be part of the proposed Real Estate Management Bill. However, keeping in view the strong opposition of a section of lobby of builders and property agents, it remains to be seen whether the government would be able to push forward the proposed Bill. There are proposals for self-regulation by the industry.

However, a section of builders have also supported the government’s move, as it would bring transparency in the industry and an assurance to the customers. Once confidence level improves, the quantum of foreign investment coming into the sector could rise substantially leading to growth in the sector. As per an estimate, the real estate sector is expected to get an investment of over $50 billion in next 5 years. Under the proposed Bill, neighbourhood property dealers will have to compulsorily seek licence from the proposed commission for practising in specific catchment areas. To further protect the interest of consumers, the commission will also entertain complaints against dealers and will be empowered to take punitive action. There are also plans for setting up an assistance window at the proposed commission, where prospective buyers will be able to thoroughly check the antecedents and other details of the property.

The same act is also expected to ban pre-launch offers – a method to take consumers for a ride in the housing sector. Realtors would take huge advances for proposed flats immediately after acquiring land even without the necessary clearances. In some cases, developers have even received advance money before the land was even transferred. More often than not, the developers have sunk the money in alternate projects. Once a project has been approved, builders will be barred from accepting any advances or deposits from buyers unless a sale agreement has been executed. The moves are expected to put an end to pre-launch bookings and publicity which jacks up property prices beyond prevailing market rates. This speculation severely disadvantages genuine buyers while aiding those out to make a quick buck. Apart from the ban on making these offers, the bill is also likely to mandate that the developer sign an agreement with the buyers, assuring them of delivery of the property within a stipulated period.

However, the draft of the proposed enactment reveals a few serious flaws. These mainly stem from India’s federal constitution which places property as a subject for state legislation. The fear is that the new statute will face the fate of the National Building Code, which is being ignored by states as much as possible.

I am working as a functional consultant with a Chennai based company in India called Ramco Systems. I have more than 3 years of experience in various fields of software development. To read more articles you can reach me here.

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Tags: ethical, issues, problems, business, real estate

Corporate Espionage is so great in America that competitors will go to lengths to find out what your company has that makes it so much better than everyone else’s. Often they will even go so far as to set up a dummy corporation or LLC and actually go thru the sales process to buy a franchise, sometimes even go thru the purchase process, just to get all the information they need to compete with you, using your proprietary methods.

This is why I came up with a clause in our franchise agreements which helped us in knowing who we are dealing with up front and what their interests really are. Below is one of the clauses we use;

7.16 Other Parties

If Franchisee is a partnership, joint venture, association, corporation, limited liability company or other legal entity, then all persons who have any beneficial interest in the Franchisee must execute this Franchise Agreement where indicated below and be bound jointly and severally by all the terms and provision hereof, and each such execution shall be a condition precedent to the grant by Franchisee of the Franchised Business.

- – - – - – - – - – -

This made it very tough for a competitor to risk giving themselves away or opening them up for unfair business practice criminal investigations or civil lawsuits from us. It is unfortunate that the weaker, underwelming competitors have to cheat and lie just to keep up, but they are sub human and simply unworthy of mention on the evolutionary food chain. I use to feel sorry for them, but then that 15-second period ended, now we play tough, check six and steamroller these losers. Consider 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, problems, dilemma, concerns, organizations

Here we are and it is that time of year again when professors from top Universities and Colleges across the country are assigning projects to their Business Students. We get hundreds of calls each year from students just who are doing projects on franchising. They ask us all sorts of questions, order brochures and ask for various documents, but they have no intention on buying anything, nor can they afford it. Instead they want information for class projects they are doing. It takes up time to correspond with these posers at our company.

Why do colleges assign students projects to study the franchise industry?

Well you see Franchising accounts for a large percentage of our countries GNP (gross national product). And a huge chunk of the consumers spend able income. Many students who contact us pretend to be franchise buyers. At first we believed this to be burdensome and later realized, hey we were once in school too, and it really was not that long ago. I am not all that old myself and still feel young as if in college. I had to quit school in order to run my company back in those days. I would advise students that it is okay for you to tell us the truth; we will not hang up on you. But lying is about who you are and what you want sets a very bad ethical precedence and we as a nation are working towards stopping corporate corruption, not creating it. Think on 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: ethic, problems, ethical, dilemma, college

Have you ever been at work and noticed something highly unethical happen. Did it bother you to the point you almost quit? Well did you know that 38% of all Americans have had the same experience? A recent survey seems to indicate that we have an ethics problem in the United States and it is not just in Government or with cheating spouses. It is also prevalent in the Work Place as well. But if you do quit your job, well who is going to pay the bills?

It is amazing how easy in life it is to become ‘ethically unemployable’, but integrity is something that is becoming more and more scarce in our world. But you know what can you expect from a bunch of humans. The interesting thing about ethics is that it is so perception based. The person at your work who caused this ethical event that you are now thinking about since I brought it up? I bet they had some justification didn’t they?

So hold that thought for a moment and consider the issues of the “Ends and Means” debate. They say sometimes; “The Ends do not justify the means.” Indeed this is true, sometimes, but a pragmatist might say that sometimes the Ends are so great that the means are justified to win, complete the task or perhaps in a company make the deal? But still you shrug, why? Well, because you are an ethical person and we are deeply troubled discussing this aren’t we? But we also realize that there are rare circumstances when as much as we do not wish to admit it, well the ends might possibly, justify the means

For instance, inadvertently hurting a few to help the whole. Now that stands against everything we stand for in the US, however realize that it is unfortunately bathed in truth that sometimes you have too. I am sure you can consider examples of this and we are dealing with these issues now in some recent political events, which have been brought to light aren’t we? Or rather aren’t we always?

Now then is the “Ends do not justify the means” debate is an ethically troubling issue indeed. But what if we turn it around; what about the “Means do not justify the ends?” For instance what if you do the right thing, because it is the right thing to do, rather than focus on the ends (winning) and then your poor decisions fails to secure the necessary objectives and the whole of all involved are severely hurt because you did everything “politically correct” for instance but in doing so you built a really bad Dam? And the dam broke and everyone died. But you can save face because you did what was ethical in the process to build the dam without offending anything or anyone else?

So, often the ethical debate misses that flip side of the argument. The true answer in many cases is to do nothing. Yet in doing nothing there is no progress, no progress means nothing gets done and stagnation occurs which is a travesty also. So, then in ethical debate this is to be considered, as well, we must consider the opposite in the “Ends do not justify the means.” A pragmatists can do this, politicians have to, otherwise they cannot survive? Is this best for the whole? Sometimes, because you have forward progression, other times it is not good for the whole, but serves the few. Yet sometimes what is good for the few is good for the many (Ayn Rand type theory) so that also must be considered. So ethics is tough, but suffice it to say the best way to look at things is to encircle them from all perspectives and then you get a better picture. Ask yourself is it fair for all concerned; yes or no? If not find a third way and think hard on better and more ethical decisions; Think on 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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California like the rest of the country has many non-English or limited English speaking residents particularly within the Latino population. To capture these markets many companies often employ bilingual individuals. Sometimes these bilingual individuals chose to take advantage of the limited English speaking for greater profitability to the business and to line their own pockets. While limited English speaking customers may seem like easy targets, California law provides for tough sanctions and expansive protection of these customers.

Under California law any person engaged in a trade or business who negotiates primarily in Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, or Korean, orally or in writing, are required to deliver to the other party to the contract or agreement and prior to the execution, a translation of the contract or agreement in the language in which the contract or agreement was negotiated, which includes a translation of every term and condition in that contract or agreement, among other types of goods and services , this is true if entering into one of the following contracts:

(1) Retail installment sales, defined as the sale of goods or furnishing of services by a retail seller to a retail buyer for a deferred payment price payable in installments;

(2) a loan or extension of credit secured other than by real property, or unsecured, for use primarily for personal, family or household purposes;

(3) a lease, sublease, rental contract or agreement, or other term of tenancy contract or agreement, for a period of longer than one month, covering a dwelling, an apartment, or mobilehome, or other dwelling unit normally occupied as a residence.

(4) A contract or agreement, containing a statement of fees or charges, entered into for the purpose obtaining legal services, when the person who is engaged in business is currently licensed attorney.

In a recent case in imperial county, (Alba Graciano v. Robinson Ford Sales, Inc., Superior Ct. Case No. L-01452) a non-English speaking person bought a car from a car dealer. The salesman apparently attempted to take advantage of the buyer and the buyer proved in court that the deal was for 0% interest loan on a $12,000 car. The documents were prepared in English with no Spanish translation and the salesman increased the price to $17,865.00. The car buyer filed a lawsuit for violation of consumer laws. The jury made a modes award and was to decide on punishment, but a settlement was reached with the buyer for $45,000.00, but the court still had to award attorney fees and costs which were at $249,365.36. The court reduced the attorney fees to $27,570, but on appeal the Court or Appeal held that the attorney fees cannot be reduced, because it would be going against the intent of the legislature which is to protect consumers. On top of approximately $235,000.00 in attorney fees the Court of Appeal also ordered payment of the costs and attorney fees associated with the appeal itself. One salesman’s error over a $17,865 car cost the dealer about $300,000.

There is an exception for persons engaged in a trade or business who negotiate primarily in a language other than English, but has his or her own interpreter. To qualify for the exception the interpreter must not be a minor and must be able to speak and read fluently with full understanding both English and the other language.

If failure to comply the person aggrieved may rescind the contract or agreement in the manner provided by California law. In addition to these remedies other remedies may also apply depending on the goods and services and applicable statutes.

Attorney Arnold Hernandez represents primarily consumers, small businesses, and victims of personal injury. Visit attorney Arnold Hernandez’ website for valuable information.

Personal injury attorney escondido, san marcos, oceanside, vista, carlsbad, encinitas, fallbrook, rancho bernardo

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Perfection eludes each of us. I know. I deal with the challenge to live a perfect life on a daily basis.

In all that I do, I try my very best to perform with honesty and integrity.

Even in my day job, I work hard to perform above reproach. As a commissioned salesman in a small retail establishment, the fear of cutthroat sales people is always in the air, especially in this the slowest season of the year. It is not as bad in my job as one might expect since there are only four of us to run the store year around.

All of us have made a commitment to one another to always play above board, and to give credit where credit is due. If a customer is working with one sales person and the customer returns when the sales person is absent, credit for the sale will go to the sales person who had been working with the customer from day one.

We have all agreed that this is the only fair way to work the business. For more than four months, this system has worked fine.

If a customer comes in and asks for someone who is not present, and the customer knows what he or she wants, then the full deal goes to the original sales person. If the customer has not made
their mind up as to what they wanted before coming into the store, then we are free to split the deal between the two of us.

The only time we experience problems is when a customer comes in that one of us does not recognize. To combat this problem, we take the time to remind the customer to ask for us when
they return to the store. We also make an effort to query the customer to learn whether they had talked to another sales person on a previous visit.

Let me tell you one thing that I have learned in this job. It is not enough to try to do everything right. Sometimes, a situation may arise that prevents the execution of a perfect job.

I now stand accused of breaking the trust we have spent four months building among the crew.

On a busy Sunday afternoon, only two of us were working so that the other two could attend special functions.

Upon completing one transaction, I rushed to the next customer. The customer asked immediately if I could help direct him to a television that would fit into a specific space. I pointed to three televisions that would meet his needs. We were able to work together to narrow the customers interest to one specific television and we closed the deal.

While I was getting a serial number for the set, the customer told the manager on duty that he needed to run to his office and would return shortly. I returned with a serial number and noticed the customer leaving. I asked him if he had changed his mind. He told me that he would return shortly and that I “will still get the sale.”

Upon the customer’s return to the store, I was helping another customer with his purchase. So, the store manager assisted the customer in doing the paperwork and loading his purchase into his vehicle.

All was well until two days later. Upon returning from my own day off, I was confronted by one of the other sales people. He told me that HIS customer had stopped by the store on my day off and told him that he — the customer — had asked about the missing sales person while he was in the store on Sunday.

I stood firm in my assertion that the sales persons name had never come up. I still stand firm in that assertion. I made a point to remind my co-worker that I have gone out of my way in times past to assure that he had gotten credit for his work.

Yet my co-worker wanted and still wants to believe I screwed him on the deal. Yes, the deal was made only under my number — it was not split with anyone.

I have reached the conclusion that I will not fret this situation. My co-worker has decided that he wants to believe the worst about me on that day.

Yet, in my heart, I know that I did no one wrong. As such, I refuse to feel guilt for this unfortunate situation. I stand firm in my belief that I have done absolutely nothing wrong, period.

My point in this article is? I don’t know. I just needed to get it off of my chest. One would think that my record of honesty and integrity should override any misgivings another might have. Unfortunately, in the real world, it is not always so simple.

Copyright Bill Platt – All Rights Reserved

Bill Platt is the owner of LinksAndTraffic.

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Tags: ethical, systems, information, issues, problems

I was looking through an old notebook the other day – and stumbled upon a card someone had given me – and inside it said: Resurrect a childhood dream, let your passion take flight.

I kept the card on my desk and glanced at it throughout the day – and then, it hit me, all the ‘stuff’ that’s been ‘up’ for me as of late, and the clarity that I’m receiving about my True Purpose, and the next phase of my own business, is something that I see others struggle with too which is: having an immense distrust in the true intentions of other people who are in business.

The card spurred some very old memories – and reminded me that – ever since I can remember I’ve always had a passion for business – it was (and is) – in my blood and I LOVE it.

So, it’s no coincidence that I went off to biz school, and then to Corporate America, and eventually decided to become an entrepreneur. And it’s been a beautiful, wonderful, challenging journey with lots of emotions and twists and turns – which has contributed to tremendous personal growth as well as an immense spiritual awakening.

And through this spiritual awakening, and personal growth, lots of clarity, and lots of realization has come to the surface. And what I’ve realized is: my original LOVE for business was based on what I see as the TRUTH about why I believe that we’re in business to begin with which is: to serve others with our gifts and of course make a profit in doing so, while also growing personally, professionally, and spiritually in the process.

Yet, everyday, we’re all inudated with so much ‘stuff’ that is screaming all the options available to help you ‘succeed’, that it’s hard to decipher and determine who and what to trust. Do you agree?

And, in looking back, I can see that my own trust in business and what I see as its true intention, got covered by some serious muck as I took on many false beliefs around what others’ true intentions were with their businesses. Some of my false beliefs were: ‘everyone is out to screw you’; ‘they’re all crooks’, ‘don’t trust anyone’. I can hear my Dad’s voice now as I type this, and God love him, he is right in many cases.

Yet, based on my love for business, I wanted to prove my elders wrong. So as I made my way in the business world, I became tremendously gifted at having lots of compassion, strategic forethought, and solving problems for people in an extraordinarily creative and consultative manner.

However, in that same quest to prove my false beliefs wrong, I also kept unconsciously collecting evidence to prove them right. Over the years, I’d get myself into situations whether personally or professionally where the whole ‘they’re out to get you’ belief got proven right in one capacity or another.

I see now that my decisions were coming from a good place – a place in me which wanted to believe that at the core people are good – and not everyone is ‘out to get you’, and that people really do have your best interests at heart.

And thank goodness as I’ve transformed my own false beliefs, I’m collecting more and more experiences and people in my life who I know have my best interests at heart – and reinforce my true intention and mission with my own business: Live To Give!

And what I’ve learned through all of it, even some very expensive ‘mistakes’ is this: My money is best spent with people who have the same value system that I do – they are in business for what I consider to be the ‘right reasons’, and their main mission and intention is to help me find my own answers, rather than feeding me theirs.

It can be an endless trap constantly looking for the answers from someone else. You wind up continually buying paint for their paint brushes and masterpiece, rather than discovering your own ‘true colors’ to paint your own.

There are plenty of people who will take your power, and your money, and show you the ‘way’, their ‘way’, which is fine in many cases, if that’s what you want.

But, if you’re a woman who knows she smart, knows she has tremendous creative gifts, and simply needs a way to get at them and express them, with lots of confidence and courage, then you don’t need an external plan, you need access to your own internal map.

That’s it, seriously.

You already have your own ‘true colors’ within, the masterpiece may be lying dormant under some muck that got thrown on it throughout the years, but it’s there, and what’s also there is your own unique ‘way’ of how you are uniquely designed to express it.

Sure, tactics and industry standards can help you, without a doubt, but you also have the power and smarts on your own to create new standards, new innovative ‘ways’ of doing things, and new, unique ways of sharing your gifts within your own business – all while helping people with sharing your gifts!

The entrepreneurial world needs new leaders – new innovations – new ideas – new businesses that are built on a value system of service – and businesses that are run by powerful, smart, feminine women who have their hearts in the right place and who want to make a difference and be of great service – while sharing the wealth in numerous ways.

Are you ready to join this ‘the new generation of female entrepreneurs’ and design a business and a life that contributes to a new world – a world that is full of meaning and overall fulfillment – where you share your wealth not only for your own benefit but for the benefit of others?

If you feel the call in your heart, there is no better time then right now.

And, as always, its your choice.

Brenda Stanton is a leader in the field of female empowerment. A creative visionary, business advisor, and personal coach, Brenda supports women to Claim Your Worth™ in all aspects of life and business. Brenda specializes in helping women to value themselves and show them how to go from feeling like “not enough” to “more than enough” – while transforming their perceptions and beliefs so they feel capable, deserving, and worthy of the life-style and business of their dreams. To learn more about Brenda and her Transformative, Life-Style programs visit her at Here

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Tags: ethics, problems, person, trust, business