Operating under ethical standards is a concern of millions of businesspeople across the globe
Lindsey Dumser
Operating under ethical standards is a concern of millions of businesspeople across the globe, and differing cultural and religious beliefs shape what is considered moral or ethical in different countries. The variations in ethical standards make international business difficult to navigate, so leaders must decide upon an integrity strategy for the company as a whole. This paper will discuss three types of approaches for maintaining integrity in business, the Christian perspective on business integrity, and how decision models can help leaders make appropriate and ethical choices in their organizations.
The Power of Business Integrity
Integrity in business is not altogether different than integrity in one’s personal life, but people may be led away from always making the right choices in business due to greed, personal gains, or dreams of wealth (Gamble, Peteraf, & Thompson, 2019). Incorporating business ethics into a company’s strategy can be a method to ensure the business and its employees continually act in a moral manner in all situations. There are three modes of setting an integrity strategy into an international business. One option is termed ethical universalism, which calls for the company to set one code of ethics and require all employees to follow it regardless of the country in which they operate or live (Gamble, Peteraf, & Thompson, 2019). This strategy may become problematic when companies operate in areas with widely varying cultural values. So, some companies choose to operate in a manner considered moral within the specific area they are operating in, called ethical relativism (Gamble, Peteraf, & Thompson, 2019). This method causes difficulties in situations where corruption or bribery is considered illegal in one country and customary in another country of operation, but the slippery slope asks whether that makes the corruption acceptable to the organization as a whole (Werhane, 2015). The third manner of setting an international integrity strategy is integrative social contracts theory, which allows the company to set a general set of universal standards while allowing for adaptations in particular circumstances calling for local values to take precedence (Gamble, Peteraf, & Thompson, 2019). These three general methods of operating allow multinational organizations to select standards of integrity for which employees must follow to ensure ethical procedures are in place as a whole.
God’s Perspective on Business Integrity
Operating with strong ethical and moral standards follows a Christian worldview in practice. Because ethical standards in business necessarily stem from the integrity of the human actors making the decisions, both types of integrity are very similar in nature. Christians are expected to work as if they are serving the Lord, which requires a commitment to excellence and humility (Keller & Alsdorf, 2014). Integrity is drawn from the inner being of a person, and if he or she is continually acting in a manner to serve the Lord with excellence and humility, then all business actions should fall in line with these values. Further, the bible touts, “commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established” (Proverbs 16:3, English Standard Version). This statement not only commits the Christian’s work to the Lord, but it also promises that He will then establish plans to live out. As such, a believer would receive a spiritual blueprint of biblical-based rights and wrongs to guide him through business actions.
The plans set forth by the Lord will only be learned through knowing God deeply, and only then will the Christian businessperson begin to gain wisdom. According to Keller and Alsdorf (2014), one may only learn wisdom through experience and applying a deeper understanding of God’s ethical norms and rules into practical situations. The value of a businessperson gaining wisdom and using it in business decisions will help lead him to successful endeavors. “For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict” (Luke 21:15). The God-given wisdom will give Christians operating businesses ethically a competitive advantage over foes who do not operate with integrity. As such, business integrity comes from the individual, and the Christian perspective states that believers should work for the Lord, which will help them gain the wisdom to practice in business endeavors. Therefore, practicing integrity in business may lead to more success than choosing unethical practices.
Decision Models
Through the experiences and tribulations of business ventures, leaders are faced with many ethical and moral dilemmas. To make these decisions, leaders may use common decision models to place the facts within the given context to choose the best option. In doing so, integrity could be jeopardized when certain aspects are left out of the decision-making process. The contextual integrity principle of inclusion is raised when the framework “leaves out parts that were actually vital to a correct understanding of the whole story” (Brown, 2013, p. 3). According to Krogerus and Tschäppeler (2018), today’s technology allows decision makers to gather enormous amounts of data and information, which can potentially make the decisions better, but if practitioners do not understand what the data means or how it was calculated, the decisions could suffer. Therefore, leaders may fall victim to using the confirmation error, which affirms their immediate assumption or blocks their ability to maintain an unbiased view of the additional information presented (Krogerus & Tschäppeler, 2018). To maintain integrity in business, and in life, my personal decision models have not changed because each model can assist in determining the most ethical manner in which to act in different situations.
Conclusion
Operating a business with integrity involves making numerous decisions in a moral or ethical manner. The overarching integrity of an organization could be compromised when operating in an international environment due to differing moral or ethical standards valued in other nations. Multi-national companies must decide whether to operate under ethical universalism, ethical relativism, or integrative social contracts theory when determining an integrity strategy for the entire corporation. Additionally, the Christian worldview encompasses working for the Lord and gaining wisdom through experience and knowing God deeply to ensure business integrity in operations. Finally, considering the mass amounts of data and information available, leaders must use decision models to appropriately make decisions with integrity by avoiding the confirmation error of assuming their first thoughts are the best option.
2- Minimum of 300 words in the body texts Content must include:
Summary of the author’s Main Thread – no less than 125 words
What you agreed with, did not agree with and why – no less than 125 words
Summary of the author’s Main Thread – no less than 125 words
What you agreed with, did not agree with and why – no less than 125 words
Minimum of 2 sources from the literature in addition to course
Jason Brady
The power of business integrity
Business integrity is a key component of a business’s appearance to the public and its customer’s. When a company does not have integrity, it can influence the business’s ability to retain its client’s. According to Gamble, Peteraf, and Thompson (2019), business ethics is the involvement for general rules to the action and decisions of a corporation and its team members. Ethics involves an individual or business entity in making morally justified decisions. According to Gamble et al. (2019), corporate social responsibility shows a company’s responsibility to provide safe conditions for employees, operating in an honest manner, to be environmentally conscious, and to improve the quality of condition in the local community. Leaders will have to ensure they remain honest and keep the integrity of not only the company but also the integrity of themselves intact.
To employ corporate social responsibility a company must be open to innovation. Without innovation, a company may fall short in the area of corporate responsibility because this method is dependent on continuous improvement. According to Rumelt (2011), “the presumption that all important knowledge is already known, or available through consultation with authorities, deadens innovation” (p. 244). Leaders must not assume that there are not any new lessons that can be obtained from mistakes or triumphs. Business professionals will also have to answer to the Lord’s judgment on their business dealings and the integrity of those business dealings.
God’s perspective on business integrity
Business integrity can be the one factor that can keep a company in business and keep their appearance ethical or moral. According to Keller (2012), “we are to see work a way of service to God and our neighbor, and so we should both choose and conduct our work in accordance with that purpose” (p. 67). The Lord’s teachings can help encourage Christian leaders to act morally and honest in their business processes. When businesses focus on concentrating on business ethics, it can help improve the life and future decisions of a Christian business professional. According to Ginges, Sheikh, Atran, and Argo (2015), “beliefs about God may promote more equal valuation of human life regardless of religious identity, encouraging the application of universal moral rules to believers and nonbelievers alike” (p. 316). The Lord has a plan for every human being on this Earth and especially expects his followers to act daily with integrity and morality.
Business ethics in businesses will help keep firms honest and respectful in their business dealings. Business professionals can become blind or not aware they are worshipping idols. According to Keller (2012), “while we are usually blind to our own idols, it is not very hard to see them in others and to see how others’ counterfeit gods fill them with anxiety, anger, and discouragement” (p. 135). It can be determined that when business professionals focus on other idols but the Lord, they can become corrupt. In becoming corrupt, a Christian’s integrity and honest may be in question in their professional and personal lives. According to Shaw (2008), “the first is that business ethics is impossible because capitalism itself tends to produce greedy, overreaching, and unethical business behavior” (p. 566). Capitalism can turn honest business professionals to greedy and selfish people. It is up to business professionals to seek out the teachings in the bible to solidify their integrity no matter what political or social factors are involved.
Decision model
Regarding decision models, there have been many models that have been discussed. One model that stuck out was the project management triangle model. This model will help a leader in management become a better leader by looking at the three success factors regarding service in the business environment. According to Krogerus and Tschäppeler (2018), “when you manage a project—whether a business idea, a dinner party or a master’s thesis—the same three success criteria apply” (p. 138). According to Krogerus and Tschäppeler (2018), the three success criteria are that good and rapid are expensive, rapid and inexpensive is unsatisfactory, and good and inexpensive is sluggish. There have been some changes in the decision models that have changed my opinion about management strategies.
Before this course, I would think management was just a group of decision makers but not I have a different outlook. A manager must not only make a decision but to also manage their team effectively to meet or excel in business objectives and goals. The team model is a great example of a team management strategy a leader can utilize. According to Krogerus and Tschäppeler (2018), “this model will help you to judge your team. Begin by defining the skills, expertise, and resources that you think are important for carrying out the project” (p. 126). It was a blessing that I took this course because there were so many different managerial strategies, I was unaware of. A leader can utilize these different strategies to help their organization improve.
Conclusion
The power of business integrity is essential for a leader to maintain a positive client relationship and to make the works of a business professional happy in the Lord’s eyes. God wants his followers to do acts of work in his glory and not in their own self ambitions. Once leaders have identified and studied decision models that fit their organization, they can implement those strategies. During BUSI 770, my personal decision models have been altered and improved my understanding of managerial strategies. Business professionals must remember to keep their eyes on the Lord and do good work in his name.
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