Business Ethics, Labor Rights, and Corporate Accountability

Introduction

The concept of ethics in both business and labor is one rife with contradiction. Especially today, where the public has come to expect a degree of dishonesty, corruption, and exploitation at the hands of corporate abusers, the notion of ethical practice may seem almost quaint. But as the text by Collins (2011), entitled Business Ethics, demonstrates quite effectively, ethical practice is exactly what is called for if we are to bring about order, stability, and accountability in our economy. The discussion here addresses a number of issues — both relating to institutional ethical practices and, subsequently, to the implications of ethics in the discussion on labor orientation.

Why Good People Behave Unethically

Chapter 1, entitled "Why Do Good People Behave Unethically?", offers a number of discussion points that help us to understand the impact that organizational or institutional ethics can have on individual decision-making. The chapter goes into detail on some of the phenomena that lead to gross or chronic violations of standard ethical practice.

The chapter initiates with a discussion that provides critical background to any examination of business ethics today. Collins contextualizes the last decade as one tainted by an epidemic level of unethical business practices, highlighted by corporate scandals such as those at Enron and Tyco (p. 11; p. 13).

The Costs of Unethical Behavior and Whistleblowing Barriers

One area of ethical consideration raised in the chapter is especially eye-opening. The author acknowledges that in addition to the obvious philosophical drawbacks to unethical practice, one must consider the cost to an existing organization. According to Collins, "once an employee has lied, he or she needs to be more closely monitored until trust is restored. According to an electronic monitoring and surveillance survey conducted by the American Management Association, 76 percent of the responding organizations monitor and review email, 51 percent use video surveillance, and 36 percent monitor employee computer time" (p. 13).

One of the more compelling aspects of the chapter is its discussion on the failure of ethical people to take action when others behave unethically. This is especially interesting because it forms something of a gray area in the minds of many individuals. For most, ethicality certainly takes the form of controlling one's own actions. But confronting others who behave unethically may be more difficult to achieve and, for some, may fall outside the perceived scope of personal ethical responsibility. Collins contextualizes this dilemma in the scope of modern business practice, reporting that "based on in-depth interviews with employees, researchers found that 85 percent had not raised an important issue or concern to their bosses on at least one occasion" (p. 30).

The text offers a number of reasons why ethical individuals may be reluctant to come forward in such circumstances. Particularly, Collins argues that factors such as the fear of reprisal, concern about being negatively perceived by others, the desire to maintain healthy working relationships, and pressures created by the broader culture of a company may make it especially difficult to come forward and report on unethical behaviors. This is an especially relevant issue in today's business environment as we collectively attempt to distance ourselves from an era of scandal, corruption, and a total lack of accountability. Bringing change to an environment that is highly deterrent to ethically-driven whistleblowing is critical to our shared economic future.

Conclusion

What is notable about this discussion is its simultaneous demonstration of the evolution of ethical practices in business and labor and its illustration of the need now, more than ever, for a return to ethical orientation.