Four People play the telephone game

The first step for making a good ethical decision is accurately identifying and weighing all considerations of an issue. To determine the best course of action, principled leaders must evaluate problems through an ethical perspective as well as a business perspective. Using ethical frameworks can guide decision-makers, and when practiced regularly, the ethical choice becomes an automatic consideration when faced with any dilemma.

Examples

A Christmas Carol and the Common Good

Take a deeper look at a beloved classic This holiday season, the University of St. Thomas and the Guthrie Theater…

Learn More

3 Ways to Uproot a Culture of Corruption

Corruption is theft, pure and simple. Corruption is a constant threat in Kenya, says social entrepreneur Wanjira Mathai -- and…

Learn More

Deans Professional: Professional ethics in practice

Better Business Bureau Ethics TORCH Award Finalist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEYCp6OZXNs Used with kind permission of the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota &…

Learn More

BBB Better Series: Upside thinking

What does it mean to think upside down or to see the world completely differently than you are told to…

Learn More

The business case for working with your toughest critics

Former Vice President of Sustainability at McDonald's Bob Langert spoke at the 2019 Ted Summit about how he worked with…

Learn More

Where conduct is king

The National Blues Museum strikes the right chord with its business practices. In this video, Jacqueline K. Dace, Director of…

Learn More

Building a trusted brand is good for business

Creating a successful brand image is about finding what’s authentic to your company and letting it come through in your…

Learn More

Practical Guidance

The ethics of product recalls

What to consider when your product raises complaints or causes injuries Not everything goes to plan. Despite due diligence and quality control, manufacturers sometimes find that their product is not performing as it should. But at what point should a business move a customer service issue to a product recall? Six federal agencies can require recalls, including the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, the Food Safety and Inspection Services, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Coast Guard, and the Environmental Protection Agency. With the focus on manufacturers and consumers, this article will only consider the…

Learn More

Ethical Leadership, Part 2: Best Practices

Psychological research provides guidance as to how leaders can create a workplace culture that encourages ethical behavior by employees. If you have not watched it yet, you might appreciate viewing the part 1 video first: Ethical Leadership Part 1: Perilous at the Top https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icJZxLoX14U

Learn More

Ethical Leadership, Part 1: Perilous at the Top

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmsl1xVx7Ec After watching, check out the second part: Ethical Leadership Part 2: Best Practices

Learn More

Leading With Values, University of Michigan-Ross School of Business, 2013

An Ethical Systems Highlighted Syllabus BY ETHICAL SYSTEMS Download syllabus for Leading With Values, taught at University of Michigan-Ross School of Business in 2013 by Dave Mayer.  Download

Learn More

Professional Responsibility, NYU Stern, 2017

An Ethical Systems Highlighted Syllabus BY ETHICAL SYSTEMS Download syllabus for Professional Responsibility, taught at NYU-Stern in 2017 by Jonathan Haidt.  Download

Learn More

Ethical Leadership in the Global Economy, Boston University, 2016

An Ethical Systems Highlighted Syllabus BY ETHICAL SYSTEMS Download syllabus for Ethical Leadership in the Global Economy, taught at Boston University in 2016 by Laura Pincus Hartman.  Download

Learn More

Fairness

BY DAVID DOBOLYI INTRODUCTION  Every organization must confront the challenge of motivating its work force. From research on fairness in organizational contexts (‘organizational justice research’) we know that fairness is one key. Organizational justice research consistently finds that employees are more motivated when they feel that organizational resources are allocated fairly, that organizational decisions are made in fair ways, and that their organization treats them fairly. Moreover, employees who experience fairness at work are more likely to internalize the organization’s goals and values, and to develop close bonds with other organizational members. In this way, a ‘management-by-fairness’ approach motivates employees to work collaboratively for the…

Learn More

Managing Business Ethics

An Ethical Systems Book Review BY DAVID NEWMAN Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk About How To Do It Rightby Linda K. Treviño and Katherine A. NelsonJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc., 5th ed. (2011) (public library)Summarized by David Newman Overview Treviño and Nelson present a fresh look at management as an exercise in shaping human behavior. Replete with psychological research on moral judgments and conduct, as well as dozens of detailed cases drawn from ethical quandaries faced by real-world organizations, this text functions both as a teaching tool and as a practical guide for how employees and managers should comport themselves in difficult situations. Managing Business…

Learn More

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

An Ethical Systems Book Review BY DAVID NEWMAN Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hardby Chip Heath and Dan HeathCrown Business, 1st Ed. (2010) (public library)Summarized by Jennifer Fang Overview Change is difficult, or so most people believe. Switch identifies the crucial factors in effecting lasting changes for both individuals and organizations. Dan and Chip Heath draw on current research and lively anecdotes to illustrate that people will embrace significant changes given the right circumstances; namely, when all three components of change – the rational side (the Rider), the emotional side (the Elephant), and the situational world (the Path) are aligned. The…

Learn More

The difference between being “not racist” and anti-racist

Author and historian Ibram X. Kendi discusses the critical difference and how you can be part of the change There is no such thing as being "not racist," says author and historian Ibram X. Kendi. In this vital conversation, he defines the transformative concept of antiracism to help us more clearly recognize, take responsibility for and reject prejudices in our public policies, workplaces and personal beliefs. Learn how you can actively use this awareness to uproot injustice and inequality in the world -- and replace it with love. (This virtual interview, hosted by TED's current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers…

Learn More

A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.

Douglas MacArthur