Chap004经营4

GlobalBusinessToday7e byCharlesW L Hill Chapter4 EthicsinInternationalBusiness Introduction Ethics acceptedprinciplesofrightorwrongthatgoverntheconductofaperson themembersofaprofession ortheactionsofanorganizationBusinessethicsaretheacceptedprinciplesofrightorwronggoverningtheconductofbusinesspeopleEthicalstrategyisastrategy orcourseofaction thatdoesnotviolatetheseacceptedprinciples EthicalIssuesinInternationalBusiness Themostcommonethicalissuesinbusinessinvolveemploymentpracticeshumanrightsenvironmentalregulationscorruptionthemoralobligationofmultinationalcompanies EmploymentPractices Question Whenworkconditionsinahostnationsareclearlyinferiortothoseinamultinational shomenation whatstandardsshouldbeapplied Thestandardsofthehomenation Thestandardsofthehostnation Somethinginbetween HumanRights Question Whatistheresponsibilityofaforeignmultinationalwhenoperatinginacountrywherebasichumanrightsarenotrespected Basichumanrightstakenforgrantedinthedevelopedworldsuchasfreedomofassociation freedomofspeech freedomofassembly freedomofmovement andsoon arenotuniversallyaccepted EnvironmentalPollution Question Shouldamultinationalfeelfreetopolluteinadevelopingnationifdoingsodoesnotviolatelaws Answer Whenenvironmentalregulationsinhostnationsarefarinferiortothoseinthehomenation ethicalissuesariseThetragedyofthecommonsoccurswhenaresourceheldincommonbyall butownedbynoone isoverusedbyindividualsresultinginitsdegradation Corruption Question Isitethicaltomakepaymentstogovernmentofficialstosecurebusiness Answer IntheUnitedStates theForeignCorruptPracticesActoutlawedthepracticeofpayingbribestoforeigngovernmentofficialsinordertogainbusinessTheConventiononCombatingBriberyofForeignPublicOfficialsinInternationalBusinessTransactionsadoptedbytheOrganizationforEconomicCooperationandDevelopment OECD obligesmemberstatestomakethebriberyofforeignpublicofficialsacriminaloffense Corruption SomeeconomistssuggestthatthepracticeofgivingbribesmightbethepricethatmustbepaidtodoagreatergoodIncountrieswherepreexistingpoliticalstructuresdistortorlimittheworkingsofthemarketmechanism corruptionintheformofblack marketeering smuggling andsidepaymentstogovernmentbureaucratsto speedup approvalforbusinessinvestmentsmayactuallyenhancewelfareHowever othereconomistshavearguedthatcorruptionreducesthereturnsonbusinessinvestmentandleadstoloweconomicgrowth MoralObligations Question Domultinationalshavearesponsibilitytogivebacktothesocietiesthatenablethemtogrowandprosper Answer Socialresponsibility theideathatbusinesspeopleshouldtakethesocialconsequencesofeconomicactionsintoaccountwhenmakingbusinessdecisions andthatthereshouldbeapresumptioninfavorofdecisionsthathavebothgoodeconomicandgoodsocialconsequences EthicalDilemmas ManagersoftenfacesituationswheretheappropriatecourseofactionisnotclearEthicaldilemmas situationsinwhichnoneoftheavailablealternativesseemsethicallyacceptabletheyexistbecauserealworlddecisionsarecomplex difficulttoframe andinvolvevariousconsequencesthataredifficulttoquantify TheRootsofUnethicalBehavior Question Whydomanagersbehaveinanunethicalmanner Answer ManagerialbehaviorisinfluencedbyPersonalethicsDecisionmakingprocessesOrganizationalcultureUnrealisticperformanceexpectationsLeadership TheRootsofUnethicalBehavior Figure4 1 DeterminantsofEthicalBehavior PersonalEthics Businessethicsreflectpersonalethics thegenerallyacceptedprinciplesofrightandwronggoverningtheconductofindividuals Expatriatesmayfacepressuretoviolatetheirpersonalethicsbecausetheyareawayfromtheirordinarysocialcontextandsupportingculturetheyarepsychologicallyandgeographicallydistantfromtheparentcompany DecisionMakingProcesses Studiesshowthatbusinesspeoplemaybehaveunethicallybecausetheyfailtoasktherelevantquestion isthisdecisionoractionethical decisionsaremadebasedoneconomiclogic withoutconsiderationforethics OrganizationalCulture Unethicalbehaviormayexistinfirmswithanorganizationculture thevaluesandnormsthataresharedamongemployeesofanorganization thatdoesnotemphasizebusinessethicsValuesandnormsshapethecultureofafirm andthatcultureinfluencesdecisionmaking UnrealisticPerformanceExpectations Pressurefromtheparentcompanytomeetperformancegoalsthatareunrealistic andcanonlybeattainedbycuttingcornersoractinginanunethicalmannercancauseunethicalbehavior Leadership Ifafirmsleadersfailtoactinanethicalmanner otheremployeesmaynotactethicallyactionsspeaklouderthanwords PhilosophicalApproachestoEthics ThereareseveralapproachestobusinessethicsincludingStrawmentheFriedmandoctrineculturalrelativismtherighteousmoralistthena veimmoralistUtilitarianandKantianRightstheoriesJusticeTheories StrawMen StrawmenapproachesareraisedbybusinessethicsscholarsprimarilyforthepurposeofdemonstratingthattheyofferinappropriateguidelinesforethicaldecisionmakinginamultinationalenterpriseFoursuchapproachesaretheFriedmandoctrineculturalrelativismtherighteousmoralistthena veimmoralist StrawMen FriedmanDoctrine theonlysocialresponsibilityofbusinessistoincreaseprofits solongasthecompanystayswithintherulesoflawcompaniesshouldnotundertakeexpendituresbeyondthosemandatedbylawandthoserequiredfortheefficientrunningofabusinessCulturalRelativism thebeliefthatethicsareculturallydeterminedandthatfirmsshouldadopttheethicsoftheculturesinwhichtheyoperate wheninRome doastheRomansdo StrawMen RighteousMoralist amultinational shomecountrystandardsofethicsaretheappropriateonesforcompaniestofollowinforeigncountriesapproachiscommonamongmanagersfromdevelopedcountriesNa veImmoralist ifamanagerofamultinationalseesthatfirmsfromothernationsarenotfollowingethicalnormsinahostnation thatmanagershouldnoteitheractionsareethicallyjustifiedifeveryoneelseisdoingthesamething UtilitarianandKantianEthics Utilitarianapproachestoethicsholdthatthemoralworthofactionsorpracticesisdeterminedbytheirconsequencesactionshavemultipleconsequences somegood somenotactionsaredesirableiftheyleadstothebestpossiblebalanceofgoodconsequencesoverbadconsequencesProblemswiththisapproachmeasuringthebenefits costs andrisksofacourseofactionthephilosophyfailstoconsiderjustice UtilitarianandKantianEthics Kantianethics basedonthephilosophyofImmanuelKantwhoarguedthatpeopleshouldbetreatedasendsandneverpurelyasmeanstotheendsofotherspeoplehavedignityandneedtoberespected theyarenotmachines RightsTheories Rightstheories humanbeingshavefundamentalrightsandprivilegesthattranscendnationalboundariesandculturefundamentalhumanrightsformthebasisforthemoralcompassthatmanagersshouldnavigatebywhenmakingdecisionsthathaveanethicalcomponentTheideathatsomefundamentalrightstranscendnationalbordersandcultureswastheunderlyingmotivationfortheUN sUniversalDeclarationofHumanRights specifiesthebasicprinciplesthatshouldalwaysbeadheredtoirrespectiveofthecultureinwhichoneisdoingbusiness JusticeTheories Justicetheoriesfocusontheattainmentofajustdistribution onethatisconsideredfairandequitable ofeconomicgoodsandservicesJohnRawls alleconomicgoodsandservicesshouldbedistributedequallyexceptwhenanunequaldistributionwouldworktoeveryone sadvantageImpartialityisguaranteedbytheveilofignorance everyoneisimaginedtobeignorantofallhisorherparticularcharacteristics JusticeTheories Question Whatsystemwouldpeopledesignunderaveilofignorance Answer AsystemwherepeoplewouldagreethateachpersonispermittedthemaximumamountofbasiclibertycompatiblewithasimilarlibertyforothersOnceequalbasiclibertyisassured inequalityinbasicgoodssocialgoodsaretobeallowedonlyiftheybenefiteveryonethedifferenceprinciplesuggeststhatinequalitiesarejustifiediftheybenefitthepositionoftheleastadvantagedperson ImplicationsforManagers Question Howcanmanagersensurethatethicalissuesareconsideredinbusinessdecisions Answer Managersshouldfavorhiringandpromotingpeoplewithawellgroundedsenseofpersonalethicsbuildanorganizationalculturethatplacesahighvalueonethicalbehaviormakesurethatleaderswithinthebusinessnotonlyarticulatetherhetoricofethicalbehavior butalsoactinmannerthatisconsistentwiththatrhetoricputdecisionmakingprocessesinplacethatrequirepeopletoconsidertheethicaldimensionofbusinessdecisionsdevelopmoralcourage HiringandPromotion BusinessesshouldstrivetoidentifyandhirepeoplewithastrongsenseofpersonalethicsProspectiveemployeesshouldfindoutasmuchastheycanabouttheethicalclimateinanorganization OrganizationCultureandLeadership Businessesneedtobuildanorganizationculturethatplacesahighvalueonethicalbehaviorthebusinessmustexplicitlyarticulatevaluesthatplaceastrongemphasisonethicalbehaviorcodeofethics aformalstatementoftheethicalprioritiesabusinessadherestoleadersinthebusinessshouldgivelifeandmeaningtothecodeofethicsbyrepeatedlyemphasizingtheirimportance andthenactingonthemthebusinessshouldputinplaceasystemofincentivesandrewardsthatrecognizepeoplewhoengageinethicalbehaviorandsanctionthosewhodonot Decision MakingProcesses Amoralcompasscanhelpdeterminewhetheradecisionisethical Ifamanagercananswer yes tothefollowingquestions thedecisionisethicallyacceptabledoesmydecisionfallwithintheacceptedvaluesofstandardsthattypicallyapplyintheorganizationalenvironment amIwillingtoseethedecisioncommunicatedtoallstakeholdersaffectedbyit wouldthepeoplewithwhomIhavesignificantpersonalrelationshipsapproveofthedecision Decision MakingProcesses Afive stepprocesscanalsohelpmanagersthinkthroughethicalissues1 Howwouldadecisionaffectstakeholders theindividualsorgroupswhohaveaninterest stake orclaimintheactionsandoverallperformanceofacompanyInternalstakeholders peoplewhoworkfororwhoownthebusinesssuchasemployees theboardofdirectors andstockholders Externalstakeholders theindividualsorgroupswhohavesomeclaimonafirmsuchascustomers suppliers andunions Decision MakingProcesses 2 Managersneedtodeterminewhetheraproposeddecisionwouldviolatethefundamentalrightsofanystakeholders3 Managersneedtoestablishmoralintent thebusinessmustresolvetoplacemoralconcernsaheadofotherconcernsincaseswhereeitherthefundamentalrightsofstakeholdersorkeymoralprincipleshavebeenviolated4 Thecompanyshouldthenengageinethicalbehavior5 Thebusinessmustaudititsdecisions reviewingthemtomakesurethattheywereconsistentwithethicalprinciples EthicsOfficers Toencourageethicalbehaviorinabusiness anumberoffirmsnowhaveethicsofficersEthicsofficersensurethatemployeesaretrainedtobeethicallyawareethicalconsiderationsenterdecision makingthecompany scodeofethicsisfollowed MoralCourage Employeesinaninternationalbusinessmayneedsignificantmoralcouragemanagersneedtobea