University Business Ethics Report: Analysis of Ethical Behavior

This report critically analyzes the journal article 'Can Ethical Behaviour Really Exist in Business?' by Bartlett and Preston, exploring the complexities of business ethics. The report examines the key arguments and findings of the article, focusing on the challenges of maintaining ethical conduct in a competitive business environment. It evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the article, considering ethical approaches and providing examples of ethical businesses such as IBM and Volkswagen. The analysis delves into the importance of business ethics in ensuring a good reputation, fostering long-term sustainability, and contributing to the growth of both the society and the organization. The report concludes that ethical behavior is essential for businesses to thrive in the long run, emphasizing the need for self-awareness and self-concern to conduct business ethically, benefiting both society and the business itself. The report references Kantian ethics and the significance of ethical conduct guidelines, offering a comprehensive understanding of the existence and importance of ethics in the business world.

Running head: BUSINESS ETHICS
Business Ethics
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Discussion..................................................................................................................................2
Business Ethics.......................................................................................................................2
Can Ethical Behaviour Really Exist in Business?..................................................................3
The Existence of Ethics in Business......................................................................................4
IBM Ethical Conduct Guidelines.......................................................................................4
Volkswagen Group Ethical Conduct..................................................................................4
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................5
References..................................................................................................................................6

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Introduction
In this competitive era, businesses are required to handle the pressure of making
money and exist in a competitive business environment. While adopting all the strategies for
their sustainability, being ethical in the business is not easy for the owners or their co-workers
as the ultimate motive is to earn and survive (May, Luth & Schwoerer, 2014).). Somehow,
being ethical can limit the company’s money. Still, it also develops a non-selfish attitude, a
sense of responsibility for the society as well as towards the environment, and sustains its
moral values. More importantly, it makes an individual or an entity even stronger and
independent to choose amongst good or bad while making decisions or any of its conduct
(Schminke, Arnaud & Taylor, 2015). This report aims to evaluate and analyse one of the
journal articles ‘Can Ethical Behaviour Really Exist in Business?’ by dealing with the main
aspects if its arguments and findings. The report tends to evaluate its strengths and
weaknesses in terms of ethical approaches with supportive examples of ethical businesses
such as IBM and Volkswagen. The completion of the report will give a clear understanding
of the existence of ethics in business results to be in favour of the business as well as for
society.
Discussion
Business Ethics
The term business ethics has a considerable influence on the corporate world.
Business ethics is the study of the way that a business should act in terms of ethical dilemmas
as well as controversial situations. It is a broad concept that can be seen through different
angles, whether it is philosophically, scientifically or legally (Pardo & Siemens, 2014). The
business that values ethics in their business generally comprises ethical principles of
integrity, loyalty, fairness, honesty, respect and concern. Thus, business ethics is a concern

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and application of moral and ethical framework, values and principles for evolving moral
awareness and an appropriate guidance in the behaviour and action of a company.
Can Ethical Behaviour Really Exist in Business?
The discussion made under this journal article is mainly focused on the literature of
business ethics and its social impact. The article ‘can ethical behaviour really exist in
business’ tends to have an effectual survey of business ethics and its relative benefits and
challenges (Bartlett & Preston, 2000). The success of the business is analysed within the
aspects of a free market, bureaucracy, and hard work. The major issue identified under this
survey is that the organisational function that generally designed as a profit-earning
mechanism has no interest in contributing to the good of the society. As a concern to this, the
business can implement a successful ethical program and accept some ways that encourage
them to adopt long-term ethical behavior.
The article’s strength is that it has discussed the ethical concern of the business in
their business activity to be enhanced by self-initiative to conduct their business activity that
is to be in deed for the society too. Kantian ethics, called Kant’s theory, states that the
rightness or wrongness of activities or actions does not tends to depend on its consequences
but on the concern of whether that has fulfilled their duty (Walla, 2015). Kant’s moral worth
says that the action of the person determines his/her moral worth. It has suggested the
businesses the ways to do what that is right for them as well as their community.
However, the business sustainability and impact on the environment through their
ethical business conduct has been ignored that seems to be one of the weakness with the
discussion made under this article. As in today’s competitive business environment, the
business must sustain their ethical conduct. Some companies merely concern to choose
amongst good or bad what exactly will be beneficial for them and ignores to maintain

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business ethics. Nevertheless, some companies with their appropriate ethical conduct and
principles prove that ethics exist in the business that contributes towards the growth of the
society and organisation itself as well as the work concern with the betterment of the
environment.
The Existence of Ethics in Business
The business ethics ensures a good reputation by being ethical in the way through
conducting the business activity ethically. Some businesses have proved with their ethical
conduct that a business can earn a lot along with maintaining good ethics in the business
rather than choosing unethical doings for their short-term benefit (Besio & Pronzini, 2014). It
gives a benefit to their organisation, society as well as the natural environment that increases
its sustainability for the long run.
IBM Ethical Conduct Guidelines
A business should always know the way to handle its pressure and competition
ethically by choosing good rather than bad. The business conduct guidelines formulated by
the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is the business for whom the trust
comes first (Ibm.com, 2020). It is recognize amongst the world’s most ethical companies.
The company is also capable of making billion USD of profit together with maintaining its
trust in terms with integrity and compliance, concern towards its employees, assets, and
others through a safe and productive working environment, protecting its intellectual property
rights, being honest, accurate and complete, meeting all its legal obligations and competing
and treating others ethically.
Volkswagen Group Ethical Conduct
The business-like Volkswagen maintains its code of conduct, which supports ethical
and responsible conduct. The business takes its responsibility as a member of society, a

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business partner and in the workplace (Volkswagenag.com, 2020). Its social responsibility
tends to observe and comply with the law. The group as a member of society completely
aware in regards to its well-being of the people and environment that ensures contribution
towards its sustainable development. The ethical conduct of the business is not limited to
their societal concern but also environmental protection. The company makes a profit in
billions of EUR value with the existence of ethics in their activity and concern that makes
them able to run their business successfully with the existence of the ethics in their business.
The business who do not concern about conducting their business ethically must
initiate to get aware of it to sustain in the competitive business environment (Pirson, Martin
& Parmar, 2017). They should think about ethical programs to create awareness and develop
a feeling of self-concern for the betterment of the others too.
Conclusion
Thus, it can be concluded that businesses will always have an opportunity to make a
profit through its goodwill’s advantage. Business needs to have self-awareness and self-
concern to conduct their business with maintaining the ethical aspect as it contributes towards
the benefit of the society and the growth of the business. Companies like IBM and
Volkswagen prove that ethics do exist in the business. Such businesses are performing well
and earning a considerable revenue buy maintaining its ethical conducts within and outside
the business. Business ethics is something that is to be develop within the organisation itself
to maintain its integrity and trust amongst the stakeholders and for maintaining a sustainable
environment through choosing appropriate strategy of their production and delivering
services. Therefore, ethics implies worthy character and morality that refers to generally
acknowledged human character and behaviour reflected as a desirable by contemporary
society.

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References
Bartlett, A., & Preston, D. (2000). Can ethical behaviour really exist in
business. Journal of Business Ethics, 23(2), 199-209.
Besio, C., & Pronzini, A. (2014). Morality, ethics, and values outside and inside
organizations: An example of the discourse on climate change. Journal of
Business Ethics, 119(3), 287-300.
Schminke, M., Arnaud, A., & Taylor, R. (2015). Ethics, values, and organizational
justice: Individuals, organizations, and beyond. Journal of Business
Ethics, 130(3), 727-736.
Pirson, M., Martin, K., & Parmar, B. (2017). Formation of stakeholder trust in
business and the role of personal values. Journal of Business Ethics, 145(1), 1-
20.
Walla, A. P. (2015). Kant’s Moral Theory and Demandingness. Ethical Theory and
Moral Practice, 18(4), 731-743.
May, D. R., Luth, M. T., & Schwoerer, C. E. (2014). The influence of business ethics
education on moral efficacy, moral meaningfulness, and moral courage: A
quasi-experimental study. Journal of Business Ethics, 124(1), 67-80.
Pardo, A., & Siemens, G. (2014). Ethical and privacy principles for learning
analytics. British Journal of Educational Technology, 45(3), 438-450.
Ibm.com. (2020). Retrieved 17 March 2020, from
https://www.ibm.com/investor/att/pdf/BCG_accessible_2020.pdf

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Volkswagenag.com (2020). Retrieved 17 March 2020, from
https://www.volkswagenag.com/presence/konzern/documents/Verhaltensgrun
ds%C3%A4tze_Group_EN_V2019.pdf