Ethikos Editor’s Weekly Picks: Special Report on Business Ethics: Moral Philosophy

By Knowledge@Wharton for Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

The field of ethics, or moral philosophy, investigates theories and ways of thinking that can systematically describe what makes acts right or wrong. This report explores how to view business behavior through the lens of moral philosophy. This is an important subject because, as we shall see, most business decisions have profound moral implications. They affect the products and services we consume, the work we perform and the world we live in. That is why understanding moral philosophy is a critical part of doing business ethically. Read more

By Issie Lapowsky for Wired

Tristan Harris holds his iPhone in the air, so the whole crowd of educators, technologists, doctors, and researchers before him can see the virtual wasteland of his iPhone’s home screen. Gone are the cluttered, candy-colored icons that a busy brain sees as digital snacks. In their place are but a few utilitarian apps, all set to the same bleak palette of black and white. Read more

By Henry J. Schumacher for Business Mirror

Competitive business has become synonymous with ethical business. Yet, keeping up with the heavy and complex web of regulations has made compliance all the more burdensome.

Establishing an effective compliance program has, thus, become a quest for any company not only looking to escape the long stick of the law, but seeking to position itself as a competitive business and ethical business partner. Read more

By Tom Friedman for Des Moines Register

As small business owners and managers, trust and integrity are essential for being successful long term. Sure we can lie about our products and services to make a sale. Or we can threaten our employees to get them to produce more for a while. But those are short term gains that cannot last. Customers will not give us repeat business and employees will eventually find better places to work causing long term losses. Read more