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Presented By:

Prof. S.C. Ghosh

Chief CRICACCMAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEFMENT

Greater Noida (India)

ETHICS & BUSINESS ETHICS

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Overview of Classes

1)12 Nov,2011- Introduction Class

Topics covered were:

Right or wrong

Justice or InjusticeDegree of Freedom

2) 18 Nov,2011- Major focus was on

Contradiction

3) 21 Nov,2011 - Activity

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2)Ethics can be defined as the critical, structured examination of

how we should behave in particular, how we should

constrain the pursuit of self-interest when our actions affect

others.

3)Ethics are considered the moral standards by which people judgebehaviour.

4)The basicconcepts and fundamentalprinciples of righthuman conduct. It includes study of universal values such as theessential equality of all men and women, human or natural rights,obedience to the law of land, concern for health and safety and,increasingly, also for the natural environment.

http://www.yourdictionary.com/ethicshttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/concept.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/fundamental.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/principles.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/right.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/conduct.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/study.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/values.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/MAN.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/natural-rights.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/law.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/land.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/concern.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/health.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/safety.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/natural-environment.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/natural-environment.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/safety.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/health.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/concern.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/land.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/law.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/natural-rights.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/MAN.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/values.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/study.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/conduct.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/right.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/principles.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/fundamental.htmlhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/concept.htmlhttp://www.yourdictionary.com/ethics

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Some Issues:

What is Right and What is wrong?

Is there any real right or wrong?

What is justice and injustice?

What is the degree of freedom? Subjectivity & Objectivity

Metaphysics & Scientific Study

Normative ethics & Applied Ethics

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Ethics Indian view Indian religion has always been associated with philosophy The vedas (about 4000 years old) talked about 4 basic goals of

existence: Prosperity Satisfaction of desires Moral duty Salvation

Upnisads distinguished between law and ethics ethics comefrom inner desire

Charavac philosophy was basically materialistic and was a voiceof dissent In a way, Charvak was reactionary; he was opposing the Brahmanical

dogmas in a sharp way Jain scriptures deal with akriyavad at length

Jain philosophy was based on the quintessential principle of non-violence

Buddha dwelt on compassion and brotherhood

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Ethics and society In fact both religion and ethics serve a

common need: society Societies are built on the plank of co-

existence and mutuality

All societies, whether those of humans or non-humans, need mutual support, forbearanceand care: Observed in societies of wolves, baboons, dolphins,

etc.

Thus, two important pillars of all societies are: Reciprocity kinship

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Present day ethics philosophy

By end of 19th century, Kant, Hegel and Marx hadexpressed several views on ethics

Nietzsche came with radical thoughts god isdead

Sartre came with similar ideas, denying idea ofGod and said whatever ensures existence is good

Currently, ethics is divided into 3 branches: Meta-ethics: deals with ethical properties Normative ethics: deals with what things are good or bad Applied ethics: application of ethics to practical problems

Is what is good or bad judged from itsconsequences: Teleology actions are judged by their consequences Deontology actions are judged by whether the accord

with the general rule

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Contradiction- Negation A contradiction consists of a logical

incompatibility between two or more propositions.It occurs when the propositions, taken together,yield two conclusions which form the logical,

usually opposite inversions of each other.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propositionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_consequencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_consequencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposition

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Activity Activity is spontaneous.

Two types of Activities are there:

1)Social Activity

2)Nature Activity

Human activity within social domain can beunderstood in two ways :

Individuality

Collectivity

Social activity involves human consciousness.

INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES ARE NOTHING BUTSPECIFIC MANIFESTATION OF COLLECTIVE.

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Fundamental processes of

Activity Socio Economic Structure

Production

Nature of Ownership

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Business Ethics

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1)Business Ethics can be defined as the critical, structured

examination of how people & institutions should behave in the

world of commerce. In particular, it involves examining

appropriate constraints on the pursuit of self-interest, or (for

firms) profits, when the actions of individuals or firms affects

others.

2)Theexamination of the variety of problems that can

arise from the business environment, a andhow employees, management, andthe corporation can deal with them ethically. Problems suchas fiduciary responsibility, corporatesocial

responsibility, corporate governance, shareholderrelations, insider trading, bribery and discrimination areexamined in business ethics.3)Business ethics is simplya code of principlesbased on values that govern an

organization's actions and decisions.

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Are ethics and business compatible?

In an extreme, altruistic sense, business and ethics

may seem incompatible: Earning profits may also be a unethical In Islamic finance, earning interest is unethical All possessions stem from insecurity; insecurity comes

from mistrust: Therefore, possession itself may be unethical in extreme

sense Lots of businesses may need violence of some

degree: E.g., Medical research

Where do we draw the line between business and

morality: If the approach is subjective, then ethics lose their

meaning as everyone defines ethics to suit onesconvenience

Is there a universal, perennial definition of ethics?

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Some fundamental questions about ethics

That everyone should be ethical is not in doubt: No one has ever taught unethical behavior

Fundamental questions: What is ethical?

Answer to this question is the same as why ethics?

is ethics subjective or objective? Why my conscience permits is ethics: emotionalist thinking

This makes the whole concept of ethics chaotic

Ethics are based on collectivism

Is ethics contemporary or perennial?

Is ethics whole or partial? Is ethics the same as law?

Who or What does unethical behavior offend the law orhumanity?