Business ethics: a case study approach

Despite all the words and regulations aimed at building ethical and responsible organizations, observed misbehavior has increased. Think of the Siemens scandal and Bernie Madoff. This book confronts the brutal fact about business ethics as it exists today; it's not working. This casebook powerfully draws a direct line between ethics and business performance, that is, the sounder your company's ethical foundation, the stronger it will perform in brand recognition, sales, customer satisfaction and loyalty, employee productivity, and even in reduced regulatory burdens. So, how can you develop leadership that sets the right tone at the top? The author, an ethics professional answers that question with case studies that look at every angle of ethical lapses, including: a CFO's dilemma, the Duke University lacrosse scandal, Arthur Andersen, the Stanford prison experiment, the Smithsonian Institution, Firestone/Ford tire recalls, Jordan's Furniture, Whirlpool and leadership development, Ponzi schemes, and many more. Examining the old mind sets and dogmas on business ethics and holding them up to the light of day, this book reveals how the ethical health of an organization will forecast whether or not it outperforms the competition. This is a twenty-first-century rule book for understanding the "new normal" in business ethics.--From publisher description.

Why are ethics critical? -- Why "business" ethics is not just about corporations -- A historical review -- Why do people behave badly? -- Work environment and group dynamics -- Leadership -- The common element : trust -- Building an army of Davids -- The positive power of peer pressure -- How to develop leadership -- The logic of William of Ockham.