Signs and Signals of Unethical Behavior

Most people who work in business have the same high value structure as those in other kinds of work. In instances where business people do behave unethically, these decisions seem to be the result of a combination of factors that interact simultaneously and make an unethical decision easier to choose. Competition is one of the first major factors contributing to increased pressure on people to engage in unethical practices. Three facets of the company itself - corporate culture, a person's superiors, and opportunity - are also important in the ethics equation. The third dimension is an individual's personal moral values or philosophy. As these dimensions interact, they create pressure on people to cut corners, which leads to ethical dilemmas. Unethical decisions can be avoided by establishing industry guidelines, developing a corporate code of ethics, taking a proactive stance with employees, screening personnel through cultural acceptability tests, and conducting periodic reviews of ethics.