Reaction Paper

Business Ethics

I would like to start my reaction paper with a quote saying that “. . . young people do not assimilate values by learning words (truth, justice, etc.) and their definitions. They learn attitudes, habits and ways of judging – in personal transactions with their family or associates. They do not learn ethical principles; they emulate ethical (or unethical) people. That is why young people need models of men what at his best can be.” I think this quote is saying that young persons like me don’t understand values through learning words and their definitions. It is saying that we learn our attitudes, habits and the way we judge through our observation with our family and friends. We young people do not learn ethical principle; we copy it from what we have encountered.

Sometimes our values are contradicting to what our parents wants us to be. Parents who parrot to their children the importance of upholding moral values at all times but who in the next breath do the opposite are guilty of the highest form of insincerity. “An empty sack cannot stand upright” quoted by Benjamin Franklin means, if a person does not load himself with good ethical practices, he won’t be able to stand or survive the corporate business world.

Niccolo Machiavelli said, “For laws are necessary that good manners may be preserved, so there is need for good manners that laws may be maintained. . .” I think he was trying to say that law is very essential to a community because it creates norms that resolve to peace and good manners of the community. Manners are a legitimate concern of all managers, not only because they have duty to protect that rights of individual employee, but also because they have a right to insist on good relations within the company.

“Different things delight different people. But it is my delight to keep the ruling faculty sound without turning away either from any man or from any of the things which happen to men, but looking at and receiving all with welcome eyes and using everything according to its value”,  said Marcus Aurelius. I think he was saying that different people have different culture or ethics, for some people a moral thing can be immoral and a good manner can be a bad manner, so it really depends on the culture of a person on how you should treat them. So as much as possible, we should know what the different cultures of our co- businessmen, so that we can give them a warm welcome according to its values.

“The mind of the superior man is conversant with righteousness; the mind of the mean man is conversant with gain”, quoted by the famous teacher Confucius. As I read and understand this quote, I think it is saying that the mind of an ethical man is to have a good service with his or her co-business, so that they can have a good and peaceful relationship. On the other hand, an unethical men’s purpose is only to gain profit from the business.