Business Ethics Across Cultures
Business Ethics across Cultures Article Review
Paula Plattner
XMGT/216
June 23, 2013
Swinton Hudson
Business Ethics across Cultures Article Review The idea of globalized business ethics is an interesting idea, however what is considered ethical or moral in one culture, may not be if importance in another. The following paper looks at two different articles that appeared in the Journal of Business Ethics for two very different countries. The first article is Business Ethics in Canada: Distinctiveness and Directions by Leonard J. Brooks. It examined the ethical dilemmas that Canadian Business’s observed and the people that shaped those ethics. There is no Securities and Exchange Commission in Canada, so Canadian business ethics derived from a broader socio-political and socio-economic factor than those in the United States, however, these very ethics could influence U.S. companies in the future. The biggest influence on business ethics in Canada is society, and in particular, its concern on health, conscience and the environment. While these concerns may not have affected many Canadian businesses, there effects on U.S. businesses has been noticed. The U.S. has been dealing with fraud and unethical business’s practices for years, but these same issues have only recently came to the fore front in the minds of Canadians. Perhaps, the biggest hindrance to a cohesive set of business ethics in Canada is its dependence on global markets and the fear of relocating production facilities to other countries. The author suggests that the result of this economic pressure is an increase in public awareness and the public funding of health care. Therefore, it is not surprising to find at the core of Canadian business ethics, the issue of workers health, followed by sexual and other harassment, the employment of women and minorities and the protection of workers’ rights. While government regulations in these areas is ongoing, businesses in Canada are developing
Paula Plattner
XMGT/216
June 23, 2013
Swinton Hudson
Business Ethics across Cultures Article Review The idea of globalized business ethics is an interesting idea, however what is considered ethical or moral in one culture, may not be if importance in another. The following paper looks at two different articles that appeared in the Journal of Business Ethics for two very different countries. The first article is Business Ethics in Canada: Distinctiveness and Directions by Leonard J. Brooks. It examined the ethical dilemmas that Canadian Business’s observed and the people that shaped those ethics. There is no Securities and Exchange Commission in Canada, so Canadian business ethics derived from a broader socio-political and socio-economic factor than those in the United States, however, these very ethics could influence U.S. companies in the future. The biggest influence on business ethics in Canada is society, and in particular, its concern on health, conscience and the environment. While these concerns may not have affected many Canadian businesses, there effects on U.S. businesses has been noticed. The U.S. has been dealing with fraud and unethical business’s practices for years, but these same issues have only recently came to the fore front in the minds of Canadians. Perhaps, the biggest hindrance to a cohesive set of business ethics in Canada is its dependence on global markets and the fear of relocating production facilities to other countries. The author suggests that the result of this economic pressure is an increase in public awareness and the public funding of health care. Therefore, it is not surprising to find at the core of Canadian business ethics, the issue of workers health, followed by sexual and other harassment, the employment of women and minorities and the protection of workers’ rights. While government regulations in these areas is ongoing, businesses in Canada are developing
References: Brooks, L. J. (1997, April). Business Ethics in Canada. Journal of Business Ethics, 16(6), 591-604 Xiaohe, L. (1997, October). Business Ethics in China. Journal of Business Ethics, 16(14), 1509-1518.