Most valuable lessons learned from this Business Ethics course - Essay Example

During the ethics business I learned a lot about the importance of ethics in the workplace. Ethics involves decisions between right and wrong.The managers of the company must develop a working environment that upholds a high ethical standard among the workers. A way for a company to create a system of ethics for the employees is through the implementation of a formal code of ethics. A code of ethics is a guideline of ethical principles that the employees of a company must follow (Investopedia, 2013).

The use of a code of ethics can help regulate the conduct of the employees during working hours. A very interesting finding that I learned after completing the course is that the ethical conduct of workers varies depending on the culture. In many Asian countries such as India and China bribers are visualized as part of doing business. In contrast U.S. businesspeople perceive bribes as an unethical act that must be avoided at all cost. The concept of social corporate responsibility has raised the ethical standards of business communities across the world.

Acting in an ethical manner can help improve the corporate image of a company. In contrast unethical behavior can destroy the reputation of a firm. During the late 1990’s Nike Corporation was involved in a sweatshop scandal that hurt the company so much that in its aftermath the company lost half its annual sales. One of the greatest lessons that I learned from the course is that my professional future and potential opportunities in business can be enhanced by becoming an ethically responsible employee.

ReferencesInvestopedia.com (2013). Code of Ethics. Retrieved April 22, 2013 from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/code-of-ethics.asp