Explain the causes of illegal and unethical behavior
Understanding the major causes of illegal and unethical behavior in the workplace will help you become sensitive to signals of escalating pressure to compromise your values. Unethical corporate behavior can have a number of causes:
a . Excessive emphasis on profits: Business managers are often judged and paid on their ability to increase business profits. This emphasis on profits might send a message that the end justifies the means.
b. Misplaced corporate loyalty: A misplacedsense of corporateloyalty might cause an employee to do what seems to be in the bestinterest of a company, even if the act is illegal or unethical.
c. Obsession with personal advancement: Employees who wish to outperform their peers or are working for the next promotion might feel that they cannot afford to fail. They might do whatever it takes to achieve the objectives assigned to them.
d. Expectation of not getting caught: Thinking that the end justifies the means, employees often believe illegal or unethical activity will never be discovered. Unfortunately, a great deal of improper behavior escapes detection in the business world. Believing no one will ever find out, employees are tempted to lie, steal, and perform other illegal acts.
e. Unethical tone set by top management: If top managers are not perceived as highly ethical, lower-level managers might be less ethical as a result. Employees have little incentive to act legally and ethically if their superiors do not set an example and encourage and reward such behavior.
f. Uncertainty about whether an action is wrong: Many times, company personnel are placed in situations in which the line between right and wrong is not clearly defined.
g. Unwillingness to take a stand for what is right: Often employees know what is right or wrong butare not willing to take the risk of challenging awrong action. They might lack the confidence orskill needed to confront others with sensitive legalor ethical issues. They might remain silent and then justify their unwillingness to act.
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