Directory UMM :Data Elmu:ppt:

Part I: Organization of a Business

Business Ethics and
Social Responsibility

Copyright © 2004 South-Western. All rights reserved.

Introduction to
J eff Madura
Business
3e

3

Learning Goals
• Describe

responsibilities of firms to:

– Customers
– Employees

– Stockholders and creditors
– The environment
– Their communities
• Explain

the costs that firms incur in
fulfilling their social responsibilities.
Copyright © 2004 South-

3–2

Impact of Ethical Values and
Acceptance
of Social Responsibilities on a Firm

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3–3

Business Decisions

• Recognize

how business decisions
affect society.
• Follow a set of ethical principles
when making business decisions.

Copyright © 2004 South-

3–4

Rationale for Business
Decisions
• Unethical

business decisions usually
result in a benefit to one or more
employees but have an adverse
impact on other stakeholders or on
the environment.


Copyright © 2004 South-

3–5

Common Unethical
Decisions
• Car

dealer tries to sell car at sticker
price–receives high commission.

• Computer

salesperson sells more
expensive computer than customer
needs.

• Manager


hires friend who is not the
most qualified.

• Manager

tries to avoid paying
employees.
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3–6

Impact of Unethical
Decisions
• Customers

may avoid buying firm’s
products in the future.

• Firm


may have difficulty hiring new
employees.

• Firm

may be unable to obtain funding
in the future.

• Firm

possibly subject to severe
penalties imposed by the government.
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3–7

Impact on Firm Value
• Columbia

Hospital


– Overbilled for services
– Numerous employee resignations
– Value of stock declined substantially
• Sunbeam

– Overstated earnings to enhance
compensation of top managers
– Many stockholders sold their shares–drove
the stock price down
Copyright © 2004 South-

3–8

Columbia’s Stock Price after
Overbilling

Copyright © 2004 South-

Exhibit 3.2


3–9

Sunbeam’s Stock Price after It Was
Accused of Overstating Its
Revenues

Copyright © 2004 South-

Exhibit 3.3

3–10

Responsibility to
Customers
• Responsible

production practices

– Ensure customer safety

– Proper warning labels
• Responsible

sales practices

– Discourage overly aggressive sales tactics
– Discourage deceptive advertising
– Use customer satisfaction surveys

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3–11

Ensure Responsibility
• Establish

a code of responsibilities

– Guidelines for product quality
– Guidelines about how to treat employees,

customers, owners
• Monitor

complaints
• Obtain and utilize customer
feedback

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3–12

Factors Impacting
Responsibility
• Role

of Consumerism

– Collective demand by consumers that
businesses satisfy their needs
• Role


of Government

– Regulation of product safety
– Regulation of advertising
– Regulation of industry competition


Monopolies and anti-trust

Copyright © 2004 South-

3–13

Key Antitrust Laws
• Sherman

Antitrust Act (1890)
• Clayton Act (1914)
• Federal Trade Commission Act

(1914)
• Robinson-Patman Act (1936)
• Celler-Kefauver Act (1950)

Copyright © 2004 South-

Exhibit 3.5

3–14

Responsibility to
Employees
• Employee

Safety

– Check machinery and equipment
– Require safety glasses or other equipment to
prevent injury
– Emphasize safety precautions in training
– Reduce accidents
– Improve quality of life

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3–15

Responsibility to
Employees
• Proper

Treatment of Employees

– Diversity training
– Prevention of sexual harassment


Unwelcome comments or actions of a sexual nature

– Equal opportunity




Prohibit discrimination based on national origin,
race, gender, or religion
Applies to hiring, promotion, raises

Copyright © 2004 South-

3–16

Proportion of Women and
Minorities
in Various Occupations

Copyright © 2004 South-

Exhibit 3.6

3–17

Ensure Responsibility to
Employees
• Code

of Responsibility

– Hiring decisions made without bias
– Hire most qualified person
• Grievance

Policy

– Mediation process
• Conflict

With Employee Layoffs

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3–18

Responsibility to
Stockholders
• Make

decisions that are in the best
interest of the owners
– Tie employee compensation to firm
performance
– Release accurate information about financial
condition

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3–19

Ensure Responsibility
to Stockholders
• Shareholder

Activism

– Active efforts by shareholders to influence a
firm’s management policies
• Institutional

Investors

– Financial institutions that purchase large
amounts of stock
– Managers may be more willing to listen to
these large investors.
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3–20

Impact of Executive Salaries
on a Firm’s Performance

Copyright © 2004 South-

Exhibit 3.7

3–21

Conflict With Excessive
Executive Compensation
• Compensation

of executives has
increased dramatically
– 1980: 42 times the average compensation of
employees
– 1990: 85 times the average compensation of
employees
– 2000: 500 times the average compensation
of employees
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3–22

Responsibility to Creditors
• Meeting

financial obligations to
creditors
– Inform creditors if firm is having difficulty
meeting obligations
– If firm does not pay creditors what it owes
them–may have to file for bankruptcy

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3–23

Copyright © 2004 South-

e-business

business online

3–24

Violations of Responsibility
• Providing

misleading financial
information that exaggerates
financial condition
– Enron
– Oracle
– Global Crossing
– ImClone

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3–25

Responsibility to
the Environment
• Production

processes, as well as
products, can harm the environment
– Air Pollution


Change production processes

– Land Pollution




Revise production and packaging processes to
reduce waste
Recycle

Copyright © 2004 South-

3–26

Monsanto’s Stock Price after Receiving
Bad Publicity about Its Effects on the
Environment

Copyright © 2004 South-

Exhibit 3.8

3–27

Responsibility to the
Community
• Maximizing

social responsibility may
conflict with maximizing firm value
– May reduce firm’s ability to provide products
at reasonable prices

• Support

for charitable organizations
can improve company image

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3–28

Expenses
on Business Performance

Copyright © 2004 South-

Exhibit 3.9

3–29

Social Responsibility:
Examples


Apple and IBM
– Invest in education programs



Home Depot
– Donates to community programs for housing
projects
– Provided supplies and equipment to 9/11 rescue
efforts



Checkers
– Provides jobs for inner-city residents



Coca-Cola
– Sponsors Boys and Girls Clubs
Copyright © 2004 South-

3–30

Social Responsibility:
Examples


Ace Hardware
– Foundation has donated more than $20 million to
communities it serves
– 9/11 donated three tractor-trailer loads of equipment



Dow Chemical Corporation





Created Community Advisory Panel
Funds education programs in South America
Habitat for Humanity project in Korea
New art center in West Virginia

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3–31

Responsibilities in
International Environment
• Be

aware of cultural differences
• Avoid unethical payoffs to suppliers
or customers
• Establish global reputation for
running an ethical business

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3–32

Cost of Social
Responsibility










Complaint resolution process
Customer and employee satisfaction
surveys
Product liability lawsuits
Change production techniques to comply
with government regulations about
environmental impact
Periodic disclosure of financial
information
Sponsoring community activities
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3–33

Lawsuits


Common Lawsuits
– Product defects
– Deceptive advertising
– Employee discrimination



Cost of Lawsuits





Court imposed fines
Out-of-court settlements
Hiring attorney to defend firm
Decline in demand for product because of bad
publicity

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3–34

as a Result of Social
Responsibilities

Copyright © 2004 South-

Exhibit 3.10

3–35

Summary
• Business

ethics influence decisions
• Firms have basic responsibilities
– Provide safe working conditions
– Treat work workers properly
– Provide equal opportunity for employees
– Make decisions in best interest of
stockholders
– Maintain a clean environment

Copyright © 2004 South-

3–36