The Magazine of Corporate Responsibility

Tag Archive for ‘Business Ethics’

Survey Forecasts ‘Looming Ethics Downturn’ in Corporate America

The good news is that on-the-job misconduct by American workers may be at an all-time low, and when misconduct is detected it’s likely to be reported by co-workers. The bad news is that whistle-blowers are being retaliated against for their truth-telling at a “shocking” rate, according to a new survey.

Michael Connor to Keynote McGowan Symposium on Leadership & Ethics – November 6 in Washington, D.C.

Business Ethics Magazine Editor and Publisher Michael Connor will be a keynote speaker at the 2010 McGowan Symposium on Leadership & Ethics on Saturday, November 6, at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The Symposium is expected to attract an audience of prominent business leaders, government and agency officials, deans and students from top business schools, and members of the media.

Mark Hurd’s Leadership Failure

Mark Hurd, who had served as HP’s CEO for the last five years, resigned at the Board’s request after an investigation concluded he had engaged in inappropriate behavior that violated HP’s Standards of Business Conduct. In a press release, Hurd said “there were instances in which I did not live up to the standards and principles of trust, respect and integrity that I have espoused at HP….”

Ethics Specialist Named Dean of Harvard Business School

Harvard Business School professor Nitin Nohria has been a faculty leader of the movement to adopt an MBA Oath, a voluntary pledge for graduating and current MBAs to “create value responsibly and ethically.”

Whistle-Blowing Found Effective in Targeting Corporate Misdeeds

Whistle-blowing by employees and insiders is a “useful mechanism” for uncovering corporate misbehavior, with clear economic and governance impact on the companies involved, according to a new academic study.

Pfizer’s “Never Ending Dance” to Regain Its Reputation

What’s it like to have your company plead guilty to a crime and pay a $2.3 billion fine? “To put it bluntly, it’s like being hit in the face by a two-by-four. Even for a big company, it’s a very, very difficult thing to go through,” said Douglas Lankler, Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer of Pfizer, the world’s largest drug company.

Who Detects Corporate Fraud? (Tip: It’s Not Usually the SEC…)

Class action lawsuits and federal agency enforcement proceedings have little to do with uncovering corporate fraud, according to a new academic study.

World Economic Forum: Will Many Take The Global Business Oath?

It will be interesting to see how many of the 2,500 attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, will wind up taking The Global Business Oath. Yes, there is one – and you, too, can pledge.

VIDEO:Morgan Stanley Chair Says Regulation Is #1 Issue

John Mack, Chairman of investment bank Morgan Stanley, says that in the wake of the global financial crisis of 2008-09, the number one issue for the financial industry is regulation. “We need to find some link to bring regulators around the world together, and a more systematized way of communicating and understanding risk,” Mack says. “We need to figure out a way that we have a systemic risk manager and make sure they have the resources to understand, monitor and help regulate our industry.”

Opinion: MBAs Adapting to Changing Times

Jeanette Purcell, CEO of the Association of MBAs, says the economic downturn has fueled much debate about where the blame lies for the financial crisis we’re in. Some critics have pointed the finger at business schools which, it is argued, have been teaching the wrong things to MBA students and neglecting topics such as risk management, corporate governance and business ethics. These criticisms, counters Purcell, overlook the significant changes in business schools that have taken place over the past decade.