Chapter 4

Business Ethics and

Social Responsibility pp. 48-61
Chapter 4
Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter, you’ll be
able to:
1. Explain business ethics.

2. Give reasons why ethical behavior is

good for business.

continued
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 2 of 44
Chapter 4
Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter, you’ll be
able to:
3. Define social responsibility.

4. Describe the social responsibilities

businesses have to society.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 3 of 44

Chapter 4
Why It’s Important
Understanding business ethics
and social responsibility makes
you informed of your rights as a
consumer, an employee, and a
citizen.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 4 of 44

Chapter 4
Key Words
ethics
business ethics
sweatshops
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA)
code of ethics
social responsibility continued
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 5 of 44
Chapter 4
Key Words
conflict of interest
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Equal Pay Act
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 6 of 44

Chapter 4
What Is Ethics?
Ethics is the set of moral principles by
which people conduct themselves
personally, socially, or professionally.

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Chapter 4
What Is Ethics?
Business ethics is a set of laws about
how a business should conduct itself.
In general, for any business to be
successful, it must operate legally and
humanely.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 8 of 44

Chapter 4
Figure
4.1 ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Ethics is the set of

principles by which
you conduct yourself
in society.

How often do you help

the environment?
What do you do?

Source: The NPD Group

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 9 of 44

Chapter 4
Legal Responsibility
Sweatshops are factories that pay
workers poorly, are unhealthy, and
treat workers badly.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 10 of 44

Chapter 4
Legal Responsibility
The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) is a division
of the Department of Labor that sets
and enforces work-related health and
safety rules.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 11 of 44

Chapter 4
Legal Responsibility
Other independent agencies protect
consumers, monitor broadcast
communications, and address
discrimination in the workplace.

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Chapter 4
Legal Responsibility
Most businesses police themselves by
distributing codes of ethics.
A code of ethics is a set of strict
guidelines for maintaining ethics in the
workplace.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 13 of 44

Chapter 4
Legal Responsibility
Businesses that regulate themselves
are able to operate more freely.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 14 of 44

Chapter 4
Ethics as Good Business
Unethical business practices can
affect your business indirectly.
The amount you make in profits from
one unhappy customer can translate
into a lot more lost because of missed
repeat business.
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 15 of 44
Chapter 4
Ethics as Good Business
Treating employees unethically can
also backfire.
Mistreating employees leads to a high
turnover rate. This increases the cost
of hiring and training new employees.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 16 of 44

Chapter 4
Important Ethical Questions
When considering a questionable
course of action, you have to ask
yourself these important questions:
• Is it against the law? Does it violate
company or professional policies?
continued
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 17 of 44
Chapter 4
Important Ethical Questions
• What if everyone did this? How
would I feel if someone did this to
me?
• Am I sacrificing long-term benefits for
short-term gains?

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 18 of 44

Chapter 4
Making Decisions on
Ethical Issues
Here are some steps if you find
yourself in an ethical dilemma:
1. Identify the ethical dilemma.
2. Discover alternative actions.

continued
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 19 of 44
Chapter 4
Making Decisions on
Ethical Issues
3. Decide who might be affected.
4. List the probable effects of the
alternatives.
5. Select the best alternative.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 20 of 44

 Graphic Organizer
Chapter
Graphic
Important Organizer
Ethical Questions
4
Does it violate the law or policies? YES UNETHICAL
NO

What if everyone did this, but it’s bad? YES UNETHICAL

NO

Would this sacrifice long-term benefits for MAY BE

short-term gain? YES UNETHICAL

NO

ETHICAL DECISION

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 21 of 44

Chapter 4
Fast Review

1. How do companies benefit by

enforcing their own codes of ethics?

2. Why does it pay to treat customers

ethically?
continued
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 22 of 44
Chapter 4
Fast Review

3. What are some important ethical

questions to ask?

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 23 of 44

Chapter 4
Social Responsibility
Social responsibility is the duty to do
what is best for the good of society.

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Chapter 4
Social Responsibility
The ethical obligations of a business
are to:
• Provide safe products
• Create jobs
• Protect the environment
• Contribute to the standard of living in
society
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 25 of 44
Chapter 4
Social Responsibility
A conflict of interest is when a
business is tempted to put profits
before social welfare.

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Chapter 4
Responsibility to Customers
The Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), a government agency, protects
consumers from dangerous or falsely
advertised products.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 27 of 44

Chapter 4
Figure
4.2 OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICINE LABEL

The FDA governs

advertising and
labeling of over-
the-counter
medicines.

Analyze why the

FDA officials might
feel that regulation
of advertising and
packaging labels is
necessary.
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 28 of 44
Chapter 4
Responsibility to Customers
Fair competition between businesses
is healthy for the marketplace, but
some companies don’t always play
reasonably.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 29 of 44

Chapter 4
Responsibility to Customers
Some companies use unethical means
to eliminate competition.
One of the most common means is to
conspire with other companies to
control the market for a product.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 30 of 44

Chapter 4
Responsibility to Employees
Businesses have a social
responsibility to create jobs.
They are expected to provide
employees with safe working
conditions, equal treatment, and fair
pay.
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 31 of 44
Chapter 4
Responsibility to Employees
The Equal Pay Act (passed in 1964)
requires that men and women be paid
the same wages for doing equal work.

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Chapter 4
Responsibility to Employees
The Americans with Disabilities Act
bans discrimination against persons
with physical or mental disability.

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Chapter 4
Responsibility to Employees
It’s in a company’s best interest to
treat its workers fairly otherwise low
morale, poor productivity, and a high
turnover rate are its troubles.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 34 of 44

Chapter 4
Responsibility to Society
Businesses have responsibilities not
only to customers and to employees
but also to society as a whole.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 35 of 44

Chapter 4
Responsibility to Society
In 1970, the U.S. government created
the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), a federal agency that
enforces rules that protect the
environment and control pollution.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 36 of 44

Chapter 4
Responsibility to Society
Many businesses plan for their social
responsibilities just like planning for
production and sale of their products.

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 37 of 44

Chapter 4
Fast Review

1. Define social responsibility.

2. What is a conflict of interest?

continued
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 38 of 44
Chapter 4
Fast Review

3. What do companies adopt in the

workplace to treat their workers
fairly?

Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 39 of 44

Chapter 4

Why should a company make a

vested interest in nature over its
products?

continued
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 40 of 44
Chapter 4

How does the consumer pay for a

company’s environmentally
responsible inventions?

continued
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 41 of 44
Chapter 4

What are social issues you’re

interested in pursuing?
How are businesses involved?
continued
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 42 of 44
Chapter 4

What government agency has a

responsibility to protect society
from genetically modified
organisms?
Introduction to Business, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility Slide 43 of 44
End of Chapter 4
Business Ethics and Social Responsibility