Business Ethics: An Oxymoron?

Why do I believe good PR and business ethics are inextricably linked? It comes down to definitions. Ethics is learning what is right and what is wrong and then doing the "right thing." PR involves providing counsel on the "right thing" to do and then helping the organization get credit for it.

The business and political excess of the last 10 years have taken some PR practitioners to the dark side because they felt it was the only way for their company to profit. Although I personally believe doing right for right's sake is enough, there are some who may not share this view. OK, here's a reason that any good capitalist can embrace: research now shows that socially responsible behavior is good for the bottom line.

A recent analysis of overall financial performance of the 2001 list of 100 Best Corporate Citizens shows that this group of firms did significantly better than the remaining companies of the S&P 500. Professors at DePaul University found that the mean ranking of the 100 Best was more than 10 percentile higher than the other firms of the S&P 500.

Additionally, they had a significantly better reputation among corporate directors and security analysts based upon results of the Fortune Magazine survey of most admired companies.

So, you see, it really does pay to do the right thing.

Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR. He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Levolor, New World Mortgage, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX, Verbatim and Youth Link USA.

Conflict: Not Necessarily a Bad Thing

I got yelled at tonight. Not the type of yelling... Read More

Ethics? How To Take the Measure Business

When asked to write a small piece pertaining to ethics... Read More

Ethics in Business...A Lost Art

While watching Face the Nation one Sunday earlier this year,... Read More

MacDonalidisation: Braverman, Taylor & Mayo

Background: George Ritzer defined McDonaldization as "...the process by which... Read More

The Three Schools of Business Ethics

G. Richard Shell, author of Bargaining for Advantage: Negotiation Strategies... Read More

The Armaments Industry and Holy (?) Roman Emperors

"The time for fixing every essential right on a legal... Read More

How To Build A Business Ethics Program

Recent corporate financial scandals have highlighted the importance of business... Read More

Financial Projections in Business Plans

One of the most difficult sections to write in a... Read More

Diversity

I know that diversity has been a big topic of... Read More

Enron?s Ultimate Victim: Ethics

FROM the 'MORAL HIGH GROUND', where we imagine ourselves, the... Read More

Dont Hate Them Because Theyre Beautiful

Tonight I'm going out with two extremely impressive ladies who... Read More

Business Ethics: Functional Choices

Years of experience have taught me there is no such... Read More

Business Ethics

There is much talk today about ethics in business -... Read More

Work Ethics ? A Paradigm Shift

Work ethics is a hot topic in today's business and... Read More

The Social Implications of Computing

Directed by Mark Harrison, "Visions of Heaven and Hell" is... Read More

Vice of Buggery at FTC

At the Federal Trade Commission we have seen attorneys who... Read More

Private Carrier Pepsi Embraces Diversity Amongst Employees

Many companies claim to be committed to diversity, but private... Read More

Better Business Boundaries

To get a new client, we might be inclined to... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Work Ethics and the Customer

This article relates to the Ethics in the Workplace competency,... Read More

The Need to Survive; A Death Knell For Organizations

Changing the driving force upon which business decisions are based... Read More

The Collapse of Enron: Managerial Aspects

Executive summaryIts revenues made up US $139($184) billion, assets equaled... Read More

Minding Your Global Manners

To say that today's business environment is becoming increasingly more... Read More

Brain Development and Due Process

DUE PROCESSAfricans, especially Nigerians are stereotyped on the internet and... Read More

Is Your Management Style Lead By Intimidation?

So many women make the mistake of thinking that they... Read More

How To Detect Liars In Your Business & Personal Life

We live in a world full of lies and deception.... Read More