#memba12
Yesterday, the 25th of November 2023, Ms. Margaret Isibor introduced Business Ethics to our #memba12 class. As she was starting the class, there appeared to be some confusion in the Case Study Material to be used. While the class had prepared with the Trek-ation Case, Meg (she preferred to be called Meg), had prepared to discuss the News of the World (NOTW) Case study. This was down to unclear communication that had nothing to do with the facilitator. I was impressed by how she navigated it and, I guess, made some improvision for the class that lasted 90 minutes. She didn’t seem upset or surprised. I believe several more confusions to come as we go through Business Ethics. Meg will require a lot of these attributes to navigate us through this Course. I expect to see some drama in the coming days, just like the drama Uche brought at the end of yesterday’s session.
Uche didn’t wait for the Facilitator to recognise him before breaking into her speech. He owns a Tax Consulting Firm in Lagos. A visibly irritated Uche didn’t see any reason to be discussing Business Ethics in Nigeria where the government provides nothing but taxes the corporate entities to death. And I agree. Sometimes the relationship between the government and business entities can be compared to that of a prison warden to a convicted criminal. But Meg smiled understandably and reminded us of what she said at the beginning: we will agree on some, disagree on some and continue to discuss on some (not exact words).
I am guessing that we will have a lot more disagreement than agreement in the coming weeks. The work of the faculties for this course is probably going to be more difficult that those of their colleagues. Everyone is eager to sharpen their communication skills, most people know why they need to understand Corporate financial accounting and the need for APB to improve their decision making. These don’t need much convincing. But that is different for Business Ethics. How do you convince a struggling business, taxed more than 50 different levies, that if they find a way to cut the tax they should consider ethics?
The harsh business environment in Nigeria have compelled businesses to redefine their own ethics, most time limiting it to legalism. By this I mean just stretching the rope without breaking it, because the priority is to survive and remain in business. I am looking forward to how Meg and her colleague will take us through this winding path.
Cambridge dictionary defines business ethics as “the rules, principles, and standards of deciding what is morally right or wrong when working.” Note how Cambridge dictionary individualized the definition of business ethics. I looked up other definitions on the internet and I found interesting, Karisa Schroeder’s definition. In Bulldog, a blog for the University of Redlands School of Business he wrote: “By definition, business ethics refers to the standards for morally right and wrong conduct in business”. Karis leaves no room for subjectiveness.
In a technical note written by Professor Juan M. Elegido, he offers a broader answer to the definition of Business Ethics. He explains ethics as “a discipline that investigates how to behave in order to ensure that our life is flourishing, successful, worth living, fulfilling” He will go further to anchor this definition on Intellect (reasoning) and Selflessness. The concept that if every business is ethical all will flourish and be successful is enticing.
In the class yesterday, there was a consensus that unethical practices include practices that harm and exploit others. I suppose that is what Prof. Elegido meant when he relates business ethics to taking the interests of others into account (as opposed to acting in a purely egoistic manner). The problem with this is that most businesses in Nigeria are in the self-preservation mood.
But time will tell.
