A good point brought up in business ethics...While it's easy to "tut tut" at the greed of the past high position Enron employees, how much interest in good morals does the average John or Johnette really have?
Example: if a store cashier accidentally gives you a twenty instead of a five, and you realize this after exiting the store, how likely are you to go back in and exchange that twenty?
This question was posed in my business class, and in business you are inherently trying to make the most profit..so not many students raised their hand.
How about if they gave you a five instead of a $1?
The professor said that he actually had gone back to exchange, but he is an exceptionally good man so I actually believe him.
Or what about this - how likely are you to go back to change money if they gave you a five INSTEAD of a twenty in change? If you're walking away and you realize the discrepancy?
How likely are you to march back into the store to get the twenty you were supposed to get?
Hands shoot up all over the class.
What about going back for a five dollar bill? Or a one?
How interesting. It's very easy to talk about morals as an abstract concept, but when its close to home the issue rings a little differently, doesn't it? Food for thought, all.
You might be the type to say you'd always go back, but would you? Have you?
Or maybe you're the type to laugh and say, of course you'd keep if you made profit.
But what about if the bank made a discrepancy, and you kept it? The bank will go after you. How would you defend yourself, because who's right in that sitch?
And how far a stretch is that to gleaning off money in Enron because you think you won't get caught, and thats extra dollar bills for you and family?
Think on it.
the end.
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Hmmm... yeah, people's "morals" change quite a bit when money's involved! =)
-Cheez Out-
You raise a good point, but I think there's a considerable difference between the ethics involved over mistakes in cash transactions and the conscious decision to engage in illegal actions.
"What was never given utterance eventually becomes too nebulous to recall."
~ Jane Smiley
People are greedy. They don't think of the situation as a whole. As to your question about going back to change the twenty I recieved for the rightful amount of five dollars that I was supposed to get, I would definitley go back in, no second thoughts. That's just the way my morals are though. I've done it before! I think ripping people off is a sad way to gain. In my eyes you don't gain at all. You sit and let that guilt eat your heart and brain. I know that's what would happen to me if I ever did such a thing. I couldn't do such a thing-just thinking about it makes me cringe.
The sad thing is, I always trust people to do the right thing, but throughout my life I have been greatly disappointed. It seriously hurts when you have such high respects for someone and they turn around and do something so immoral! The world is made up of disgusting people. It's quit sad!