Participate in a 5-minute global consultation survey on the evolution of corporate sustainability

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Join thought leaders Robert Eccles & Alison Taylor, in partnership with Salesforce and GlobeScan for a 5-minute global consultation on the evolution of corporate sustainability. As a thank you for your time GlobeScan is offering…
A man and a woman facing away from each other with arms crossed, indicating disagreement.

Workplace Political Polarization

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Political polarization in the United States is increasing more rapidly than among other democratic-style governments (Brown University, 2020; Pew Research, 2014) and becoming more problematic in terms of workplace civility and productivity…

Positive Psychology & Ethical Organizations

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The modern movement of Positive Psychology is often said to have begun when Martin Seligman, in a 1998 speech as APA President, introduced the idea of a “reoriented science that emphasizes the understanding and building of the most positive…

Seeking Corporate Ethics Trainers and College Ethics Instructors for Research Survey

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Are you a corporate ethics trainer or College ethics professor/instructor?   If you are, then please take this brief Global Survey of Business Ethics conducted by the World Congress of Business, Economics, and Ethics (ISBEE). …

How the Sustainability Function in Corporations is Transforming

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In July 2023, our Executive Director Alison Taylor participated on a panel in London, hosted by Salesforce, on how the sustainability function in corporations is transforming.

Incentives

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Introduction  Incentives in organizations take many forms. They can include monetary compensation and promotion as well as informal benefits, like influence or access, and social rewards (e.g. accolades, status, titles). They’re…

Remote Work

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Remote work, also often referred to as virtual work, telecommuting, or work-from-home, has expanded rapidly during COVID-19, assisted by advancing technology. As we witness this monumental change, our understanding of ethical culture, leadership,…

Corruption

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Part of a 15th-century fresco depicting a two-faced "bad judge" double-dealing—taking bribes from a serf, on the left, and a nobleman, on the right. ​The leading non-governmental organization in the anti-corruption field, Transparency…

Negotiation

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Carl Seiler, Signing the Preliminary Treaty of Peace at Paris When people negotiate, they exchange information and solve problems interdependently. The process is rife with opportunities to use different strategies to achieve greater…

Speak-Up and Call-Out Culture

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Speaking up inside an organization can be viewed as a risky exercise of employee voice that, like other prosocial behaviors, is more likely to occur in conditions of safety and security. Companies thrive when potentially useful information…

Corporate Culture Assessment

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Corporate culture, a rather nebulous psychological construct, is nevertheless part of an organization’s personality. It informs employees—via expectations, standards, prohibitions, and norms, both written and unwritten—how to behave,…

Workplace Surveillance

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Surveillance and monitoring in the workplace have evolved alongside advancing technologies, presenting ever-multiplying opportunities, risks, and emerging ethical questions. More pervasive and personal every year, the "datafication" of…

Motivated Reasoning

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There are some ethical concepts that are so important that it would be valuable to get them into widespread circulation in any organization that is trying to improve its ethics. But at Ethical Systems, we realize that not everyone has the time…

Goals Gone Wild

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There are some ethical concepts that are so important that it would be valuable to get them into widespread circulation in any organization that is trying to improve its ethics. But at Ethical Systems, we realize that not everyone has the time…

Ethics Pays

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There are some ethical concepts that are so important that it would be valuable to get them into widespread circulation in any organization that is trying to improve its ethics. But at Ethical Systems, we realize that not everyone has the time…

Speak Up Culture

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There are some ethical concepts that are so important that it would be valuable to get them into widespread circulation in any organization that is trying to improve its ethics. But at Ethical Systems, we realize that not everyone has the time…

Nudging for Ethics

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There are some ethical concepts that are so important that it would be valuable to get them into widespread circulation in any organization that is trying to improve its ethics. But at Ethical Systems, we realize that not everyone has the time…

Ethical Fading

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There are some ethical concepts that are so important that it would be valuable to get them into widespread circulation in any organization that is trying to improve its ethics. But at Ethical Systems, we realize that not everyone has the time…

Bounded Ethicality

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There are some ethical concepts that are so important that it would be valuable to get them into widespread circulation in any organization that is trying to improve its ethics. But at Ethical Systems, we realize that not everyone has the time…

Behavioral Legal Ethics, University of Tennessee, 2017

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Download syllabus for Behavioral Legal Ethics, taught at University of Tennessee in 2017 by Paula Schaefer. Download

Leading With Values, University of Michigan-Ross School of Business, 2013

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Download syllabus for Leading With Values, taught at University of Michigan-Ross School of Business in 2013 by Dave Mayer. Download

Designing a Good Life, University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, 2015

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Download syllabus for Designing a Good Life, taught at University of Chicago Booth's School of Business in 2015 by Nick Epley. Download

Values Based Leadership, Northwestern University-Kellogg School of Management, 2015

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Download syllabus for Values Based Leadership, taught at Northwestern University-Kellogg School of Management in 2015 by Adam Waytz. Download

Ethical Leadership in the Global Economy, Boston University, 2016

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Download syllabus for Ethical Leadership in the Global Economy, taught at Boston University in 2016 by Laura Pincus Hartman. Download

Professional Responsibility, NYU Stern, 2017

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Download syllabus for Professional Responsibility, taught at NYU-Stern in 2017 by Jonathan Haidt. Download

Company Snapshot: Conscious Capitalism- Core to The Container Store’s Success

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The third of three Company Snapshots, these research-based pieces by guest author Jessica Guo look at aspects of successful companies that can be examined for strategy and information of benefit to both active businesses and the academics that study them. See our first company snapshot examining culture and values at Costco and our second company snapshot looking at how values around sustainability and responsibility drive culture and integrity at Patagonia.

 

Company Snapshot: Conscious Capitalism- Core to The Container Store’s Success

According to a 2012 study by the global management consulting firm Hay Group, retail stores typically see turnover of 67% in part-time employees. Yet the Container Store, a leading storage and organizational products retailer, boasts an annual store employee turnover rate of only 10%.

The Container Store’s employee satisfaction translates directly into bottom-line success: the company has grown from a founding $35,000 investment in 1978—about $131,000 in today’s currency—to earn over $800 million in net sales in FY 2017. “A good capitalist will see the value of what we’re doing,” co-founder Kip Tindell says. “We would not be as profitable if we did less for our employees and vendors.”

Company Snapshot: “Don’t Buy Our Products” – Ethics at Patagonia

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The second of three Company Snapshots, these research-based pieces by guest author Jessica Guo look at aspects of successful companies that can be examined for strategy and information of benefit to both active businesses and the academics that study them. See our first company snapshot examining culture and values at Costco.

Company Snapshots: “Don’t Buy Our Products” – Ethics at Patagonia
 

When asked what he thought made a good company, Yvon Chouinard replied with one word: responsibility.

Despite being the founder of a retail consumer brand company Patagonia, Chouinard is also a conservationist who advocates for anti-consumerism. He believes that Patagonia has “made a contract with our customers to make clothing as responsibly as possible.” To that end, Chouinard actively encourages his consumers to “think twice before you buy a product from us. Do you really need it or are you just bored and want to buy something?”

Company Snapshot: At Costco, Culture is King

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The first of three Company Snapshots, these research-based pieces by guest author Jessica Guo look at aspects of successful companies that can be examined for strategy and information of benefit to both active businesses and the academics that study them. Additional Company Snapshots will be published on Mondays for the next two weeks.

Company Snapshots: At Costco, Culture is King

“Culture is not the most important thing in the world. It's the only thing.” 

According to Jim Sinegal, founder of retail giant Costco, the company’s culture drives its business strategy. Costco’s success turns on its ability to recognize and respect what Sinegal calls “what we stand for in the customer's eyes, and what we mean to all of the stakeholders in our business.” Those core tenets include putting the customer first, rewarding its employees, and valuing its suppliers.

Head to Head: A conversation on behavioral science and ethics

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Introducing Head to Head: A conversation on behavioral science and ethics, a new eBook created for anyone interested in improving the effectiveness of compliance and ethics (C&E) programs in organizations.

Book Summary: The Rule of Nobody

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In The Rule of Nobody, Philip Howard describes how bureaucracy is stifling U.S. institutions as well as the spirit of autonomy and free will among Americans. We live within a system whereby layers upon layers of often incomprehensible and inconsistent regulations, mandatory disclosures and requirements create a society that is “governed by dead laws” — meaning that since many of today’s laws are so outdated, they have been rendered irrelevant because layers of new (and sometimes inconsistent) laws have been enacted after them, or they have become otherwise destructive to the social good because they hamper progress. 

The Rule of Nobody [homepage | public library]

By: Philip K. Howard

Summarized by Azish Filabi

The book is packed with examples of inept laws replacing common sense human judgment.  In many cases, government agencies are comprised of well-meaning individuals who can’t apply their common sense and best judgment to resolve the problems they are hired to manage.

His recommendations for restoring human control of democracy and bringing about good government involves a series of reforms (summarized below) towards principles-based regulation, including appointing independent commissions to review and propose amendments to existing laws, to mandatory sunset provisions of all laws with budgetary impact, thus compelling Congress to consider the present needs of constituents when allocating expenditures.    

Cheating in College: Why Students Do It and What Educators Can Do About It

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Cheating in College: Why Students Do It and What Educators Can Do About It by: Donald L. McCabe, Kenneth D. Butterfield, and Linda K. Treviño John Hopkins University Press (2012) Public Library Summarized by Jared Wolf From one-room…

Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics

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What do economics, psychology, and experimental science have in common? As Richard Thaler implies in Misbehaving: The making of behavioral economics, most economists would say little to none — but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Misbehaving is, first and foremost, a story of how modern economics, finance, and theoretical analysis have become increasingly specialized and narrow without substantial practical value. Utilizing empirical studies and anecdotes, funny stories, and even some jokes, Thaler persuades the reader that behavioral studies — or psychology-motivated disciplines which focus on humans, not mythical rational agents — are here to stay. 

Thaler’s findings have numerous and far-reaching implications for designing and implementing ethical systems within organizations. Read our book review and learn more.

Book Review: Margaret Heffernan’s “Beyond Measure”

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Margaret Heffernan's new book "Beyond Measure: The big impact of small changes," is an original manifesto for business leaders. Creating strong organizational cultures does not require multi-million dollar programs; instead, small actions by each employee- from Custodian to CEO- matter more and have the biggest impact.

Trust

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Ethics and trust are inextricably linked. We are interested in ethics in large part because we are concerned, even obsessed, with the question of who we can trust is a world where there is risk and uncertainty. In our relationships, we humans…

Internal Reporting

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Internal Reporting refers to any time that a member of an organization (or a former member) tells someone else about an illegal or immoral practice, if the telling is done in the hope that someone will do something to change the practice.…

The Power of Noticing: What the Best Leaders See

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The Power of Noticing: What the Best Leaders See   By Max H. Bazerman Simon and Schuster (2014) Summarized by Bryan Turner   What if you had the ability to make better decisions and all you had to do was to make slight adjustments…

Mindwise: How We Understand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want

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Mindwise: How We Understand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want by Nicholas Epley Knopf, Borzoi Books (2014) Summarized by Bryan Turner   Mindwise: How We Understand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want is a book…

Barings Bank

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EthicalSystems.org Case Study: Barings Bank A collaborative effort by Jennifer Fang and Joshua Elle  “As my noble friend Lord Hollick argued, trading is all about the control of a collection of   rogues—of strongly motivated, financially…
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Nudge

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Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness Richard H. Thaler, Cass R. Sunstein Penguin Books, Revised & Expanded edition (2009) (public library) Summarized by Erick Rabin Introduction Choice Architecture involves…
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Sidetracked

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Sidetracked: Why Our Decisions Get Derailed, and How We Can Stick to the Plan by Francesca Gino [Important context: this author has several publications retracted or under review] Harvard Business Review Press (2013) (public library) Summarized…
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Give and Take

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Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success by Adam Grant Penguin Group (2013) (public library) Summarized by Joshua Elle Overview Adam Grant combines personal accounts and contemporary research, both made readily accessible, to build…
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Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

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Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath and Dan Heath Crown Business, 1st Ed. (2010) (public library) Summarized by Jennifer Fang Overview Change is difficult, or so most people believe. Switch identifies the crucial…

The Lucifer Effect

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The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil by Philip Zimbardo Random House Publishing Group, 1st Ed. Reprint (2008) (public library) Summarized by Joshua Elle Overview In a compelling story of his own life's journey, Phil…
Image:  The Ladder of Divine Ascent, 12th  century icon, via Wikimedia Commons

Ethics Pays

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The Ladder of Divine Ascent, a late 12th-century icon at Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai. Is good ethics good for business? Crime and sleazy behavior sometimes pay off handsomely. People would not do such things if…

Fixing a Hole

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Fixing a Hole Prof. Robert Bloomfield, Cornell University This case is based on a real-life situation; names have been changed to protect identities. Digging a Hole Nancy Quine, Senior Vice President of Geriatric Products at Global…

Law

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INTRODUCTION Image: William Hogarth, "The Bench," via Wikipedia. Most of our research pages focus on the behavior of individuals, and the ways that individuals interact within companies. But the companies themselves are embedded in a network…

Cultivating Conscience

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Cultivating Conscience: How Good Laws Make Good People by Lynn Stout (public library) Summarized by David Newman Overview Conscience, or unselfish prosocial behavior, is a real and powerful force. A growing body of empirical evidence shows…

Conflicts of Interest

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INTRODUCTION  Image: Giotto di Bondone, "Kiss of Judas," via Wikimedia Commons Bribery, kickbacks, and other clear-cut forms of corruption are serious problems for genuine bad apples; however, much of the problem with conflicts of interest…

Managing Business Ethics

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Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk About How To Do It Right by Linda K. Treviño and Katherine A. Nelson John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 5th ed. (2011) (public library) Summarized by David Newman Overview Treviño and Nelson present…

Decision Making

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The portrait, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, took on the burden of Gray’s unethical decisions,while the man himself retained his youth and beauty. It is easy to see the faults of others, but difficult to see one’s own faults. One shows…

Teaching Ethics

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After each major business scandal, a chorus of voices calls for business schools to work harder to instill ethics into their students. But what exactly should they doOn this page we focus on what business schools can do that may lead to…

Personality & Personnel

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNix_6_Z5Q8 Psychologists have identified a series of characteristics that predict patterns of unethical behavior by employees. At the same time, some people may behave honestly and with great integrity…
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Leadership

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Machiavelli (above) told political leaders that it was more important for them to be feared than loved. In lawless times with weak institutions, he may have been right. But in today’s business world, for most industries, the evidence points…
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Human Rights

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Since World War II and the founding of the United Nations, the established human rights framework under international law has focused on the responsibility of states to protect the rights of their citizens.

Fairness

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INTRODUCTION  Image: J.-H. Janßen, "Justice" statue, via Wikimedia Commons Every organization must confront the challenge of motivating its work force. From research on fairness in organizational contexts (‘organizational justice research’)…
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Corporate Governance

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INTRODUCTION Image: Eric Dan, boardroom at Roppongi Hills, via Flickr. Understanding ethical behavior in the context of corporate governance requires two levels of analysis: the internal concerns of corporate agency and the emergent effects…

Corporate Culture

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The ethical culture in an organization can be thought of as a slice of the overall organizational culture. So, if the organizational culture represents “how we do things around here,” the ethical culture represents “how we do things…
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Compliance & Ethics Programs

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  Hammurabi's Code, ca. 1772 BCE, included 282 laws, some of which often prescribed punishing noncompliance with the removal of one's hand. INTRODUCTION Compliance and ethics (“C&E”) programs are organizational policies…

Cheating & Honesty

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Jacob van Oost, “Card-Sharpers.” Note the man on the right, signaling to the man in the foreground, who has two extra cards behind his back. What is cheating? The simplest and most immediate answer is that cheating is breaking the rules.…

Contextual Influences

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When we see someone doing something bad, we usually jump to the conclusion that the person is bad. Only later, if ever, do we consider the broader context—the social situation—which can strongly influence people’s behavior. Many of…

Accounting

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Luca Pacioli, often viewed as the founder of modern accounting systems, wrote on accounting ethics in 1494. Accounting is the process of collecting, aggregating, validating, and reporting information about business performance. Until the…