International ethical standards of business conduct. Introduction Business Ethics as a Specialty

For modern ethics business a priori are issues of corporate social responsibility. The opinion that the financial well-being of a company is the last thing that encourages it to comply with ethical standards is fundamentally wrong; the very life and practice of business has postulated the following statement: "Good ethics means good business." Otherwise, a negative reaction from customers and partners will inevitably lead to a significant decrease in the company's profitability, and a dubious reputation disseminated by the media will lead to a lack of any confidence in it.

Nobel laureate Milton Friedman writes that “the true role of business is to use its energy and resources in activities that

Rice. 10.4. The process of forming an international team

aimed at increasing profits, provided that he adheres to the rules of the game ... participates in open competition, without resorting to fraud and deceit. 21

21 cm: A. Sen. On ethics and economics. M., 1996. C.I 15.

Ethics imposes a system of restrictions on business, which is the sum of moral and moral rules and traditions of the society.

Business ethics - business ethics based on honesty, openness, loyalty to the given word, the ability to function effectively in the market in accordance with applicable law, established rules and traditions. 22

22 L. Sen. 06 ethics and economics. M., 1996. S. 1.

Experience international business confirms the importance of business ethics in shaping the success of the company.

So, dishonest behavior of the company coca-cola, cases of paying bribes to competitors as compensation during litigation with them cost this company a share of the market given Pepsico, since the latter possessed evidentiary information about the unseemly activities of the company Coca Cola. 23

23 J. Mingo. Secrets of the success of great companies. Moscow: Filin; St. Petersburg: Peter, 1995. S. 65-70.

By the beginning of the 80s. There are three main areas of business ethics: "ethics of philanthropy", "ethics of justice", "ethics of personal autonomy" 24

24 V. I. Benediktov. Business reputation Keywords: personality, culture, ethics, image of a business person. M., 1996. S. 118-123.

The first of them directly connects goodness with the result to which goodness leads, and encourages business to charitable activities. The second declares equality and justice between the employees of the company. And the third direction considers the observance of the rights of other subjects - business partners, customers and competitors as the main moral rule.

The discussion of business ethics issues is based on ethics of personal relationships.

The very word "ethics" is of Greek origin and is literally translated as "habit", "character", "temper". As a philosophical category, ethics was defined by Aristotle. He dedicated the works “Great Ethics”, “Nicomachean Ethics”, “Eudemic Ethics” to this philosophical direction, where he considered the issues of sources, the nature of morality, justice, the highest good, the meaning of life and much more. 25 In relation to business ethics, Aristotle preached reasonable behavior and moderation. 26

25 See: Business organization lessons. L., Lenizdat, 1994.

26 See: L. Hosking. Entrepreneurship course. M., International relationships, 1993. S.16-18.

Ethics was devoted to the works of many philosophers, among whom were Plato, Thomas Aquinas, Hegel, Feuerbach. Despite the difference in views, they all defined morality as the object of study of ethics. In most philosophical teachings, the basis of morality was considered highest good(Plato), absolute idea(Hegel), divine Law, which assigned a special role in the study of the ethics of theology, and the best ethical guide at all times was considered " Golden Rule”, common to the Old and New Testaments, as well as most religions, prescribing behave towards others the way we would like them to treat us. 27

27 R. Damari.

At certain points in history, religion has shown a negative attitude towards business.

Medieval Catholic theology was especially merciless to any way of "making money". "Christ gave one piece of advice to merchants and merchants to quit trading and follow him," writes David J. Vogel. Protestantism sanctified the desire for profit, and according to its canons, “only by working, one could serve God, but also definitely increase wealth to the glory of God through the correct use of this wealth ... A diligent worker turns out to be less attractive to the devil, and reward with financial success began to be understood as a sign of God’s favor.” 28 Protestant theologian of the 16th century. John Calvin even interpreted financial success as a favor from above. It was during the Reformation that a successful businessman began to be considered a "moral man."

28 A. I. Selivanov. Business ethics //Risk. 1996. No. 2-3. S. 129.

However, the assertion that the Protestant work ethic contributed to the development of special diligence, diligence, hard work among representatives of countries that profess it is a myth. Business-Inform magazine cites the following results of research by the British Special International Agency for Social Research. “The average working week among workers, employees and employers is 44.9 hours in Germany and 42.4 hours in Italy. Thus, the difference between the work of Protestants and Catholics is 2.5 hours per week. In Britain they work 42 hours a week, which either destroys the theory or makes them honorary Latins.

These numerical examples don't take into account that Germans have more paid holidays than Italians or Britons. Including holidays, Germans have an average of 39 paid public holidays in a year against 33 for the Italians and 34 for the British. Thus, although the Germans have a longer working week, there are fewer weeks themselves.

The farther south you go, the more unreliable statistics are in estimating hours of work. In Italy, the shadow economy is 30-40% of the entire economy. This is not exactly reflected in the statistics. In Germany - about 10%, and in Britain - 15%. In Latin countries, most people have a second job with a lighter working day that starts and ends earlier. Outside of big cities, these may be mobile small enterprises, the results of which do not appear in the statistics.

Observations confirm that people work in the south as intensively as in the north. The claim that members of one race or culture work harder than another is subjective. In fact, there is a quite measurable difference between a productive and a less productive economy. And the reason for this difference is not the intensity of labor, but its efficiency. The problem is management, not motivation.” 29

29 European culture business // Business-Inform. Kharkov, 1996. No. 20.S. 52.

The market economy is based on profit-driven private enterprise, which is absolutely legal.

Roy Domari, president of the Swiss-Russian business club, says: "If this is unacceptable for someone, he should not be in business, because profit is the cornerstone of a market economy." 30 In matters of labor protection, environment, compliance with the rules of competition, the elimination of discrimination, society must impose certain restrictions on the activities of the company. For “companies as organizations have neither conscience nor morality. It is the people who work in them who bring an element of ethics into the activities of firms, and the operation of ethics covers a much wider area than the existing legal restrictions. 31

30 R. Domari. Business ethics // Marketing. 1996. No. 1. S. 76-78.

A firm's reputation is built from a simple sum of examples of good behavior by its employees, which is demonstrated by:

In relation to the property of the company;

In situations where different interests collide;

When establishing external business relations;

When working with government agencies;

Relationships with customers and competitors;

In very delicate situations, when the company's employees face the problem of choice: to make public or keep secret an example of violation of internal company rules and regulations by colleagues.

For a manager of any level, it is extremely necessary to understand the basics of ethics, as he is forced to constantly make certain decisions. How will they be evaluated by peers? What will be the consequences of these decisions? To answer these questions, it is necessary to be clear about what moral climate developed in this society and in this firm.

The manager needs to maintain long-term and mutually beneficial relationships with company owners, consumers, creditors, suppliers, employers. Quite often, these relations develop in situations where the interests of the parties do not coincide. The main rule here is adhering to ethical principles, to avoid the intention of repaying evil for evil. The firmness of the manager shows his dignity.

American researchers have formulated the following principles of business ethics: 32

The principle of justice;

The principle of law;

The principle of utilitarianism (practicism).

32 A. I. Selivanov. Chic or necessity? Moral standards in the mirror of American business // RISK. 1995. No. 4. S. 41-43.

These principles offer managers a way of directly considering the quality of a chosen decision before it is made.

The first principle is based on the concepts decency and honesty and can be used in the analysis of decisions made. The main question at issue in this case is this: should the realization of opportunities be based on need, ability, or contribution?

The principle of law is based on the postulation the inviolability of the rights of every individual. When rights are ignored, an ethical violation occurs. The legal approach also proves that for every right there is a corresponding duty, duty or responsibility.

There are controversial issues in the field of law. One of them is the contradiction between the rights of the individual, especially in the distribution of insufficient resources. In addition, the problem arises from the disagreement in some cases of society with the rights of the individual.

As for the third principle - utilitarianism - the decision in this case depends on cost-benefit ratio. People who argue the need for certain solutions from this perspective say: great good yes, more." They determine costs, as well as profits, at every step in the business. Utilitarians will argue that the most desirable course of action is that which results in the greatest profit.

substantiate decision in business, based on all three of the above principles, is not always possible. Thus, by dismissing employees, the manager builds his decision on the basis of the principle of utilitarianism, sometimes right, but not justice. On the contrary, leaving an employee at the enterprise, he does so, realizing his idea of justice and respect for the rights of the latter, but violating the principle of utilitarianism.

In Russia, there is a huge need for managers who are able to bring the company to a leading competitive position and at the same time maintain integrity and moral character. A constructive system of teaching ethical standards is needed. The basis of such a system could be Western models of the moral improvement of man and organization. So, for example, in the United States, issues of the Review of the Organization of Teaching Behavior are regularly published, in which they are conducted? discussions about the teaching of morality in American business schools. 33 One of the developments devoted to this topic is called the “Model of moral improvement of the individual and organization” (see table 10.2).

33 A. Rick. Business ethics. M., 1996. S. 51.

Teaching morality is a complex and lengthy process. Peter Kostenbaum, a well-known author of books on business philosophy in the USA (“Leadership: the side of greatness hidden from others”, “The heart of business: ethics, power, philosophy”), Peter Kostenbaum, formulates the following components of the long-term success of the company:

Profit;

People (morality);

Goods or services;

Pride (prestige). 34

34 See: V. I. Benediktov. Business reputation: personality, culture, ethics, image of a business person. M., 1996. S. 196.

Kostenbaum justifies profit as the main goal of business. People should get satisfaction from their work, from the activities in this company.

The products and services of the company, of course, must be of high quality. And finally, the stable reputation of the firm affects the long-term results of its activities.

However, one should not idealize Western business ethics, as in industrial developed countries cases of elementary dishonesty, abuses and even crimes are not uncommon. What is worth, for example, a comparison by the American economist Albert A. Carr, who worked as a special adviser to President Truman, of the rules of business and the game of poker. In both cases, Carr notes, a lie ceases to be a lie, since all participants in the game know in advance that frankness cannot be expected from partners. The game encourages not to trust a partner, and cunning deception and the desire to hide one's true strength and intentions are the basis of the game. 35 The logic behind the poker analogy has certainly been met with a lot of objection. However, this concept, interesting and logically built, arose as a reflection of business reality and has every reason to exist.

35 Ibid., p. 197.

Despite the generally accepted irony regarding “Russian business ethics”, Russian business has relatively good reasons for forming its own moral base - the historical roots are the key to this. Russian business and specificity of human relations.

In confirmation of the first, we will cite the following motto, under which the Birzhevye Vedomosti newspaper of business circles was published in pre-revolutionary Russia:

"Profit is above all, but honor is above profit!".

Table 10.2. Moral priorities of a person and a company

From huge amount definitions reflecting different ideas about ethics in the field of entrepreneurship, the most accurate definition from the standpoint of marketing and management is the concept of A. Sen in the book "On Ethics and Economics": "Business ethics is business ethics based on honesty, openness, loyalty to this word, the ability to function effectively in the market in accordance with the current legislation, established rules and traditions." It responds to modern beliefs and highlights the main points of this abstract and at the same time quite real concept.

It should be noted that the need to comply with business ethics in marketing is welcomed by everyone, but many issues regarding its content are considered debatable, in particular such.

1. Is it possible for a company to buy goods and services of competitors in order to analyze and copy them later?

2. Let's international company to offer bribes to officials on whom much depends, if the obstacles are provided by its competitors and if these officials artificially create deficits, weakening the economy of their own country or region, consciously or unconsciously limiting the corporate community and impoverishing their own population?

4. Is it possible to inflate prices for products, which are several times more for all the costs of its production and promotion, if goods or services are "in short supply" and are in great demand?

5. What should be the ethics in relation to competitors? For example, the world-famous marketers E. Rice and J. Trout agree that "the moral factor can be decisive," and in this regard, they propose to "conduct" actions "it is necessary to destroy the morale of the opponent, release the fighting spirit from him." Are they right?

These and many other questions do not have a clear answer. Not only every person, but also any business entity, defining their culture of behavior, are guided by their own system of values. In this regard, a simple, but, most importantly, generally accepted definition of what constitutes unethical marketing practice has not yet been formulated.

At the same time, such attempts are being made: ethical codes of conduct in business are being developed, systems of social values in entrepreneurship are being formed. Some directions have already acquired distinct contours, while the main guideline is determined by the interests of consumers.

So, the reaction of the main element - the consumer, who is the object of marketing, becomes a criterion for evaluating the ethical behavior of business entities and business entities in the market for goods and services.

The concept of ethical behavior economic entities and consumer reactions must be correlated with the so-called human factor.

Note

The President of the Swiss-Russian Business Club, Roy Domari, draws attention to the fact that "companies as organizations have neither conscience nor morality. These people who work in them introduce an element of ethics into the activities of firms, and the action of ethics covers a much wider area than the existing legal restrictions"1.

The existing experience, forms, trends and patterns of manifestation and development of business ethics made it possible to single out three main principles for its expression:

1) the principle of justice;

2) the principle of law;

3) the principle of utilitarianism (practicism).

The principle of justice is based on the concepts of decency and honesty. Its main problematic point is that those who want to use it must determine in advance how (on what, according to what criteria) to justify the activity (behavior) associated with the realization of existing opportunities: according to needs, according to abilities, according to contribution, or according to an integrated approach, which, despite flexibility, can cause the greatest number of problems.

The principle of law is based on the respect and inviolability of the rights of each individual and community. According to him, any violation or disregard of rights must be considered as an ethical violation. The balance or imbalance for the use of this principle in practice is obtained due to the fact that the realization of the right of everyone is accompanied by the fulfillment / non-fulfillment of the relevant official and ethical obligations - duty, responsibility, professional duties.

In ethics based on the legal concept is an intractable conflict. One of their groups is predetermined by contradictions between the rights of a person, especially during the distribution of insufficient resources (material, monetary, temporary). Another group of conflicts arises when one does not agree with the rights of some separate individual or group.

The principle of utilitarianism (practicism) provides that in the decision-making process or in behavior it is necessary to focus on the ratio of costs and profits. People inclined to this principle determine the costs, as well as profits, for each fact. professional activity and in any situation. Utilitarians tend to advocate those decisions and try to implement those actions that either lead to the greatest profit, or provide the opportunity to save the most.

In recent years in business ethics, especially in marketing management, three main directions have been formed and are progressing.

1. The ethics of philanthropy establishes a relationship between goodness and the results that it causes. This direction encourages business environment to charitable activities. In the corporate community, the ethics of philanthropy (philanthropic ethics) is very often the basis of public relations.

2. The ethics of justice declares equality and fairness not only between employees of the same organization, but also between entrepreneurs, business entities, state (municipal) administration bodies.

3. Ethics of personal autonomy, in which the main moral postulate is the observance of the rights of other subjects - customers, allies, suppliers, intermediaries and even competitors.

Interest in business ethics is explained by the fact that, despite its abstract nature, it underlies almost all manifestations in the field of production, marketing, commercial and other relations and ties of a socio-economic nature.

In many countries, attempts are being made to fix and substantiate ethical norms in certain codes and codes, using them as a means of positive regulation of entrepreneurial, including marketing, activities.

One example is the American Marketing Association's (AMA) Code of Ethics, which is an authoritative guideline for determining ethical conduct. Its essence is briefly formulated as follows: "Those who are engaged in marketing must respect and promote decency, honor and dignity. marketing activities by demonstrating integrity in dealing with consumers, employees, suppliers, distributors and the public." This code sets out what character must be provided professional duties for each component of the marketing mix:

1) regarding the quality and functional properties of goods and services, it is indicated that companies must ensure the safety of consumers and customers, report any risks associated with them and identify all factors that can change the characteristics of the products sold;

2) regarding advertising, the AMA code emphasizes that companies need to avoid false and misleading messages, reject sales tactics and refuse to manipulate consumers to induce them to buy;

3) regarding the organization of distribution processes, the code states that suppliers should not force intermediaries to take those goods that they do not want and create artificial shortages in order to inflate prices;

4) on pricing issues, the code states that companies should not set fixed or "predatory" (very abstract definition) prices and are required to fully disclose all prices associated with the purchase, including service, installation and delivery.

In addition to these aspects, the AMA Code provides additional guarantees for consumer rights. It recommends that companies not only carefully consider each case of complaints and claims from consumers, but also look for ways to resolve them in a fair way.

No less progressive achievements in the development of marketing ethics are observed in European countries. For example, in the field of promoting goods and services on the market, some forms of direct marketing - contacting potential consumers by mail, contacts with subscribers through telemarketing, in particular banking services, by telephone, are regulated by the European Commission Directive, which entered into force in 1994. The key provisions of this Directive reflect the following requirements:

1) the supplier does not have the right to insist on advance payment;

2) the consumer has the right to receive complete and reliable information about the supplier, price, quality of goods or services, delivery conditions and the time during which the relevant offer remains valid;

3) orders must be completed within 30 days (unless otherwise specified);

4) it is mandatory to establish a 30-day period for reflection and negotiations, during which the buyer can return the goods and get his money back;

5) it is forbidden to contact by phone, fax or e-mail"at random" unless the recipient has given their consent.

In general, any commodity producer or service structure is interested in ensuring that their activities and products that they sell do not cause complaints. But for this, enterprises must adhere to several important conditions:

Obliged to provide consumers (buyers) with exactly what they pay for;

Must guarantee consumers the safety of goods and services;

They must not only proclaim, but really care about their consumers. One of the ways of such care is to provide consumers with complete information about the components of the products that they sell (goods, services, complex offer models);

Ensure minimal environmental pollution, or better yet, avoid it.

With all the multiplicity of subjects to which the main manifestations of business ethics should be directed, the most important are potential and real customers. Therefore, priority must be given to this aspect.

These conditions and requirements are aimed at ensuring that business entities that are guided by the marketing concept adhere to the philosophy of socio-economic responsibility, making it much easier for manufacturers to find consensus in conflicts between profit maximization and the welfare of society. The reputation of enterprises, their development and prospects largely depend on this.

Business ethics has long been an object of study. Even Aristotle equated profit with usury, and business was treated as one of the spheres of human activity. At all times Special attention was given to the key element of entrepreneurship to the entrepreneur, to the ethical foundations on which he bases his business. Business ethics is a business ethics based on honesty, openness, loyalty to the given word, the ability to function effectively in the market in accordance with the current legislation, established rules and traditions. Business exists in a complex ethical world, where the main thing is to avoid unethical steps in relationships. Humane management is more effective than aggressive management. The strategic goals of the company are easier to achieve, focusing on ethical principles. work in modern organization it is advisable to consider it as a group rather than an individual. Hence the conclusion is clear about the importance of the formation and use of opportunities corporate culture, giving people an idea of the nature of the activities, generally accepted values, orientation and philosophy of the company. A high culture enables the manager to lead through norms and values, make decisions faster on the ground, offers clear quality standards, specific criteria for self-assessment, and facilitates a comprehensive understanding of what is happening in the team. Corporate culture enriches people with a sense of confidence, gives rise to a sense of pride in the company, counteracts the possible departure of employees, which significantly increases the stability of operation. People are the carriers of corporate culture. But in organizations with a well-established corporate culture, it sort of moves away from people and becomes an attribute of the organization, a part of it that has a powerful impact on its participants, transforming their behavior in accordance with the norms and values that form its basis. The culture of an organization is a complex composition of various assumptions and prerequisites (and often not even amenable to formation), unsubstantiated, a priori accepted and shared by members of the team. Often, corporate culture is interpreted as the philosophy and ideology of management accepted by the main part of the organization's team, value orientations beliefs, expectations, dispositions, and norms that underlie relationships and interactions within and outside the organization. The purpose of corporate culture is to ensure high profitability of the company through improved management by human resourses to ensure the loyalty of employees to the management and the decisions made by them, to educate employees in their attitude to the company as to their home, which leads to maximization of the efficiency of production management and to qualitative improvements in the company's activities as a whole. Ethics and etiquette are close, interdependent, complementary concepts. Ethics, of course, is a much broader concept. Etiquette - a system of rules of conduct in in public places when interacting with other people. It concerns all forms of human communication, but above all, of course, communication in the business sphere. General principles cultures of behavior are specified by the basic requirements of etiquette: politeness, correctness, tact, delicacy, modesty, naturalness of behavior, accuracy, commitment. For a business person, the strictest observance of these requirements is the basis for achieving success. Tact and delicacy are of particular importance. Delicacy should not be excessive, turn into flattery, lead to unjustified praise. Tact is a sense of proportion that must be observed in personal and official relationships, the ability to feel the border that cannot be crossed in relationships with people. It is important to take into account the spiritual world of others, to understand what people can cause a negative reaction. A very important requirement of etiquette is modesty. A sign of a well-mannered person is his behavior, adapted to the environment, the ability to behave modestly. It testifies to the integrity of the personality, its versatile inner world, the ability to always control oneself, which disposes to a person, contributes effective solution business questions. In business relations, a lot depends on the nature of personal meetings, conversations, negotiations, meetings. Business ethics is a kind of mediator that allows you to quickly find the best solution, while smoothing out sharp corners, with dignity to get out of difficult situations. Any business meetings, negotiations are of an original nature: each time a different subject for discussion, new conditions and participants. The common thing that distinguishes them from other types of market activities is the preliminary organization, compliance with the conditions accepted in the business world, in the relationship of participants business communication. By observing business etiquette, you emphasize the significance and importance of your partner, create convenience and comfort for him. With your culture and well-chosen clothes, you demonstrate the importance for you and respect for the opinions of others. Business etiquette is not only a condition career development and a relationship building tool, it is integral part corporate culture of the company. After all, each employee is its constituent element. In many thriving companies, business etiquette, as part of the corporate culture of employees, has contributed to their development and advancement in the competitive world of business. When employees know that it is not enough just to greet the visitor, but also to stand up when he enters, introduce himself and offer to sit down - this will definitely be counted. It is impossible not to notice if the company's employees are professionally dressed, treat each other and customers correctly and cordially, speak politely and quietly and do not gossip in the corridors. All these are elements of corporate culture. The constancy of good manners is the best way to inspire the trust of customers and partners. You are stable and professional, your behavior is largely predictable, and you are safe, which means you meet or even exceed people's expectations. Knowing the principles of business etiquette will help you easily overcome many of the undercurrents that arise in the process of business communication. The first principle of business etiquette is the ability to perform one's job functions without interfering with others' performance. That is, you must behave towards colleagues or clients the way you would like them to behave towards you. The second principle of business etiquette is the principle of positivity. You should always radiate an open and friendly attitude towards colleagues and clients. For example: always start and end business conversations smile never gossip or allow discussion of the physical merits or demerits of anyone; if your sense of humor or irony humiliates others, refrain from such wit. Adopt the principle: if there is nothing positive or benevolent to say, it is better to remain silent. The third principle of business etiquette is the predictability of behavior in various situations. You seem to emphasize to others that you are stable, constant and reliable, that you know how to behave, and always fulfill your obligations. The fourth principle of business etiquette is that the rules of the relationship between a man and a woman, adopted in civil etiquette, are not transferred to business etiquette. There are no men and women in the business world, there are status differences. Business is a community of people without gender. Of course, business people at work remain men and women, but their gender should not be conspicuous or overemphasized. The fifth principle of business etiquette is the principle of appropriateness: following certain rules at a certain time, in a certain place, with certain people. Business etiquette represents a specific culture of business relations. It includes the established rules and customs of behavior in predetermined situations with common sense, rationality and usefulness of the content embedded in them. A serious entrepreneur is more likely to suffer a loss than violate business etiquette, the norms of entrepreneurial ethics. After a loss, you can always make a profit, but after a loss of reputation, it is not always possible to restore it. Thus, business etiquette is a set of rules, principles and specific forms of business communication. In etiquette, attentiveness and respect, the ability to listen, to render a service to those in need are highly valued. The ability to manage one's negative emotions indicates good manners and good manners. That's why the best remedy defeating irritation and discontent in oneself and others is a human smile.

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Introduction

1. Economic ethics

2. Ethics and modern management

3. Business ethics

4. Ethics of conduct

5. Business communication

Conclusion

Introduction

The word "ethics" (Greek ethika, from ethos - custom, disposition, character) is usually used in two senses. On the one hand, ethics is a field of knowledge, a scientific discipline that studies morality, morality, their emergence, dynamics, factors and changes. On the other hand, ethics is understood as the totality of moral rules in a particular area of behavior of a person or organization. As a designation of a special field of knowledge, this term was first used by Aristotle. The concept of "ethos" refers to the agreed rules and patterns of everyday behavior, way of life, lifestyle of a community of people (estate, professional group, social stratum, generation, etc.), as well as the orientation of any culture, the hierarchy of values adopted in it.

The direct connection between ethics and life practice can be clearly seen in the sphere of the so-called professional ethics, which is a system of moral requirements for a person's professional activity. One of the types of professional ethics is business ethics. It arose relatively late on the basis of general labor morality. In turn, the main place in the ethics of business relations is occupied by the ethics of business (entrepreneurship). It includes ethics of management (managerial ethics), ethics of business communication, ethics of behavior, etc.

Business - proactive economic activity, carried out both at the expense of own and borrowed funds at one's own risk and under one's own responsibility, the purpose of which is the formation and development of one's own business for profit and solving social problems of the entrepreneur, the labor collective, and society as a whole.

There are two main points of view on the relationship between universal ethical principles and business ethics:

1) the rules of ordinary morality do not apply to business or apply to a lesser extent. This point of view corresponds to the concept of the so-called ethical relativism, according to which each reference group (i.e., a group of people whose opinion about their behavior this subject is guided by) is characterized by its own special ethical norms;

2) business ethics is based on universal universal ethical standards (be honest, do no harm, keep your word, etc.), which are specified taking into account the specific social role business in society.

1. Economic ethics

In Russia in Lately business ethics issues have also come to the fore. Training courses on this issue are an integral part of the curricula of universities, other educational institutions because it became obvious that our country cannot enter the civilized market without a serious ethical basis, primarily in entrepreneurship.

G. Ford believed that happiness and prosperity are obtained only by honest work. The essence of Ford's economic ethics is that the product produced is not just a realized "business theory", but "something more" - a theory whose goal is to create a source of joys from the world of things. Power and machinery, money and possessions are useful only insofar as they contribute to the freedom of life.

Ford's ethical and economic principles are of practical importance even today.

Economic ethics is a set of norms of behavior for an entrepreneur, the requirements imposed by a cultural society on his style of work, the nature of communication between business participants, and their social appearance. This is information about ethical concepts, about moral requirements for the style of work and the appearance of a business person, adapted to the practical needs of a businessman.

These are the ethics of negotiating with partners, the ethics of drawing up documentation, the use of ethical methods of competition.

Economic ethics includes business etiquette, which is formed under the influence of traditions and certain prevailing historical conditions of a particular country.

Business etiquette is the norms that regulate the style of work, the manner of communication between firms, the image of a businessman, etc. The ethics of entrepreneurship cannot arise from subjective desire. Its formation is a complex and lengthy process. The conditions for its formation are: political and economic freedom, strong executive power, stability of legislation, propaganda, law.

In 1924, the Committee on Business Ethics of the US Chamber of Commerce developed the first national code of ethics in history.

"Business Principles". It noted that at the heart of business is trust, resulting from fair relationships, efficient service delivery and mutual benefit. Here, however, the views of the “primitive ethics” of the last century still dominate, according to which any business receives moral justification in which the partners in the transaction recognize their exchange as equivalent.

The next turning point was the crisis of 1929-1931. F. Roosevelt's "New Deal" served as a starting point in the search for new principles for organizing economic activity. By the 1950s, a number of socio-philosophical doctrines had been formed in the United States, which can be given the general name of "the theory of human relations." In the practice of corporations, the slogans of "social partnership", "sharing in income", etc. began to be implemented. The concept of "human relations" has received its concretization in a set of specific professional codes of morality (ethics of management, ethics of business, ethics of business communication, etc.)

The main postulates of the ethical code of the entrepreneur are the following principles:

He is convinced of the usefulness of his work not only for himself, but also for others, for society as a whole;

Proceeds from the fact that the people around him want and are able to

work;

Believes in business, regards it as attractive creativity;

Recognizes the need for competition, but also understands the need for cooperation;

- respects any property, social movements;

- respects professionalism, competence and laws;

- values education, science and technology.

These basic principles of business ethics can be specified in relation to various areas his professional activities.

The development of business ethics in Russia has its own characteristics, which is explained by the specifics of the historical path traveled by our state.

Considering the history of European civilization, P.Ya. Chaadaev noted that “in addition to the appearance common to all, each of these peoples has its own special features, but all this is rooted in history and traditions and constitutes the hereditary state of these peoples.” The peculiarity of Russia was that the common path of development, which for other countries was facilitated by an intensive exchange of traditions, she often passed alone.

Fundamentals of Russian norms economic behavior take shape during the formation of the Moscow kingdom (XV - early XVI centuries), when the Russian princes really realized the role of entrepreneurship for the development of the state.

To a certain extent, the policy of attracting the working population contributed to the rise of Moscow: everyone who wished was allowed to settle on the banks of the Moscow River, artisans were exempted from paying any taxes for a long time. The development of handicrafts was the basis for the economic strengthening of the Moscow kingdom, a prerequisite for the expansion of domestic and foreign trade, for the emergence of a new layer of merchant entrepreneurs. At the same time, the strong centralization of power and increased alienation from the West contributed to the formation in the behavior of Muscovites, including Moscow merchants, suspicion of foreigners; the habit of acting “with the whole world”, the tendency to build trade relations with strangers on deceit, weak respect for the “letter of the law”.

From the middle of the XVII century. the rapid expansion of trade relations of Moscow begins. As they are included in world trade, there is a gradual assimilation of common traditions regarding private property, contracts, exchange, trade, competition, profit. The first impetus to the legalization of Western traditions was given by the reforms of Peter I, namely, attempts to exercise state control over the quality of imported and exported goods, providing benefits and patronage to merchants. The increased mutual trust between entrepreneurs and the state contributed to the manifestation and consolidation of new features of business relations.

Significantly changed legal status merchants under Catherine II. They left the category of taxable estates with exemption from paying taxes to the capitation salary, which was replaced by the taxation of their capital with a 1% tax, and the amount of capital was declared by the merchants themselves "in good conscience", which the latter were very proud of. Trade with other countries was greatly revived by the removal of various restrictions from it and industry, in connection with the opening of the first credit institutions by Catherine, the development of merchant shipping, the establishment of foreign consulates and the conclusion of trade conventions.

Russia XIX - early XX centuries. is already characterized by a set of traditions that allow it to stand on the same level with the leading nations of the world. The names are world famous

Mamontovs, Morozovs, Tretyakovs, Putilovs, Alekseevs, Chizhovs, and others. At that time, there was a mechanism in Russia that made it possible to "cut off" from entrepreneurship those who did not strive to comply with the moral and ethical norms accepted throughout the world. In each city, there was a merchant society that had the right to recommend or not recommend an entrepreneur to the merchant guild. This right had to be earned by conscientiousness and personal honesty. Everyone who joined the guild declared his capital, which greatly simplified the work of the tax public service. There was a Constituent Court, which could forever deprive a merchant of the actual right to engage in entrepreneurial activity. Thanks to this, such concepts and rules as “the word-promissory note”, “the hand of the giver will not be impoverished”, “trade the truth, there will be more profit”, etc. were developed, firmly entered into use.

2. Ethics and modern management

A businessman, as you know, is first and foremost a leader. And business ethics has a special priority in management. The economic goal of entrepreneurship is the mediation of the personal interest of each employee of the enterprise, which ensures the integration of the team to achieve a common goal, creates the basis for moral management.

The fact that the results of entrepreneurial activity in market conditions are predetermined, first of all, by the quality of the work of a businessman with the human material at his disposal, predetermines the special significance psychological factors. Business psychology is becoming the foundation on which the building of business success is now being built.

Business psychology is a field of science that deals with psychological problems and specific features of management. The objects of study here are the relationship of people among themselves, in a team. Basic psychological problems: structural and functional analysis of managerial activity; psychological analysis of the construction and use of automated workplaces for managers and specialists, automated control systems and many other problems.

As you know, the essence of management activity is a chain of constantly made responsible decisions that must be morally justified and exclude any moral losses. Awareness of the full significance of the moral value of business is becoming the property of an increasing number of managers and businessmen.

Ethics of management has recently begun to undergo significant metamorphoses. At present, such universally recognized values as obedience, hierarchy, discipline, career, power, centralization, etc. are fading into the shadows. Such values as self-determination, teamwork, participation, focus on needs, personality and its disclosure, creativity, innovation, and the ability to compromise come to the fore. The change in value orientations brought about radical changes in the ethics of business, in the theory and practice of management. Management is not a cure for economic troubles or a set of ready-made, well-established recipes for all occasions, like, say, a cookbook.

Management is a creative phenomenon that quickly transforms into completely new forms and directions. As soon as he lags behind the real needs of the situation, he ceases to meet the requirements and changes. Management decisions, effective in one industry and in a particular situation, can be very dangerous for other industries and situations.

The versatility of decisions and management moves, the flexibility and originality of economic combinations, the unique nature of each situation form the basis of management. Therefore, the emphasis in the activities of managers is not on standard solutions, but on the ability to quickly and correctly assess the real economic situation and find the only approach possible in a given situation, which is optimal in specific conditions.

Management, as you know, is governed by the laws of the development of a market economic system and is aimed at flexible adaptation of the production and marketing activities of an enterprise to changing market conditions. The approach to management as a process evaluates it as a system in which the work aimed at achieving the goals of the enterprise is considered not as a one-time action, but as a series of interconnected business continuous actions that materialize management functions. Establishment efficient operation firms on the market at the current time and in the future - the main thing in management. Management by setting and implementing goals is carried out taking into account the assessment of the potential capabilities of the company, its provision with the necessary resources, conditions competition. Rational use of material and labor resources involves achieving goals at a minimum cost and maximum efficiency, which is carried out in the management process, when employees themselves direct their actions to achieve common goals based on the motivation of their work.

Management operates on the basis of its own economic mechanism, which is aimed at solving specific problems of interaction between the teams of the company's divisions, its employees in the implementation of the tasks assigned to the company. This mechanism is objectively determined by the work of the company in market conditions, when the results of all its activities are evaluated in the market.

Management as a concept of market management is based on an objective process of socialization and strengthening of production, which gives firms the opportunity to influence the state of the market, the nature and mechanism of economic relations on it, to divide and redistribute it.

Increasingly, the use of still far from fully disclosed management capabilities brings companies a huge economic and moral effect at relatively low costs, management also acts as an important factor in solving social problems. labor collectives. However, the economic conditions in our country today are so different from the conditions in the countries of developed capitalism that the use of its capabilities must be creative, innovative, with maximum consideration for the characteristics and traditions, ethical attitudes of each region, each labor collective.

A very common tool for influencing employees of a company is its traditions. This effectively affects the activities of the company under the condition of its long existence, if its employees have well mastered the rules in force in it, developed their own customs, believed in the ability of the administration to adequately evaluate subordinates, recognize the authority and influence of management. Traditions give a person a sense of belonging to the life and affairs of the company. Observance of traditions increases the stability and strength of the company itself, the coherence of the work of all its links.

A leader can have a strong influence on subordinates if they are convinced of the vastness and value of his knowledge, his competence, which in modern conditions is of particular importance, since economic activity has become extremely complicated. Influence based on this is becoming more widespread, as employees cannot independently solve problems that have arisen as effectively as a manager. Of particular importance are the personal relationships between the employee and the manager. The leader should be accessible to subordinates, but not intrusive, not tell them at every step what to do.

3. Business ethics

Business etiquette is more formal than everyday etiquette.

All over the world there is a specific concept of business ethics and commitment. In the USA, for example, the concept of "Texas handshake" is in use, when from the side they simply agree on some business. If someone violated the terms of the contract, no one will do business with him anymore.

In Russia, it is necessary to form businessmen of a different plan, responsible professionals who are aware of their mission and form their image. Not a huckster prone to drinking and a riotous lifestyle, but a smart, well-mannered gentleman who knows how to “apply” himself and his company in the best possible way, feeling confident, because behind him is knowledge of business and its ethics. The 21st century is the century of merciless competition. A new business culture has now been created to move forward faster, facilitate communication, improve service to an increasingly discerning customer, and thus strengthen market position.

Business ethics allows you to increase profits. In particular, it helps keep customers loyal. According to experts, keeping old partners is five times cheaper than winning the favor of new ones. Therefore, the whole company is focused on the consumer. For these purposes, before investing in fixed capital, a lot of money, time and effort have to be spent on the formation of the ethics and culture of the company, the appropriate training of its employees.

The business world is known to be small. Each businessman has many friends, acquaintances, they can be acquired as potential customers. Here everything is determined by honesty, politeness, the ability to quickly navigate. If you are wrong and apologize by acknowledging your mistake, this will serve you well, showing the client that you can be dealt with. There is a rule in business: always take care of your customers and employees, and the market will take care of you.

4. Ethics of conduct

The professional reputation of the manufacturer is very important. Such a reputation is difficult to acquire, it takes years, it can be lost instantly, often because of a trifle: not responding in time to phone call or a letter without sending a fax, which is expected, showing bad manners.

The culture of speech, manners, clothes, office interior and much more are important for reputation.

Business courtesy usually does not accept assurances of the interlocutor's disposition to each other, lengthy thanks, apologies for the time taken from a person. Politeness also implies courtesy, a willingness to render a service. Courtesy should not be confused with subservience or flattery.

A polite person will smooth out awkwardness, help a person get out of a difficult situation.

Tact and delicacy are of particular importance. It is delicacy that should become the constant companion and best adviser of a businessman. Delicacy is a non-Russian word, but it so happened that it began to express very capaciously what we mean when we talk about a sensitive, subtle, even somewhat scrupulous attitude towards others, towards their feelings.

Delicacy should not be excessive, turn into flattery, lead to unjustified praise. Tact is a sense of proportion that must be observed in personal and official relationships, the ability to feel the border that cannot be crossed in relationships with people. It is important to take into account the spiritual world of others, to understand what people can cause a negative reaction. A tactful person knows for sure at what time and in what place one can perform certain actions. L.N. Tolstoy wrote: "You can be smart, you can be stupid, but you must be tactful." J. Lubbock, an English naturalist, argued: "With the help of tact, you can succeed even in cases where nothing can be done with the help of force."

Tact involves the awareness of what can bring trouble or joy to another person, this is the ability to assess the needs of another person. To cultivate tact in yourself, it is important to put yourself in the place of another person. This requirement also applies to business tactics.

“If there is any secret of success,” said Henry Ford, “then it lies in the ability to understand the point of view of another person and look at things both from his and from his own points of view.”

A very important requirement of etiquette is modesty. A sign of a well-mannered person is his behavior, adapted to the environment, the ability to behave modestly. It testifies to the integrity of the personality, its versatile inner world, the ability to always control oneself, which disposes to a person, contributes to the effective solution of business issues.

The most important requirement for business etiquette is accuracy and commitment. People who know how to value time find it indecent to be optional and inaccurate. For example, it is unacceptable to force a person to wait more than five minutes, to make an appointment with several people at the same time. Punctuality and commitment can be learned from the Japanese. When making an appointment with a Japanese for three hours, you can safely come at ten minutes to three - he will already be waiting for you.

Special attention should be paid to the etiquette of a top-ranking leader, i.e. first person of the organization. Head of the organization (President, CEO, rector, chairman of the board) is the face of the entire organization. According to him appearance, the manner of behaving, according to the degree of fulfillment of the requirements of business etiquette, they judge the entire organization; one small but unfortunate detail in behavior, one even insignificant but unethical act, can spoil the impression of others about the organization as a whole.

5. Business communication

business ethics business

We can say that the secret of Japanese prosperity is precisely punctuality and commitment.

Punctuality and commitment are considered by the British as qualities of a national character.

For the success of business meetings, not only knowledge of the matter is very important, but also education, self-esteem, understanding of the situation and skillful reaction to it. This is manifested in ethics - behavior during the entire process from meeting partners to parting with them. No matter how the discussions go, it is important to always maintain restraint, patience, not to make comments, not to walk around the room. In an effort to change the course of negotiations in your favor, you should not resort to various tricks. This is considered blackmail and tactlessness. Everyone is free to choose a companion, but this must be done with dignity, without offending others.

After the end of the negotiations, the leaders of the negotiations must make a record of the conversation, where the names of the company, the place, date and time of the start of the negotiations, the participants in the negotiations from both sides (surnames and positions), the topic of the negotiations, the speeches of the participants, the result of the negotiations are recorded.

Along with official contacts, informal contacts play a special role. Going to entertainment venues together with negotiating partners after the completion of working discussions is an integral part of cooperation. The one who is the host or initiates the negotiations invites to have fun and bears all the expenses. The absence of such an invitation means that the hosts are hinting at a lack of interest in continuing contacts. In an informal setting, in restaurants and bars, the same discussions continue as at the negotiating table, only more frankly and uninhibitedly.

At subsequent meetings, the exchange of gifts becomes mandatory.

It is always necessary to have a good idea of who will be presented with a specific gift, and strictly by rank. If you give the president of the firm the same gift as the vice president, it will be regarded as an insult.

But the main thing, of course, is the organization of business communication. When holding a meeting and conversation, it is important to take into account not only their strategy and tactics, but also pay attention to the "little things" of etiquette, which can grow into factors that seriously affect the outcome of the meeting.

In business relations, a lot depends on the nature of personal meetings, conversations, negotiations, meetings. Business ethics is a kind of mediator that allows you to quickly find the best solution, while smoothing out sharp corners, with dignity to get out of difficult situations. The art of business contacts is taught all over the world. Many Russian entrepreneurs have never been trained in the process of negotiation and do not have serious experience in participating in them.

Any business meetings, negotiations are of an original nature: each time a different subject for discussion, new conditions and participants. The common thing that distinguishes them from other types of market activity is their preliminary organization, compliance with the conditions accepted in the business world, in the relationship of participants in business communication.

It is important not to miss another important circumstance: souvenirs for partners. It is necessary to prepare gifts in case of a reception from the management of the company.

According to etiquette, at the first meeting, gifts are given by the owners. It is necessary to present something to the arrival business partner as a sign that he is regarded as an honorary client and counts on long-term contacts.

It is important to be able not only to give, but also to receive a gift. All gifts, regardless of their material value should be taken with equal care. It is good to give souvenirs before the end of negotiations, at the end of the meeting.

A business conversation is a special form of communication that is different from ordinary conversation, behavior, requiring restraint of emotions. In addition to the positive content, this carries a negative moment. In business contacts, it is especially important not only what to say, but also to listen carefully. Equally important are the rules relating to the perception of the content of what is heard.

All business people should master the technique of live contact. Meanwhile, many entrepreneurs clearly lack the knowledge and ability to speak beautifully and convincingly and at the same time look decent.

To do this, they need to master the most effective communication tool - business rhetoric.

Rhetoric in Greek means eloquence. This is the ability to express one's thoughts harmoniously and clearly in order to persuade people to their views and positions. And it is necessary for everyone who wants to become a successful businessman. Not mastering the rhetoric is one of the significant reasons for the failure of many entrepreneurs, and their low rating among professionals and consumers.

Timbre, intonation, clarity of pronunciation, pauses, voice volume - all these are factors that psychologically affect

on the interlocutor, cause him respect and sympathy for you or, on the contrary, negative emotions. Too fast verbose speech creates the impression of a person as insufficiently reliable, and too slow causes irritation, makes one think about the slow reaction of this person, insufficient efficiency in business relations.

When talking with a person who is ignorant in a certain special area, one should not use abbreviations that are incomprehensible to him, special terms and turns of speech accepted in this area. In the same way, one must be careful with the use of foreign words and expressions.

When choosing words, one should try to use simple, well-known and generally accepted words that everyone understands. But at the same time, these words should most accurately express your thought.

You should not start a conversation with those issues on which you disagree. It is no coincidence that people intuitively start a conversation with a common topic, for example, by exchanging opinions about the weather - as a rule, positions coincide here.

You should not offend partners, paying attention to their mistakes and inaccuracies. This can only cause irritation.

If there are difficulties during the conversation, it is necessary to focus not on positions, but on interests. It turns out that you have common interests - to make contacts, connect your products with the market

marketing partner or your raw material with its advanced processing technology, etc.

Well, and if the atmosphere of negotiations has become tense, everything must be used here to defuse it. A witty or jocular remark, said at the right time, can defuse the situation.

But not all information can be expressed in words. They are supplemented by other means of communication - non-verbal (non-verbal). This facial expression, gait, shaking hands, posture and gestures.

Conclusion

The system of norms and rules that is currently accepted in world business has not emerged in finished form. It evolved over a long historical period, as civilization developed, on the basis of people's inadvertent adherence to certain traditions and customs. The primary foundations of professional ethics were laid during the heyday of ancient civilizations. From there originate, for example, the professional Hippocratic oath, the rules and norms of trade, including - (which is especially important for the situation in domestic business) understanding of the importance of compliance with contracts. However, in the spiritual world of a person of ancient and medieval cultures, based on the forcible coercion of a person to productive labor, there was no place for ideas about the relationship between labor and property, wealth. Moreover, they were conceived as separate, even opposite elements of human life.

Business ethics issues are as old as entrepreneurship. However, they have become especially acute in our time, when the market has changed a lot, from fierce to fierce competition. Now all over the world, the issues of business ethics are widely studied, serve as the subject of scientific discussions and forums, and are studied in many higher and secondary educational institutions that provide training for the labor market.

List of used literature

1. Political and economic ethics. Moscow: 2001

2. Utkin E.A. Business ethics. Moscow: 2001

3. Kleiner G.B. Business strategy: an analytical guide. Moscow: 1998

4. Botavina R.N. Business Ethics Moscow: 2003

5. Venediktova V.I. Business reputation. Moscow: 1996

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