Business Article Review Ethical Considerations in Successful Business

Business Article Review Ethical Considerations in Successful Business Summary of the article The results of a survey conducted in July 2008 by one of the leading ethical beauty retailers, The Body Shop, reveal the high significance of the company’s ethical image on the customers’ purchasing choice. In spite of the financial difficulties experienced by the customers during the economic crisis of the time, increasing numbers of clients are starting to base their purchasing decisions purely on ethical considerations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Business Article Review: Ethical Considerations in Successful Business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, for example, thirty-four percent of more than 9,600 survey participants seriously consider the ethical profile of a company before making any purchasing choice (Marketwire). An impressive seventy-seven percent of respondents admitted to having increased their ethical awareness within the last five years (Marketwire). As it appears from market studies, a new group of consumers is emerging, rather powerful in their environmental consciousness. The demands of this consumer group apply not only to the quality and price of goods and services purchased. Especial attention is paid to the transparency of the manufacturing and supplying process, as well as to the honesty of the company. For one thing, fair treatment of suppliers is encouraged, backed up by the idea that not only the retailers but also the producers should benefit from the manufacturing process. For another thing, the eco-conscious customers of the present day pay especial attention to the impacts the production and distribution processes exert on the environment. As a result, modern companies have to respond to the increased expectations of the customers who expect everyone to benefit from commercial relations: Customers, suppliers, planet, and the business itself (Marketwire). For instance, The Body Shop has launched a Together Fair Pledge initiative on Facebook, urging their customers to share the information about ethical products and services with their friends and colleagues (Marketwire). In this way, The Body Shop is making use of the communicative power of Internet and the persuasive power of personal recommendations for influencing ethical purchasing decisions and thus making a difference to this world. Business topic The article under discussion is most closely connected to concepts and ideas presented in Chapter 5, â€Å"Business Ethics and Social Responsibility† (Collins 101–125). The subject highlighted in the article is the notion of business ethics and the way compliance with ethical principles attracts modern customers and promotes customer satisfaction. On the example of The Body Shop, the article demonstrates how making successful ethical decisions benefits a business and wins the trust and support of its customers (Marketwire).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The author of the textbook emphasizes the idea that success in modern business is secured through understanding ethics and resolving ethical dilemmas correctly (Collins 104–105). According to Collins, an ethical decision is a choice between right and wrong, between acting purely legally and acting on the basis of ethical principles (106). Among the key ethical values, the textbook author names honesty and fairness that should guide an ethical company’s actions in spite of the possible financial disadvantages (Collins 103). These ideas are reflected in the article as well, emphasizing the importance consumers place on the transparency and honesty of manufacturing and supplying process (Marketwire). The ethical standards of the company are set by its leaders, and Collins introduces the notion of ethical leadership to describe the process of constant support and cooperation between leaders and employees of the company in terms of making the right ethical choices and thus creating the corporate ethical code (110). The article illustrates the notion of ethical leadership on the example of the founder of The Body Shop, Dame Anita Roddick, who – being a social and environmental activist herself – introduced her personal ethical values into the company and made it a pioneering â€Å"business model of positive social change† that promoted ethical business behavior (Marketwire). The notion of corporate social responsibility introduced in the textbook is widely discussed in the article as well. According to Collins, corporate social responsibility implies a conscientious treatment of the company’s employees, suppliers, customers, and communities it is directly or indirectly involved with (112). The Body Shop, the company presented in the article, demonstrates high levels of social responsibility since it promotes fair payment to its suppli ers and disseminates honest information to its customers. In addition, The Body Shop appears to act within the highest stage of corporate responsibility – the civil stage – since it not only promotes ethical business standards among its employees but also appeals to the world community for fair and honest approach to business (Collins 118). Business terms Ethics is defined as â€Å"the ability and willingness to distinguish right from wrong and to know when you are practising one or the other† (Collins 103). Ethics is a term that is applied to business behavior of The Body Shop.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Business Article Review: Ethical Considerations in Successful Business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Business ethics is defined as â€Å"the application of ethical behaviour to a business context† (Collins 103). Business ethics is a term that describes the framework of The Body S hop functioning. Business is defined as â€Å"an activity that provides goods or services to consumers for the purpose of making a profit† (Collins 3). The article focuses on the business done by The Body Shop. Purchase decision is a stage in the buying process that is the result of need recognition, information search, and product evaluation (Collins 214). Purchase decision is discussed in the article as that made on the basis of company’s ethical profile. An ethical organization is characterized by integrity and fairness in treating both its employers and its customers (Collins 103). In the article, The Body Shop possesses such characteristics. Fair trade is â€Å"a way of buying and selling products that makes certain that the original producer receives a fair price† (Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary). The article emphasizes the principles of fair trade promoted by The Body Shop. Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Cambridge Diction aries Online, 2010. Web. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/. Collins, Karen M. Exploring Business. Toronto, Ontario: Pearson Education Canada, 2010. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Marketwire. â€Å"The Body Shop: Eco-Shoppers on the Increase in Canada; Ethics as Important as Price for Increasing Number of Consumers.† Canadian Corporate News 27 Aug. 2008. Gale Group. Web.

Positivity in Your Job Search Will Get You Farther Than You Think

Positivity in Your Job Search Will Get You Farther Than You Think Perhaps you’ll identify with me when I say I can’t stand hearing anyone complain- except for myself. That said, even my tolerance for my own complaints has plummeted in the last few years. As soon as I start complaining in a conversation, I know I’ve made a big mistake. I leave the interaction feeling horrible, sure the person I was talking to will never want to talk to me again. Last week, while reading AJ Jacobs’ The Guinea Pig Diaries, I learned something new about the impact of my complaining or criticizing. I was shocked to discover a phenomenon that makes people really and truly think poorly of me when I speak poorly of others. You Are What You Speak It turns out that not only are complainers seen as negative, but that the characteristics they attribute to others are automatically attributed to them by their listener. So if I call someone racist, the person listening to me will unconsciously dub me a racist. If I call someone stupid or incompetent, I will be seen as stupid and incompetent. In contrast, if I talk about how nice, helpful, talented, and all-around awesome people are, listeners will associate all those positive characteristics with me. Since learning about this mind mechanism, I’ve become much more conscious of my speech. I now understand that by using negative language, I’m risking not only that people will have a generally negative feeling about me, but also that they will make specific negative judgments that I certainly don’t want attached to me. By using more positive words, I can consciously shape the way people think of me. I recently had a conversation with one of my executive clients, who had been given the runaround, then turned away by another resume writing company, because they don’t work with â€Å"Muslim terrorists.† I can assure you this man is one of the most generous and kind people you would ever want to meet. He did not have anything negative to say about that company, and he chose not to report them to the BBB or even tell LinkedIn to investigate their profiles. He figured he could stay positive, and let them dig their own graves. If they are putting out that negativity into the world, they themselves will be seen as negative. Positive Language in Your Job Search Also last week, I saw a resume that spoke of bringing together often â€Å"fractious† staff. The word â€Å"fractious† appeared twice in one resume! Guess what anyone reading that resume will think of the applicant? Yep†¦ that he himself is the fractious one. His final resume will not include that word if I have anything to say about it. Instead, he will say that he fostered teamwork in a diverse, multi-cultural environment. That sounds much better doesn’t it? While it’s important in many cases to provide a â€Å"before and after† picture to highlight your accomplishments, putting people down will never serve you. You can talk about bringing negative profits to positive ones, but don’t let the negative adjectives spill over onto people.  (Learn more about creating compelling accomplishment bullets with my DIY resume books. Sign up here to get a free excerpt!) In job interviews as well, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of staying positive. I still remember an interview I gave when I was a manager in a legal department. The interviewee had an impressive background, but in her interview, almost every word out of her mouth was about the negative aspects of her prior employment. Needless to say, she didn’t get hired. If she had been more positive, we would have considered her. In Business Insider’s 29 Words You Should Never Say in a Job Interview, here’s what author Jacquelyn Smith says about some clearly damaging words you must avoid: Terrible, horrible, awful, hate, etc. You shouldnt use negative language during your interview - especially when youre talking about your current or previous boss or employer. Even if the interviewer invites you to,  dont, Hoover says. Its not classy, and it  will make you sound bitter and petty. It also shows that you could bad-mouth any boss or company in the future - and it could even be a test to see if you will say anything disparaging. That’s great advice, and now I understand that if you use words like these, you will actually be perceived as terrible, horrible, awful, hating person. While Ms. Smith doesnt suggest positive words to emphasize, I would offer â€Å"exciting,† â€Å"growthful,† â€Å"positive,† â€Å"amazing,† â€Å"collaborative,† â€Å"talented,† â€Å"friendly,† â€Å"smart,† â€Å"brilliant,† â€Å"creative,† â€Å"innovative,† and other adjectives that paint others – and, by default, you – in a favorable light. The Challenge, If You Choose to Accept It Eliminating negative language is not as easy as it sounds. I caught myself today talking to a very helpful man at the airport about how unhelpful a customer service person had been because she gave me directions to the hotel shuttle that didn’t help. â€Å"Wow,† I thought, â€Å"I’m addicted to complaining!† There was clearly no useful purpose in sharing that information with him, and now he probably thinks I’m negative and unhelpful. I sure have a lot more work to do on this positivity project! I’m grateful to have people like my client and others who inspire me to live and work â€Å"above the line.† They keep me honest and, well, I think they’re fantastic and awesome! Are you ready to start being more aware of your language so you can be perceived in a positive light yourself, in life, in business, and in your job search? Please share your thoughts and stories below.