Business Ethics Vocabulary
code of ethics
a company's written standards of ethical behavior that are deigned to guide managers and employees in making the decisions and choices they face every day
virtue ethics
a concept of living your life according to a commitment of the achievement of a clear ideal: What sort of person would I like to become, and how do I go about becoming that person
bribe
a forced payment of money or a favor required before an official or decision maker will make a favorable decision
culture
a particular set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices that characterize a group of individuals
ethical dilemma
a situation in which there is no obvious right or wrong decision, but rather a right or wrong answer
society
a structured community of people bound together by similar traditions and customs
intrinsic value
a value that is a good thing in itself and is pursued for its own sake
The Golden Rule
do unto others as you would have them do unto you
glass ceiling
employment barriers faced by women and minorities
utilitarianism
ethical choices that offer the greatest good for the greatest number of people
morals
practical applications of ethical principles. Modes of conduct.
conservation
preserving scarce natural resources
values
standards or ideals which serve as guides or standards by which we live and make decisions.
business ethics
the application of ethical standards to business behavior
social responsibility
the duty of a business to contribute to the well-being of the community and society at large
normative ethics
the practical means of determining a moral course of action
applied ethics
the study of how ethical theories are put into practice
ethics
the study of values, of how we ought to live. It denotes systematic, rational reflection upon a particular behavior.
corporate governance
the system by which business corporations are directed and controlled
meta-ethics
the theoretical meaning and reference of moral propositions and how their truth values (if any) may be determined