The World Forum for Ethics in Business

The World Forum for Ethics and Business is a registered public interest foundation ("fondation d'utilite publique" - N° 822.216.342) based in Belgium. The mandate of the Forum includes all manners of pursuing and establishing the indispensable ethical foundations of business in a globalized world.

The Forum, chaired by Rajita Kulkarni, has grown out of the International Business & Leadership Symposium on Ethics in Business convened annually by the International Association for Human Values.

Objectives in this forum include :

Provide a platform for the promotion and defence of ethical approaches to business enterprise and corporate governance;

Facilitate global dialogue and foster cooperation among the private sector, the academic world, government agencies, international organisations, the media, spiritual as well as secular communities and all other stakeholders with the end in view of fostering decency, maximising human values and building wider public trust in business.

Recruit the broadest possible support for trends, initiatives and projects that would encourage or enhance ethical and/or spiritual motivations, practices, norms and goals in the business world.

Assume responsibility for continuing the International Leadership Symposium on Ethics in Business.

In my opinion, these forums are very useful and give a lot of exposure to all of us more deeply about ethics in business. Too many challenges facing entrepreneurs and business people in particular to the parties involved in the organization of this world. By having this kind of platform, can broaden their views on ethics in international business.

In Search of Universal Ethics

This video is about despite cultural differences, a universal ethic based on virtue and human excellence does exist. This was one of the points of view aired at the recent Symposium on Ethics and Business held at IESE in Barcelona. However, others argued that, while we can find common ethical elements, we must recognize that diversity does demand a relativist response to each situation.

Example of some rules of International Business Ethics

10 Rules of International Business Ethics

Rule 1: If you strive to understand the values of different cultures, you will find common points.

Rule 2: if you analyze the facts, you will realize that honesty and reliability benefit you.

Rule 3: if you analyze case studies from different perspectives, you will discover the benefits of fair play.

Rule 4: Respecting your colleagues is the smartest investment you can make.

Rule 5: To increase productivity, provide safe and healthy working conditions.

Rule 6: To inspire trust, make your performance transparent.

Rule 7: Your loyal dissent can lead your institution in the right direction.

Rule 8: Downsizing your labor force is only beneficial when you respect each stakeholder.

Rule 9: To establish your brand name, act as a fair competitor.

Rule 10: Reduce the gap between the rich and poor by developing a new social security system.

For more information, you can click this link:
http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/ethicalperspectives/business-china.html

In my opinion, rules of international business ethics is important to ensure a clean business and prevent corruption. Besides, these rules can help to guide businessman or business woman to lead their business on top of the world. The implication of following these rules is many company will interested to invest in our company because they believe in us due to the way we deal our business. Not only that, these rules will help us in maintain our relationship with investors who believed that we will not disappointed them. By maintaining the investors who will bring the business to large profit, our business will be well-known to other competitors.

Post by Norshafiqah, A139386

Article about Ethics in China.

Business Ethics in China

by Miriam Schulman

The Chinese, Rothlin said, are very open to considering ethical issues: "They want to be global players, and they realize that in order to become a real global power, they have to eliminate corrupt practices." Many students at the Beijing University of International Business and Economics, where CIBE is based, are pursuing an MBA because they are frustrated by the corruption they witness, he noted.

But the Chinese do not want paternalism from the West. Instead, Rothlin said, they want acknowledgement that "they can offer something, that they can actually become a driver in the field of ethics." Because the Chinese are emerging as an economic powerhouse, any ethical rules they integrate into their businesses practices will have an impact on the whole world.

He gives the same advice to those who want to work with Chinese companies or bring their businesses to China. "The strategy should be to limit the output of Western experts to a minimum," he said. Setting up a code of ethics, for example, should be primarily the job of the Chinese. "It does not mean anything if you translate your existing code from English and distribute it," he cautioned. "The Chinese will say, 'Yes, thank you,' and then throw the code away." Of course, that indifferent kind of implementation would not work anywhere in the world, even, as one member of the partnership pointed out, "in San Diego."

Often, the Chinese see hypocrisy in criticism of their country by companies that tout their own ethical codes but then close their eyes to what their own Chinese subcontractors are doing, Rothlin said. To counteract this skepticism toward Western critiques, he counseled an approach that acknowledges unethical conduct in other cultures as well. Swiss by birth, Rothlin teaches about the failure of Swissair in 2001 "to avoid suggesting that only China has problems."

Rothlin emphasizes China's own philosophical traditions when he talks about business ethics with the Chinese. He gave this example of how he discusses the problem of corruption, which often includes favoring family and cronies. Some students of China have argued that the Chinese are encouraged in such favoritism by their traditions. They point to Confucius' focus on responsibility to family, citing his admonition that a person who sees his father steal a sheep should not turn his father over to the authorities.

For more information you can click this link.
http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/ethicalperspectives/business-china.html

In my opinion, China have more ethics and it was their tradition to be polite among each other including in business. However, the corruption in this country is always happen and it's a habit among them. It is not a surprise that China is the highest corrupted country.

Post by Norshafiqah, A139386