Chapter 16

There was a survey in the book that asked high school students if they would be willing to do something unethical just to get ahead if they knew they wouldn't get caught. The results were that 22% of those surveyed said yes, they would act unethically to get ahead. That means that 1 out 5 people are willing to cheat to get ahead.

There are some companies that include an ethical culture training, but this doesn't always prevent unethical behavior. Ethical decisions will be based more on a person's own moral compass than training.

I think that this training provides more of a sense of awareness than a sense of decision making. I think it makes employees more aware of the companies expectations. It sends a message that choosing to do the right thing is important to the company, so if there are any ideas of unethical behavior, it is clear that the behavior is unacceptable and will be handled according to company policy.

Is it just enough for an HR department to train on procedures, policies, and laws or should they incorporate an ethical framework into their training system?