Business

Business, a profit-seeking enterprise, is often seen as synonymous with deception. Numerous illustrations of corporate scandals, buried under lies and deception, exist in industries throughout the world. Individuals entering the business world find that opportunities and temptation to lie and deceive are abundant. Often, the drive to be profitable is seen to conflict with the motive to behave ethically and truthfully. Based on high-profile scandals and news reports, deceptive individuals and groups seem to permeate the business world, driven by competition and a desire to succeed. From teaching business ethics to some of the largest corporate scandals, ethical debates arise from business decisions and exposed deception, often leading to individual- and organizational-level humiliation, financial loss, and legal punishment.

Deception in the business world may be seen as a method to succeed, but it can also come with many costs. Unethical behavior can damage individuals by conflicting with their personal values. Deceptive practices interfere with the flow of information in an organization, impeding organizational success. Deception can result in serious theft and lawbreaking, leading to lawsuits and, in extreme cases, is costly and deadly to society at large. Estimations of the costs of dishonestly in business in the United States range from $6 to $200 billion annually.

Deception in business can occur at different levels. Deception on a micro-, person-to-person level, such as office politics, can damage morale, lower employee satisfaction, and create a climate of distrust. Such a climate impedes the amount of information that employees are willing to share with one another, ultimately damaging the output of the work. On a meso-, company, and company-to-company level, cultural climates that encourage dishonesty and deception can occur, and intracompany dishonest negotiations can severely impact the success of one or both companies. There is also an employee versus company dynamic in which unethical climates drive turnover and affect the bottom line by reducing the quality of the work. On a macro-, or organization-to-society level, corporate decisions have a vast impact on national and world economies, public health and safety, and the environment.