By Vincent Safuto staff writer
June 28, 2003
I've always thought that ethics in business is something that doesn't require college classes, with credits, tests and term papers, but that's not the view of many of today's college students majoring in business.
A recent New York Times story relayed the whining of business school students, who, the reporter noted, "are worried that their study programs might teach questionable values that may later contribute to mismanagement or corporate fraud."
Further on, the story noted, "Only 22 percent of respondents said their schools were doing 'a lot' to prepare them to handle workplace conflicts involving mismanagement or fraud. 'There could have been even more emphasis at Wharton (School of Economics) on ethics and social responsibility,' said Jordan E. Silvergleid, 33, who graduated from Wharton."
Not only that, the story continued: "One in five respondents did not feel they were receiving any ethics training. About half said the messages and priorities taught in MBA programs might have contributed to the recent scandals."
Hogwash, hogwash and again hogwash. This is excuse-mongering that'd get you a lifetime of pushups at Parris Island.
I find it amazing that these students, who are allegedly so intelligent, cannot see that there are things you aren't taught in business school, and that ignorance of the law is no excuse for doing wrong.
I suspect that most of these students surveyed will go on to make tons of excuses if they are caught doing something illicit, unethical or illegal in their business careers, and will try to excuse it by blaming their college for failing to teach them ethics.
But having an ethical sense in life, as well as in business, is not rocket science.
The military service academies teach a simple set of values: You don't lie, cheat or steal, or tolerate lying, cheating or stealing. In 12 words, you have a business value system that, if followed, will keep anyone from a kid in the mailroom to an executive in the corner office in line. It's called the honor code, and violators are punished harshly for it.
In the wake of Enron, WorldCom, Global Crossing, Tyco and the latest stock brokerage firm revelations, it has become clear that the "no-one-told-me-in-college-it-was-wrong" defense is the lamest attempt to divert one's own culpability.
The very idea of hiring a graduate who is unsure of his or her ethical responsibilities because they weren't addressed in college should be frightening. I wouldn't give such a person responsibility for cleaning toilets.
The best way to teach business ethics may be one I read about last year, in which students got to participate in a white-collar version of "Scared Straight." They visited a prison and talked with people who had decided the law didn't apply to them, and were paying the price.
I don't know if such tours would even be effective, but if business students need an incentive to avoid doing wrong, perhaps a trip to your local prison for corporate criminals might be just the spice the curriculum needs.
Vincent F. Safuto is a copy editor for the Press Journal. Reach him at Vincent.Safuto@scripps.com.
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