for business ethics and social responsibility for ABM senior high school

3. SOCRATES
• BORN IN ATHENS 469 BC
• CAME FROM A POOR FAMILY. HIS FATHER WAS A SCULPTOR AND HIS MOTHER WAS A MIDWIFE
• IN EARLY LIFE HE TOOK UP THE OCCUPATION OF HIS FATHER AS A SCULPTOR AND AFTERWARDS HE
BECAME A VOLUNTEER SOLDIER.
• HE WAS CALLED UPON TO STUDY HIMSELF BY QUESTIONING OTHER MEN, HE BELIEVES THAT THE PEOPLE
SHOULD INQUIRE AND ASK QUESTIONS

4. SOCRATES
• HE THOUGHT THAT DECISIONS SHOULD COME FROM WHAT RIGHT OR WRONG, OR GOOD OR BAD
• HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO GIVE A PRACTICAL AND POLITICAL FOCUS TO PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS

5. SOCRATES
• HIS CLASSICAL PHILOSOPHY IS “HAVE THE COURAGE TO DISAGREE”

6. PLATO
• BORN IN THE CITY OF ATHENS 427 BC
• HE BELONG TO AN ARISTOCRAT FAMILY. HIS FATHER, ARISTON, WAS A DESCENDANT OF KING CODRUS;
AND HIS MOTHER, PERICTIONE, CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN DESCENDED FROM THE WELL KNOWN LAW GIVER,
SOLO
• HE SPENT SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS A A PUPIL OF SOCRATES

7. PLATO
• HE HAD BEEN FASCINATED IN POLITICAL AFFAIRS
• HIS PRIME BELIEF WAS THAT A PERSON MUST STUDY THEMSELVES IN ORDER TO FIND OUT THEIR LEVEL
OF CHARACTER
• HE IS FAMOUS FOR HIS DECISIONS ON THE SUBJECT OF REALITY

8. PLATO
• HIS CLASSICAL PHILOSOPHY IS “THE POWER TO RULE”

9. ARISTOTLE
• BORN IN CIRCA 384 BC
• HE IS ENROLLED IN PLATO'S ACADEMY
• HE WAS THE MOST PRACTICAL AND BUSINESS ORIENTED OF ALL PHILOSOPHERS

10. ARISTOTLE
• HIS CLASSICAL PHILOSOPHY IS “LET PEOPLE SEEK FULFILLMENT”

11. CONFUCIUS
• ALSO KNOWN AS MASTER KONG QIU
• BORN IN SHANDONG PROVINCE, CHINA
• HE DELIVERED THE IDEA OF DEMOCRACY
• CONFUCIAN VALUES CAN AID IN THE CREATION OF BUSINESS LEADERS WHO ARE TRUE LEADERS OF THE
SOCIETY

12. CONFUCIUS
• HIS GOLDEN RULE:
“DO NOT DO UNTO OTHERS WHAT YOU DON’T WANT OTHERS DO UNTO YOU.”

13. CONFUCIUS
• HIS CLASSICAL PHILOSOPHY “LIVE A CONTENTED, MORAL AND HAPPY LIFE”

14. VIRTUE ETHICS
•VIRTUE ETHICS (OR VIRTUE THEORY) IS AN APPROACH TO ETHICS THAT
EMPHASIZES AN INDIVIDUAL'S CHARACTER AS THE KEY ELEMENT OF ETHICAL
THINKING, RATHER THAN RULES ABOUT THE ACTS THEMSELVES (DEONTOLOGY) OR
THEIR CONSEQUENCES(CONSEQUENTIALISM).

15. VIRTUE ETHICS
• IT FOCUSES ON THE INHERENT CHARACTER OF A PERSON RATHER THAN ON THE NATURE OR
CONSEQUENCES OF SPECIFIC ACTIONS PERFORMED. THE SYSTEM
IDENTIFIES VIRTUES (THOSE HABITS AND BEHAVIOURS THAT WILL ALLOW A PERSON TO
ACHIEVE "EUDAIMONIA", OR WELL BEING OR A GOOD LIFE), COUNSELSPRACTICAL WISDOM TO RESOLVE
ANY CONFLICTS BETWEEN VIRTUES, AND CLAIMS THAT A LIFETIME OF PRACTISING THESE VIRTUES LEADS
TO, OR IN EFFECT CONSTITUTES HAPPINESS AND THE GOOD LIFE.

16. VIRTUE ETHICS
•VIRTUE ETHICS, ESSENTIALLY EUDAIMONISM, WAS THE PREVAILING APPROACH TO
ETHICAL THINKING IN THE ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL PERIODS. IT SUFFERED
SOMETHING OF AN ECLIPSEDURING THE EARLY MODERN PERIOD, ALTHOUGH IT IS
STILL ONE OF THE THREE DOMINANT APPROACHES TO NORMATIVE ETHICS (THE
OTHERS BEING DEONTOLOGY AND CONSEQUENTIALISM).

17. VIRTUE ETHICS
•ITS PROPONENTS WAS PLATO AND ARISTOTLE.

20. We live in age of innovation, growth of free markets, and
world economy. New government authorities, world’s business
leaders and up-to-date technologies being players on global
scene form business relations and set standards throughout
world-wide business communication. More civilizations have
started cooperating together creating one globalized
communication system. Nevertheless, during creating the one
universal system of business communication each civilization
follows its unique philosophy of life understanding and usually
this understanding of life is being formed by religion.

21. Modern businesses are expected to be responsible
stewards of community resources working towards the
growth and success of both their companies and their
communities. We are convinced that markets become
free or remain free if their players are responsible and
respect the basic values of honesty, reliability, fairness
and self-discipline being basic of their business ethics.

22. Most people involved in business sector – grading
from a small business owner to employee, or even CEO
of a multinational – eventually face ethical or moral
dilemmas at the workplace. Ethical content of business
behavior has been a matter of public concern for a long
period of time. Nowadays we observe different
approaches to solve ethical dilemmas and try to reveal
new refined possibilities to avoid delicate questions of
modern everyday updating business rules.

23. In fact, this culture has been formed by various
factors among which almost the highest position is
under religion. That is why various religion views
influence on business ethics in our modern world. Many
beliefs have a source – “code of rules” and many
businesses rely on these ethical guidelines, which
correspond with ethical standards of local communities.

24. FOUR BASIC WORLD’S RELIGION
1. CHRISTIANITY
2.JUDAISM
3.ISLAM
4.BUDDHISM

25. CHRISTIANITY
•CHRISTIANITY IS THE WORLD'S BIGGEST RELIGION, WITH ABOUT 2.1
BILLION FOLLOWERS WORLDWIDE. IT IS BASED ON THE TEACHINGS OF
JESUS CHRIST WHO LIVED IN THE HOLY LAND 2,000 YEARS AGO.

26. CHRISTIANITY
•CHRISTIAN BELIEFS CENTER ON THE LIFE OF JESUS OF NAZARETH, A TEACHER AND
HEALER WHO LIVED IN FIRST CENTURY PALESTINE. THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF
INFORMATION ABOUT THE LIFE OF JESUS ARE THE GOSPELS, WHICH WERE WRITTEN
SOMETIME BETWEEN 20 AND 100 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH AND BECAME THE FIRST
FOUR BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. THE GOSPELS DESCRIBE A THREE-YEAR
TEACHING AND HEALING MINISTRY DURING WHICH JESUS ATTRACTED 12 CLOSE
DISCIPLES AND OTHER FOLLOWERS WHO BELIEVED HIM TO BE THE MESSIAH
(CHRISTOS).

27. CHRISTIANITY
•JESUS' TEACHINGS FOCUSED ON THE THEMES OF THE KINGDOM OF
GOD, LOVE OF GOD AND LOVE OF NEIGHBOR. ALONG WITH SOME OF HIS
TEACHINGS, HIS GROWING POPULARITY WITH THE MASSES WAS
SEEN AS DANGEROUS BY JEWISH RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND THE
ROMAN GOVERNMENT, LEADING TO HIS EXECUTION BY CRUCIFIXION.

28. THREE MAJOR BRANCHES OF CHRISTIANITY
•ROMAN CATHOLICISM
•PROTESTANTINISM
•CHRISTIAN PRACTICES

29. ROMAN CATHOLICISM
•BELIEVES THAT IT WAS JESUS CHRIST WHO BUILT THEIR CHURCH
AROUND 2000 YEARS AGO TOGETHER WITH HIS 12 DISCIPLES.
•REPRESENTS THE CONTINUATION OF THE HISTORICAL ORGANIZED
CHURCH AS IT DEVELOPED OVER THE CENTURIES, AND IS HEADED BY
THE POPE.

30. PROTESTANTINISM
•PROTESTANTISM AROSE IN THE 16TH CENTURY. PROTESTANTS DO NOT
ACKNOWLEDGE THE AUTHORITY OF THE POPE, REJECT MANY TRADITIONS AND
BELIEFS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, AND EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF READING
THE BIBLE AND THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION BY FAITH ALONE.
•PROTESTANTISM ENCOMPASSES NUMEROUS DENOMINATIONAL GROUPS,
INCLUDING BAPTISTS, METHODISTS, EPISCOPALIANS, PRESBYTERIANS,
PENTECOSTALS AND EVANGELICALS.

31. CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
•CHRISTIAN PRACTICES VARY BY DENOMINATION, BUT COMMON ELEMENTS INCLUDE A
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE, PRIVATE AND CORPORATE PRAYER, STUDY ANDREADING OF
THE SCRIPTURES, AND PARTICIPATION IN THE RITES OF BAPTISM AND COMMUNION.
•DISTINCTIVE CATHOLIC PRACTICES INCLUDE RECOGNITION OF SEVEN SACRAMENTS,
DEVOTION TO MARY AND THE SAINTS, AND VENERATION OF RELICS AND SACRED SITES
ASSOCIATED WITH HOLY FIGURES. EASTERN ORTHODOXY HOLDS MANY PRACTICES IN
COMMON WITH CATHOLICISM, BUT IS ESPECIALLY DISTINGUISHED BY THECENTRAL ROLE
OF ICONS.

32. CHRISTIANITY
•IN CHRISTIANITY, THE BASIS OF THIS THEOLOGY IS THE OLD TESTAMENT AND
THE NEW TESTAMENT. THE CHRISTIAN IN COMMERCE SHOULD NOT DESIRE “TO GET
ANOTHER’S GOODS OR LABOUR FOR LESS THAN IT IS WORTH.” ONE MUST NOT TRY
TO OBTAIN A GOOD PRICE FOR HIS OWN WARES BY EXTORTION. IF ONE IS BUYING
FROM THE POOR, “CHARITY MUST BE EXERCISED AS WELL AS JUSTICE;” PURCHASER
MUST PAY THE FULL PRICE THAT THE GOODS ARE WORTH TO HIM. MOREOVER,
PURCHASER SHOULDN’T ADMIT SUFFERING OF THE VENDOR BECAUSE HE CANNOT
STAND OUT FOR HIS PRICE, BUT VENDOR SHOULD OFFER A LOAN OR PERSUADE
SOME ONE ELSE TO DO SO.

33. JUDAISM
•JUDAISM, MONOTHEISTIC RELIGION DEVELOPED AMONG THE ANCIENT HEBREWS.
JUDAISM IS CHARACTERIZED BY A BELIEF IN ONE TRANSCENDENT GOD WHO
REVEALED HIMSELF TO ABRAHAM, MOSES, AND THE HEBREW PROPHETS AND BY A
RELIGIOUS LIFE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SCRIPTURES AND RABBINIC TRADITIONS.
JUDAISM IS THE COMPLEX PHENOMENON OF A TOTAL WAY OF LIFE FOR THE JEWISH
PEOPLE, COMPRISING THEOLOGY, LAW, AND INNUMERABLE CULTURAL TRADITIONS.

34. JUDAISM
•JUDAISM IS ONE OF THE OLDEST MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS AND WAS
FOUNDED OVER 3500 YEARS AGO IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
•JEWS BELIEVE THAT GOD APPOINTED THE JEWS TO BE HIS CHOSEN
PEOPLE IN ORDER TO SET AN EXAMPLE OF HOLINESS AND ETHICAL
BEHAVIOUR TO THE WORLD.

35. JUDAISM
• JUDAISM, WHICH RELIES ON THE TORAH FOR ITS
WRITTEN LAW, HAS HAD A GREAT IMPACT ON
MARKETING AND BUSINESS IDEOLOGY. JEWISH CULTURE,
VALUES, AND IDEAS HAVE PENETRATED INTO MANY
ASPECTS OF MODERN LIFE INCLUDING MODERN MARKET.

36. BUSINESS ETHICS OF JUDAISM
•HONESTY ON THE MARKET - MERCHANTS ARE PROHIBITED FROM FALSIFYING
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, OWNING A DISHONEST WEIGHT BY THE TORAH.
•FAIR PRICING - "IF YOU SELL SOMETHING TO YOUR NEIGHBOUR OR BUY SOMETHING
FROM YOUR NEIGHBOUR’S HAND, YOU SHALL NOT CHEAT EACH OTHER." SIMILARLY,
IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS UNAWARE OF TRUE VALUE OF AN ITEM AND WISHES TO SELL IT,
ONE MUST NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SELLER’S IGNORANCE AND UNDERPAY.
PRICE STABILITY IS OF GREAT CONCERN TO THE TALMUD.

37. BUSINESS ETHICS OF JUDAISM
•BUSINESS RELATIONS - EMPLOYERS ARE REQUIRED TO PAY
EMPLOYEES ON TIME. INDEED, BUSINESS ETHICS OCCUPIES SUCH AN
IMPORTANT PLACE IN JEWISH LAWS, CULTURE, AND TRADITION THAT
THE TALMUD HAS AS THE VERY FIRST QUESTION TO AN INDIVIDUAL AT
THE FINAL JUDGMENT: "WERE YOU HONEST IN YOUR BUSINESS
DEALINGS?"

38. ISLAM
•ISLAM, MAJOR WORLD RELIGION PROMULGATED BY THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD IN
ARABIA IN THE 7TH CENTURY CE. THE ARABIC TERM ISLĀM, LITERALLY
“SURRENDER,” ILLUMINATES THE FUNDAMENTAL RELIGIOUS IDEA OF ISLAM—THAT
THE BELIEVER (CALLED A MUSLIM, FROM THE ACTIVE PARTICLE OF ISLĀM) ACCEPTS
SURRENDER TO THE WILL OF ALLAH (IN ARABIC, ALLĀH: GOD). ALLAH IS VIEWED AS
THE SOLE GOD—CREATOR, SUSTAINER, AND RESTORER OF THE WORLD. THE WILL OF
ALLAH, TO WHICH HUMAN BEINGS MUST SUBMIT, IS MADE KNOWN THROUGH
THE SACRED SCRIPTURES, THE QURʾĀN (OFTEN SPELLED KORAN IN ENGLISH),
WHICH ALLAH REVEALED TO HIS MESSENGER, MUHAMMAD.

39. ISLAM
•IN ISLAM MUHAMMAD IS CONSIDERED THE LAST OF A SERIES OF
PROPHETS (INCLUDING ADAM, NOAH, ABRAHAM, MOSES, SOLOMON,
AND JESUS), AND HIS MESSAGE
SIMULTANEOUSLY CONSUMMATES AND COMPLETES THE
“REVELATIONS” ATTRIBUTED TO EARLIER PROPHETS.

40. ISLAM
•FOR ISLAM, THE BASIS OF THESE LAWS IS THE QUR'AN. ISLAMIC
TEACHINGS STRONGLY STRESS ON OBSERVANCE OF ETHICAL AND MORAL
CODE IN HUMAN BEHAVIOUR. MUSLIM ETHICS INCLUDE AVOIDANCE OF
PEOPLE’S EXPLOITATION THROUGH LENDING THEM MONEY AT INTEREST
AND PROHIBITIONS AGAINST FALSE ADVERTISING. UNDER ISLAMIC LAWS,
IF A VENDOR SELLS AN ITEM BY MAKING FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT IT,
CUSTOMER HAS THE RIGHT TO HAVE THE TRANSACTION CANCELLED.

41. BUDDHISM
•BUDDHISM IS A TRADITION THAT FOCUSES ON PERSONAL SPIRITUAL
DEVELOPMENT. BUDDHISTS STRIVE FOR A DEEP INSIGHT INTO THE
TRUE NATURE OF LIFE AND DO NOT WORSHIP GODS OR DEITIES.
•BUDDHISTS SEEK TO REACH A STATE OF NIRVANA, FOLLOWING THE
PATH OF THE BUDDHA, SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA, WHO WENT ON A
QUEST FOR ENLIGHTENMENT AROUND THE SIXTH CENTURY BC.

42. JUDAISM
•SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA, THE BUDDHA, WAS BORN INTO A ROYAL FAMILY IN
PRESENT-DAY NEPAL OVER 2500 YEARS AGO. HE LIVED A LIFE OF PRIVILEGE AND
LUXURY UNTIL ONE DAY HE LEFT THE ROYAL ENCLOSURE AND ENCOUNTERED FOR THE
FIRST TIME, AN OLD MAN, A SICK MAN, AND A CORPSE. DISTURBED BY THIS HE
BECAME A MONK BEFORE ADOPTING THE HARSH POVERTY OF INDIAN ASCETICISM.
NEITHER PATH SATISFIED HIM AND HE DECIDED TO PURSUE THE ‘MIDDLE WAY’ - A
LIFE WITHOUT LUXURY BUT ALSO WITHOUT POVERTY.

43. JUDAISM
• THE BUDDHIST BUSINESS CODE AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS ARE CLOSELY
TIED WITH RESPECT FOR ENVIRONMENT. ESSENTIALLY, ACCORDING TO
BUDDHIST TEACHINGS, ETHICAL AND MORAL PRINCIPLES ARE RUN BY
EXAMINING A CERTAIN ACTION, WHICH HAS TO AVOID ANY HARM.
THEREFORE SOME BUDDHIST TEXTS EMPHASISE ON THE ROLE OF
ENLIGHTENMENT - ONE OF THE ELEMENTS WHICH PROHIBITS
OCCUPATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH VIOLENCE (SUCH AS ARMS DEALING).

44. ASSIGNMENT:
•LIST DOWN ATLEAST 10 BUSINESS ETHICAL VALUES ACQUIRED FROM RELIGION AND
EXPLAIN EACH.
•IDENTIFY THE STAND ON EACH RELIGION ON THE FOLLOWING SOCIAL ISSUES:
•LABOR UNIONS
•UNEMPLOYMENT
•BUSINESS MALPRACTICES