Virtue in Business

From creative accounting to outright dishonesty, businesses behaving badly have headlined newspapers across the country. After years of "greed is good," integrity is once again in vogue. But, has the pendulum swung back too far?

In this frank discussion, Pam Lopker questions whether recent legislation will be successful in its attempts to codify and enforce virtue from the outside. She argues that survival, rather than regulation, will drive ethical business practices—that to be successful in the long run, an undercurrent of values must permeate all aspects of your organization. You have to look at every transaction from the point of view of the customer, the employee, and the community, and ask, "Am I doing the right thing for this stakeholder?" Ultimately, this perspective is not only virtuous—it is also your best strategy for success.