Business Ethics
Though some people call ethics “esoteric”, they are nonetheless an important part of how people communicate with each other in different environments. Every individual and every culture have a set of morals and behavioral norms they follow. So, in order to understand one another and get along in the globalizing world we live in, we should consider the ethics of people we interact with on an everyday basis. Moreover, the question of considering ethics is even more important when conducting business in countries with a mentality different from one you came from.
In the light of recent events, I chose to research how Ukrainian ethics differ from American. U.S. companies are considered financially responsible, so many of them may find doing business in Ukraine questionable. The reason is Ukraine is only striving to become a free-market economy, with many companies avoiding paying taxes due to government corruption (Ethics - From U.S. to Ukraine). Concurrently, bribery is very common to how business is done in Ukraine, which drastically contradicts with American business ethics (What Are Common American Business Ethics?). This may lead to conflicts and negatively affect business processes, making American companies stagnate and become less competitive in Ukraine.
Being important to how business is done in the U.S., environmental concerns like providing a safe working place for the employees are only becoming universal in Ukraine. Not all Ukrainian businessmen reckon them a must, with many Ukrainians still developing a conscience to strictly demand otherwise. On the other hand, Ukrainians are very hospitable, polite, formal, and operate under traditional gender roles which goes with general American business ethics (Ukrainian Business Etiquette Tips) Furthermore, Ukrainians value reliable relationships, so after a few meetings communication becomes less formal and more friendly – a common trait to American ethics. This aspect of ethics will definitely positively affect cooperation with Ukrainian business.
References
Ethics – From U.S. to Ukraine. (2007). Baylor University. Accessed March 10 2014. Retrieved from http://www.baylor.edu/business/research/index.php?id=43221
Ukrainian Business Etiquette Tips. Foreign Translations. Accessed March 10 2014. Retrieved from http://www.foreigntranslations.com/languages/ukrainian-translation/ukrainian-business-etiquette/
What Are Common American Business Ethics? Wisegeek. Accessed March 10 2014. Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-common-american-business-ethics.htm
