Business Ethics
“Responses to 101 Questions on Business Ethics” is a book by George Devine that was published in 1996. In Irwin’s opinion, the book offers a street-wise view at business principles in the nineties, handling it with morality, veracity, and business perspicacity factual questions of professional principles, principles in the marketplace, and commercial and worldwide principles(4). The book entails a non-professional approach to concepts in the business world explaining the principles. This article is a form of response to the ideas in the book.
The book “Responses to 101 Questions on Business Ethics” is becoming more relevant now more than ever. George Devinebargains a greater depth on the understanding the business ethics, it seeks to answer most business ethics questions. The book starts by outlining most principles. It mainly focuses on what is moral, ethical and what is lawful. Mr. Devine the author tackles these three points but does not differentiate them or give a vivid distinction. The description offered by the authorbarely sticks to one point as it meanders through with explanation that is out of focus. Mr. Devine would have had it better used the rectangle-square format(Irwin 28). The definitions are great but the explanations and justifications are a bit too wild and out of comprehension. After all, the meandering done at this place, he concludes by explaining why the business principles are a vital part of the modernized society.
Mr. Devine offers the information to the people on a street perspective, purposely intended to reach everyone on the simplest form. He targets the information to reach all the corners possible by using a nonprofessional’s language. The ideas that are offered in the book are more of a street approach. It tries to link a street perception with the professional knowledge seeking to explain ideas precisely. Irwin noted that the simplicity of the language and terms usedenhances comprehension and the personal approach makes it even more fascinating(54).
The book afterwardsfocuses oninferential principles and ethics. At this section, any reader notices that Mr. Devine describes “business ethics” more of a personal relationship: lawyer-client, doctor-patient, employer-employee, priest-penitent, and salesperson-customer. Mr. Devineexplains therelationship of theethical world as personal. Despite Mr. Devine’s knowledge in theology as a professor, his reflection on these topics is more on a secular point of view. As a professor of theology,Mr. Devine’s questions need to take on a form secular. The response by Mr. Devine explains how the relationship in business ethics is personally related. This explanation is precise because business is all a relationship between two parties. Makin business personal between you and your customer takes therelationship to a different level. This is because customers are influenced by emotions more than rationale. Customers form perception about products and services and relating to them in an emotional level gives them some kind of comfort.However, Mr. Devine vividly highlights that business is a two party activity.
Mr. Devine answers questions a bit too direct and candid. He tends answer some simple questions with rather a long and winded responses (Irwin 228). On the contrary, he offers short shrift answers to rather more complex subjects.Mr. Devine should have explained the more complex points with more explanations. The difficult concepts about theworking of the ethical world are not explained properly. These concepts are the most vital to the readers because it gives tem an idea of the business world. So many people have differentiated ideas about how the tough concepts are interpreted by their companies. This section is what could have provided the readers with information about the functioning of companies. It shows the notes and ideas offered by Mr. Devine seek to disclose information to the readers about how their company works. It would be interesting to see the reaction of many of the readers after they learn how theirsyndicatefunctions.
He focused mostly on airing his grievances rather than offeringinsight to the people. Moreover, since Mr. Devine is a real estate broker, his opinion on the half-prime mortgagepredicament would have been nice. His omission on commenting on this topic is not a fault but his word as a real estate broker on this topic would have been insightful.Since the take on this book bases mostly on a personal level, Mr. Devine’s personal opinion together wit is expertise on business would have provided vital information to the readersaccording to Irwin (19).
The book “Responses to 101 Questions on Business Ethics” by George Devine advisesintelligence to the publicconcerning businessethics but from a street point of view. This book published in the late 90s is trending more pertinent now. It offers secrets and ideas about how many firms and companies work, consciously or sub-consciously purposing to stir the minds of the readers. Mr. Devine seeks to offer a wider range to the inquiries of commerce principles, in a topic that affects nearly every reader. The notes and ideas offered by Mr. Devine seek to disclose information to the readers about how their company works. It would be interesting to see the reaction of many of the readers after they learn how theirenterprise functions.
Work Cited
Irwin, Kevin W. Responses to 101 Questions on the Mass. New York: Paulist Press, 1999. Print.