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Since the invention of currency, some people have attempted to gather money unfairly. From the absurdly high leverage of risky banks to the unsustainable business model of Charles Ponzi (seen to the left), the many ways to pilfer money are only limited by the imagination. The catch of course, is that business models are marked by an equal amount of instability as unfairness - No-one wants to lose their money through scam or guile. Conversely, win-win business models promote much more stability, as do ethical models in general. Bill Gates is renowned for his philanthropy and "billionaire's club" of charity, while maintaining his position as the richest man in America. Buying from Microsoft is akin to making a minor donation. Huntsman intends to leave an even more remarkable legacy of kindness, he intends to donate his entire fortune to charitable causes by the end of his life. Covey's 7 habits all point to ways in which we can build good business attributes and help others succeed without being "shady" in our approach to life and business.
After reading "Winners never cheat" and watching the movie about the current recession, do you believe it is easier to obtain success through honest principles, or is the better way to succeed in business is to cheat, lie, and steam roll other people over?
Remember that there are always two sides to the story. Carlie brought up examples from her economics class about how her Professor thought that the "Bribes" in other countries to get a foot in business was a part of the culture, a tax (If you will). Please be open minded with your thoughts and feel free to share them, this should be an easy way to share your feelings on business and what you feel is ethical. Responding to this can also be a great way to share one or more of the 5 required blog posts that have to be done in four weeks.
I think that it is better to be honest in the long run. Without regarding personal morals, it seems that those who deal dishonestly and break the rules will eventually get caught and have to give up there illegally gained fortunes. While it is true that they enjoy success and wealth short-term, these "get rich quick" schemes will fail in the long run because they are illegal, and eventually the illegally hidden, stolen, and unrecorded funds have to be accounted for, regardless of the lies dishonest men use to cover it up. Now to look at it morally, greed and an addiction to money is not a good quality to have. I know I could not sleep at night knowing I had cheated my way through life. There is a lot more value in living life with integrity and succeeding the right way.
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