| A | B |
|---|
| Boss massaging | The practice of currying favor, or kissing up, with a manager to achieve your own goals. |
| Categorical imperative | A principle developed by philosopher Immanuel Kant, which asks the question, “What would the world—or my company—be like if everyone were to do this? |
| Ethical codes | Formalized sets of ethical guidelines developed by some companies for use at all levels of an organization |
| Ethics | The expression of the standards of right and wrong based on conduct and morals in a particular society. |
| Future favors | A practice commonly seen in developing countries based upon mutual obligation and resulting in the exchange of favors over years and even generations; also used in some industrialized countries such as Japan and South Korea. |
| Gift exchange | A strong tradition in many cultures, in which giving gifts creates a future obligation to the receiver; it can also be a rite of passage into an inner circle. |
| Inner circle | A clique of trusted family members, tribal members, or friends (depending on the culture), who are at the center of power or influence |
| Morality | A system of conduct that covers all broadly based, mostly unwritten standards of how people should behave and generally conform to cultural ideals of right and wrong. |
| Principle of individual rights | An ethical philosophy that holds that all decisions should respect basic human rights and the dignity of the individual. |
| Principle of individualism | An ethical philosophy that holds that all primary goals should achieve long-term self-interests, with the emphasis on long-term; self-interest should not justify short-sighted actions. |
| Principle of justice | An ethical philosophy that holds that all decisions should be consistent, unbiased, and based on fact |
| Principle of utilitarianism | An ethical philosophy that holds that all decisions should do the greatest good for the largest number of people. |
| Rationalize | To justify unethical behavior with excuses. |
| Social responsibility | The practice of acting ethically while understanding that your actions are part of the larger, interactive picture of your workplace, community, and world. |
| Stakeholders | Any group that a business interacts with, such as customers, competitors, unions, suppliers, consumer groups, and government agencies. |
| Whistleblowing | Turning in or otherwise exposing people who behave unethically in your company. |
