The Venture Edge

We live in a dynamic, global marketplace that places a premium on speed and quick returns. Shareholder value is often considered more important than basic human values. Entrepreneurs are under so much pressure to achieve the unachievable and just survive in this environment that it causes stress; and when people suffer stress, they don’t always make wise decisions. That’s when your ethics come into play.

Wow!  This time I really have to disagree with Peter in hisrecent post where he asserted that if Google leaves China it will be to protect its shareholders and the integrity of its data, not because of principles and business ethics.  Protecting your online business from hackers is something that every business must do no matter where in the world they operate.  China does not have a monopoly on hackers.  But, Google's mission is to make the world's information "universally accessible and useful," and its corporate motto is "Don't be evil."  That goes to the heart of the problem in China.

While I too hope that Google stands firmly on its principles (see Kathy's 1/13/10 post: Google and China: a study in integrity and business ethics), I'm not so sure that Google's threatened pull out from China has much to doat all about ethics or about standing on principles. Actually, I think it IS all about protecting their shareholders' investments in the company.

I was so distressed when I read Peter's recent post about Kiva.org (A little less love for Kiva.org) because I am a lender and I've given Kiva gift certificates to people to get them involved in helping others start or run their small businesses.  Peter wrote about how big business Kiva has become and how the very thing that drew most people to them (one-to-one lending) is the very thing they tinkered with to the dismay of many of their most loyal customers. The precarious position that Kiva has put itself in reminds me of how often some entrepreneurs foresake the core values that were the very reason for starting the business in order to grow and make more money.

I would like to claim ownership of the title of this blog, but if I did that I would be plagiarizing the very person who is known for the Character Counts program that educates more than six million kids about the importance of character and integrity, trustworthiness and good citizenship.  That person is Michael Josephson, the entertaining ethicist who is founder of the Michael Josephson Institute of Ethics in Los Angeles where he also hosts a national radio show focused on--what else?--ethics and character. 

Tis the season to be jolly. In fact, if you think about it, there is a lot to laugh about. Just when you thought you had seen it all, that things couldn’t sink any lower, along comes Illinois Governor Blogojevich and his senate seat folly – ya gotta love it. This is stuff you can’t make up. Seriously though, this depressing example of public service does serve to remind us why integrity and ethics in our business dealings matter.