Ethics is a lost art

As I wrap up my reading of “The Seven Layers of Integrity” (Jones & Ferrill, 2006), I reflect back on comments regarding the prosecution of ethical violations as well as the author’s statement that ethics and integrity can be trained into management.


I do believe that more ethics courses should be required for business and management degrees. I also firmly believe in the requirement of mandatory courses in ethics as part of the continuing education policy for renewal of licenses. However, I don’t know if ethics is a concept that can be “taught” to an individual that doesn’t already possess the basic integrity to follow ethical standards.

Ethics classes can help clarify the path of best practice in a license holder. It can answer case study questions and give the attendee clarification of his actions that would be ethical and safe to avoid problems in the future. But, in doing so, is the attendee more concerned with ethical behavior or self preservation? Does one act ethically because they want to take the high road or do they take a safe path of ethical conduct to avoid getting in trouble? Would they take the same path if they were certain there would be no retribution for their actions?

I think that the average person would not act in a manner considered “ethical” if the alternative was a more satisfying personal gain. Very few men possess true “ethical” behavior. What they do possess in the intelligence to choose a path that is acceptable to those around them. Very few men are truly ethical for the sake of inner peace. Men such as Mahatma Gandhi are the exception to mankind, not the rule.

I believe that if ethics is going to be taught with the expectation the student will voluntarily choose ethical behavior in the future, it will be imperative to begin in childhood and create ethical behavior as a daily trait. By the time an adult enters college, personal agendas are set and ethical choices will be mandated by personal need. The days of June and Ward Cleaver have passed.