Business Ethics

The topic of business ethics is important because without it corporations will engage in practices that are unjust or unfair and do things that are harmful to customers. If the sole focus of a company is “for-profit” only then those making business decisions for the company can fall into all types of unethical practices.

If a company places hair-loss chemicals into shampoo in order to sell products for hair-restoration then that would be unethical. Placing toxic appetite stimulants in food products to cause customers to consume more (in order to increase sales) is also unethical. When unethical practices are combined with bribes then there is multiplied “bad effect” for the customers. This can be seen with overpriced hardcopy college textbooks. If the university requires students to purchase a new so-called “updated” textbooks every semester then that would increase sales for the textbook publisher by forcing students to buy their expensive textbooks. If these publishers pay huge bribes to the University to force students to constantly buy their new textbooks then it is detrimental to real education. Often such books have the same content just “shuffled” around only to create a new updated version to sell to students. If any real update is needed, then this could be done online with an electronic version of the book and the students would instantly have that latest update for free. Paper textbooks are obsolete and students could get the same information online without having to carry heavy paper books around. Any university that still forces students to buy overpriced hardcopy textbooks is actually involved in a “money-making” scam. Technology (such as electronic textbooks) can provide free “updated” textbook material in electronic version for all of the students. Those who resist technology in order to preserve their money making system are making unethical business decisions only for the purpose of creating profit for themselves.

I read a story in the book “Mover of Men and Mountains” of how R.G. Letourneau was once persecuted by mule-scraper operators who used old fashion earth scrapers pulled by mules to move soil. R.G. Letourneau invented giant earth moving equipment that could move hundreds of tons more than the mule-powered scrapers and could do it cheaper than they could. But the operators of the mule-scrapers protested and fought against the new modern technology of earth moving machines because they did not want to lose their jobs. This is a case of clinging onto something obsolete only to keep their old ways of doing things alive for their own profit. These mule-scraper operators should have got a job operating a bulldozer or got job in a factory making these machines instead of protesting their use.

This same thing is seen with the example of hardcopy college textbooks (which are obsolete and should be replaced with electronic textbooks). Such technology could offer current and updated textbook material to all students for free. But the paper book publishers would protest losing their lucrative paper textbook market. But somethings (like paper textbooks) can be replaced by technology and such things should not be preserved anymore.

Over-Priced College Education

In South Korea for example parents will sacrifice up to half their income just to send one of their children to college. The competition is fierce for obtaining a college degree which are required by the big Chaebols (conglomerates like Samsung or Hyundai) in order for people to get a good paying job. In Seoul they actually have full-time police boats stationed under bridges because of so many students frequently jumping off these bridges to commit suicide. The pressure to compete in academics is enormous and these Korean students cannot bare to let their parents down (who sacrificed so much to send them to college). But this is largely a “college education scam” and many of these college graduates will never land a good job. But the Korean universities make billions of dollars off overcharging students for their education. These universities even build exotic resorts (with university money) in secluded areas. Here these professors and university staff will waste money on luxury (which was earned by the sweat and tears of parents who desperately hoped to give their child a better future by providing a college education). Charging outrageous rates for a college education is unethical even though the same information could be given online for free. Even the college professors themselves just look up some information online before they give this same information in their lectures.

Elon Musk (the world’s richest self-made man) said that this era of internet access has made us unto “superhumans” because we have access to all information (instantly at our fingertips). College degrees are rendered obsolete in many ways (other than for professionals who need degrees in dentistry or medicine or law or those other professions requiring a professional degree). However, most of the jobs do not require a degree and many of those enrolled in college are making a big mistake when they will never have a good job after graduation and will be forced to get a job that does not require a degree.

But the high academic standards are still being pushed by Korean employers and those who do not have a degree are often passed over (even if they have more qualifications and experience than degree holders). This is one more factor that has led millions of South Koreans to travel abroad looking for better opportunities outside of Korea.

Creating Our Own Economic System

It should be noted that South Korea is headed for extinction and has the lowest birthrate on earth. The reason for this is largely the financial crisis which causes young men to forsake marriage and family because they feel that they cannot afford to have a wife and children. If this financial crisis was solved then young men could afford to marry and have children (without fear of lack of financial support).

See the link “Releasing Men for Marriage” for more details.

But the fierce competition to get a job at a Korean Chaebol can be compared to a gladiator sport where contestants fight to the death! The pressure to get a degree in order to land a job with a Chaebol has even pushed many students toward suicide (when they could no longer cope with the unbearable pressure).

Big corporations are also part of the problem when they hire “bean-counters” to constantly increase factory line speeds and force employees to do more work for less pay. The employees are suffering lack and often are forced to have both the husband and wife hold jobs to survive. They can only afford to have one child at the most and this is another factor that contributes toward the curse of childlessness seen in Korea.

In short, these unethical practices of overcharging for college degrees and employers requiring college degrees (for non-professional roles) and the reduction of wages has caused people to give up on having children as they feel the real effects of the financial crisis.

Solution to the Botched Up Economic System

The only real solution is to provide a better option for our young men (so they can afford to marry and have a family). Thus we can create our own economic system that is not tied into the “for-profit” scams of education and an exploitive economy that seeks to reduce wages for profits. Reducing wages for increasing corporate profit has negative effects on the society because the employees are also the consumers. When this system of greed climaxes it will result in economic collapse. There must be a better solution which allows citizens to prosper without forcing them to be exploited by “for-profit” educational institutions in order to get a job with a “for-profit” company that views these employees only as an business expense to be reduced. Excessive corporate greed will cause all of the wealth to accumulate in the hands of those in control of this system, while the wealth flows away from those who work for a living.

Isaiah 5:8 (NASB95)
8 Woe to those who add house to house and join field to field, Until there is no more room, So that you have to live alone in the midst of the land!

The prophet Isaiah warned against those who were exploiting others and seizing homes for themselves and joining field to field until they owned everything and the people were reduced to slaves paying rent for the houses they built and paying rent on the land they once owned. This was accomplished by bribing judges and having dishonest lending only designed to seize homes and land under pretext of debt repayment (which was debt manufactured by those who exploited the working people). The prophecy of Isaiah warned of judgment and the destruction of all those who were exploiters. Isaiah also warned of the coming total economic collapse that would leave the land in a desolate condition. All of these prophetic events occurred and the entire nation was destroyed by war and famine and plague. This judgment came because of the exploitation and greed which did not allow the common man to prosper and exploited their labor only for the benefit of the exploiters.

The same judgment is headed for any nation in this present time which also exploits the people so badly that they are driven to hopelessness and even to suicide. We need a better system for this reason where people are allowed to prosper from the work of their own hands without making others rich at their own expense.

Automated System to Create Prosperity for Families

With the advent of new technology we have the potential to create multiple “revenue streams” for our families so that they can all have their needs met. Our proposed living system can generate energy and food and products needed to sustain human life within a protected environment. Our young men within our system will be able to afford to have many children because automation will create the increase they need for feeding their families.

See the link “Building a Siberian Refuge System” for more details.