Abstract
Many international business training programs present a viewpoint of cultural relativism that encourages business people to adapt to the host country's culture. This paper presents an argument that cultural relativism is not always appropriate for business ethics; rather, a code of conduct must be adapted which presents guidelines for core ethical business conduct across cultures. Both moral and economic evidence is provided to support the argument for a universal code of ethics. Also, four steps are presented that will help ensure that company ethical standards are followed internationally.
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Smeltzer, L.R., Jennings, M.M. Why An International Code of Business Ethics Would Be Good for Business. Journal of Business Ethics 17, 57–66 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005779727123
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005779727123