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Further
Reading ...
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The 7 Secrets to Getting—and Staying—Out of Debt - Rob Sallay
As vice president of the American Credit Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps individuals and families manage their debt, Mike Peterson knows firsthand how financial problems can wreak havoc in one’s life. Each day, counselors at the...
Internet Merchant Accounts For Innocents Abroad - T O Donnell
If you want to sell on the internet, your need to accept credit cards. To accept credit cards, you need a merchant account, or access to one. There're two ways of getting this: Get your own merchant account, or 'pimp' off someone else's. The...
Control Your Emotions and Reach the Top! - Carole Nicolaides
© 2002 Carole Nicolaides http://www.progressiveleadership.com Socrates knew it all along. If you want to succeed in life you must “know thyself.” This is the first step for everything and for anybody who wants to make a difference in his or her...
Income Opportunities for Adventurers - William Cate
Income Opportunities for Adventurers By William Cate If you want to spend your life seeing the world and not forty years condemned to an office cubicle, how can you do it? In the past, the solution was to write books, articles and give travel...
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Ethics? How To Take the Measure Business
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Written By:
Patty Baldwin
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When asked to write a small piece pertaining to ethics
and integrity in the business world, my first inclination
was to draw on personal experience.
Everyone has bad experiences to relate. We deal with
a business, determine that we were treated shabbily therefore that business has no integrity. Or perhaps we disagree on the implementation of a refund, hence the business or owner has no ethics.
Rather than using ethics or integrity to describe business practices, a better definition might be "character".
My dusty old copy of Webster's New World Dictionary provides the following definitions for use in this context:
>ethics...the study of standards of conduct and moral judgment; moral philosophy.
>integrity...the quality or state of being of sound moral
principle; uprightness, honesty, and sincerity.
>character...an individual's pattern of behavior or personality; moral constitution. moral strength; self-discipline, fortitude, etc. reputation.
If you will look at these definitions you can see that ethics relates to standards of conduct. Period. Ethics are...no good or bad comes into the mix. Integrity either is or isn't. Sound moral principle is relative to the observer or end user.
It stands to reason, therefore, that the best measure of good or bad practice falls to basic "character".
Okay, so what does all of this have to do with business. Well, I wish I had a nickel for every time someone has asked me the following questions:
"How do I tell if a business is good or bad?"
"How do I know where to shop?"
- continued below ...
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continued ...
"Are they a good business?"
My response is always the same...check the fruit on the tree. What is the pattern of behavior? What is the company's reactive personality? Is the moral constitution flexible rather than rigid? Check the reputation.
The offline world provides numerous resources to determine the patterns and trends of businesses. Trade associations, chambers of commerce, better business bureaus etc.
In the online world, however, we are still treading murky waters when it comes to measuring the "character" of a business. By far, the best route to take are testimonials.
Testimonials on your website are powerful. But, they must be honest and sincere. Don't just make them up. Add a link back to the provider and it will increase your credibility TENFOLD!
Now I know what you're thinking, "Who wants to be answering tons of email for ME?" Nobody. That's why you use the technology available at your fingertips. With the permission of the author, use a line or two of their testimonial on your site with a link to an autoresponder for the full message.
Now, sit back and watch your credibility soar
About the Author
Patty Baldwin is a former Better Business Bureau executive and the owner of several online businesses.
A successful net marketer, she invites you to visit any
one of her sites at:
http://www.allbizservices.com
http://www.4bstrading.com
http://www.allbizwealth.com
Mailto:patty@allbizservices.com
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| _Additional Resources ... |
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Should You Lie On Your Resume? - Donna Monday
Warning: Lying on your resume could cost you your job and your freedom. Picture this. You’re sitting at your desk working away happily at a company you’ve been employed with for ten years. You’ve had several promotions and you’re now a Sr....
How to Shop Around for the Cheapest Mortgage Rates and deals Online - Bwalya Mwaba
Before you start shopping around for a mortgage, you need to establish exactly what you want so that you do not waste your time looking at deals that will not save you money. You should also learn how to compare mortgages or choose what features of...
Affiliate Program As It Should Be - Pavel Lenshin
Every off- or online business has a target of growing its market share. Under all other equal conditions the percent of the market, occupied by a company, means certain level of recognition, brand, exposure and, therefore, sales and income. For...
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