Keyword

Ethical challenges, international business opportunities, cultural values, business custom.

Abstract

As business becomes increasingly global with more and more companies penetrating oversea markets where culture and traditions vary, ethical consideration become more and more complex to handle. Differences in business customs and practices among nations of the world account for the reason why managers in organizations operating in an international context are confronted by complex ethical challenges. The business customs and practices revolve within the circumference of the peoples moral and cultural values. Some of the challenges facing the international business manager are sundry situations where there are no local laws, local practices that condone a certain behavior, an organization willing to do what is right is favoured over the organization that fails to engage in wrong business practices. In conclusion, being ethically correct is not a simple task for the international business manager because of diversity in cultural values. It is therefore imperative that governments establish a moral minimum as a guide for proper behavior or to draw the line to control unethical behaviours.


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