Editing Business ethics (section)

==History==
Business ethics reflect the norms of each historical period. As time passes, norms evolve, causing accepted behaviors to become objectionable. Business ethics and the resulting behavior evolved as well. Business was involved in [[slavery]],<ref>[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4471479045063533294 Slavery and the Making of America—Episode 1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709152311/http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4471479045063533294 |date=2011-07-09 }}. Video.google.com. Retrieved on 2010-09-02.</ref><ref>Kingsolver, A. (2008). Capitalism. Encyclopedia of Race and Racism. J. H. Moore. Detroit, Macmillan reference {{ISBN|0-02-866021-8}} pp. 268–271.</ref><ref>Williams, E. (1994 [1944]). [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ns4ktOA-FxQC&pg=PA7 Capitalism and Slavery]. Chapel Hill, The University of North Carolina Press. "Slavery was not born of racism: rather, racism was the consequence of slavery. Unfree labor in the New World was brown, white, black, and yellow; Catholic, Protestant and pagan"</ref> [[colonialism]],<ref>[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3146068175882284969 King Leopold II King of Belgium—King of the Congo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616220430/http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3146068175882284969 |date=2011-06-16 }}. Video.google.com. Retrieved on 2010-09-02.</ref><ref>Robotham, D. (2005). Political Economy. A Handbook of Economic Anthropology. J. G. Carrier. Northampton, Massachusetts, Edward Elgar {{ISBN|1-84376-175-0}} pp. 41–58</ref> and the [[Cold War]].<ref>Berger D., Easterly W, ''et al.'' (2010) [http://www.nber.org/papers/w15981 Commercial Imperialism? Political Influence and Trade During the Cold War]. NBER Working Paper No. 15981.</ref>

The term 'business ethics' came into common use in the United States in the early 1970s. By the mid-1980s at least 500 courses in business ethics reached 40,000 students, using some twenty textbooks and at least ten casebooks supported by professional societies, centers and journals of business ethics. The Society for Business Ethics was founded in 1980. European business schools adopted business ethics after 1987 commencing with the European Business Ethics Network.<ref>Richard T. De George</ref><ref name="a1">[http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/business/conference/presentations/business-ethics-history.htmlA History of Business Ethics] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629113032/http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/business/conference/presentations/business-ethics-history.htmla|date=2011-06-29}}. Scu.edu (2005-02-19). Retrieved on 2010-09-02.</ref><ref>Madsen, Essentials of Business Ethics</ref> In 1982 the first single-authored books in the field appeared.<ref>Richard De George, Business Ethics</ref><ref>Manuel G. Velasquez, Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases.</ref>

Firms began highlighting their ethical stature in the late 1980s and early 1990s, possibly in an attempt to distance themselves from the business scandals of the day, such as the [[savings and loan crisis]]. The concept of business ethics caught the attention of academics, media and business firms by the end of the [[Cold War]].<ref name="a1"/><ref>Moon, Chris et al.(2001) Business Ethics. London: The Economist:119–132</ref><ref>[http://www.coolavenues.com/bschools/xlri_jrdtata.php3 MBA Institutes & Business school networks: IIMA, IIMB, IIMC, IIML, IIMK, IIMI, ISB, Great lakes, XLRI, JBIMS, FMS]. Coolavenues.com. Retrieved on 2010-09-02.</ref> However, criticism of business practices was attacked for infringing the freedom of [[entrepreneurs]] and critics were accused of supporting [[communist]]s.<ref>{{harvnb|Cullather|Gleijeses |2006|pp=16–37}} The entire book discusses unethical business practices and CIA collaborating with each other with appropriate documentary evidence.</ref><ref>[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=808526880666247652 Confessions of An Economic Hit Man—What Really Goes on Behind Global Affairs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100514102319/http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=808526880666247652 |date=2010-05-14 }}. Video.google.com. Retrieved on 2010-09-02.</ref> This scuttled the discourse of business ethics both in media and academia.<ref>Chomsky, N. (1989). [https://archive.org/details/necessaryillusio00chom Necessary Illusions: Thought Control in Democratic Societies London], Pluto Press {{ISBN|0-89608-366-7}}.</ref> The Defense Industry Initiative on Business Ethics and Conduct (DII) was created to support corporate ethical conduct. This era began the belief and support of self-regulation and free trade, which lifted tariffs and barriers and allowed businesses to merge and divest in an increasing global atmosphere.

===Religious and philosophical origins===
One of the earliest written treatments of business ethics is found in the ''[[Tirukkuṛaḷ]]'', a [[Tamil language|Tamil]] book dated variously from 300 BCE to the 7th century CE and attributed to [[Thiruvalluvar]]. Many verses discuss business ethics, in particular, verse 113, adapting to a changing environment in verses 474, 426, and 140, learning the intricacies of different tasks in verses 462 and 677.<ref>Management Thoughts in Thirukkural by K. Nagarajan, – ANMOL Publications PVT Ltd., 4374/4B Ansari Road, New Delhi 110 002.</ref><ref>Management MANTRAS from Thirukkural – SM Veerappan and T. Srinivasan – Vikash Publishing House Pvt Ltd., Jangpura, New Delhi 110 014</ref><ref>Thirukkural Pearls of Inspiration by M. Rajaram IAS, RUPA and Co, New Delhi 110 002</ref>