Feb 06 2009
Don’t Get Short-Sighted. Don’t Be Evil.
“Don’t be evil.” What a well-known statement Google declares to the world. Unlike some companies who don’t practice what they preach, I guess Google is doing a pretty good job in living out their promise. Read about their well-documented code of conduct here.
Is there is a seed of evil in us? Is it why we need laws, rules and ethics to “regulate” us so that we don’t do evil? Otherwise we can just go amok and the world becomes upside down as everyone is free to do anything that satisfies his or her own selfish desires.
There are businesses who “do evil” by shortchanging customers and employ unethical means to compete in the market. There are business people who think “touching on the borderline of the law” is perfectly OK. After all, we are all in business. You want to be nice to everyone? Don’t be in business!
What some may not realize is that businesses who don’t believe in having good ethics may not be a sustainable business in long run. They may win something today but their evil conduct can hit them back later, perhaps even hit them so hard that it costs their very existence.
There are proper ways to compete and win over customers in the market. Those who have good corporate ethics like Google are well respected. Not like those who act evil today and think they can repair their image tomorrow.
This does not apply to businesses only, but also to individuals, non-profit organizations, government agencies and yes, even political parties. What’s good in it to win a battle now only to lose a war later? And in politics, what’s good to win a state now only to lose the entire nation later?
So businesses, don’t be short-sighted. Justice will prevail. The customers will decide…
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