What is it that we are looking to accomplish with this engagement of the expertise of the business school faculty in the area of business ethics and its interplay with public corruption?
The discussion related to public corruption has two major aspects (1) the role of elected or appointed government representatives, and (2) the role of those outside of government who seek direct benefit through illegal and improper actions. To change the culture of corruption, the business student and graduate should have a firm knowledge of government and its processes and the way it can influence the manner of business without bribery, abuse of power, or misuse of authority.
Role of Elected or Appointed Government Representatives
The first side concerns that engagement of elected or appointed government representatives, in a decision making position, that can influence the determination of contractual service benefits in a manner that defies the governing legal standards and promotes the best interest of the public it is supposed to serve.
Role of Those Outside of Government Who Seek Direct Benefit
The second side concerns the determination made by those outside of government seeking to engage government in an illegal and improper fashion to secure an advantage, financially, for their own direct benefit, while claiming they are serving the public good for which they are providing the service.
Business School Emphasis on Ethics
From the standpoint of the business school and the emphasis of a curriculum of ethics and good practices in management and decision making, the interest is making the connection that the idea of bribing an official or otherwise exerting undue influence in a process that should be as competitive as the market place that presumably their services or products in which they are provided, is not only improper for legal reasons, but a violent rejection of the competitive market based principles that drive most of the business conducted in our economic system.
Ethical Principles that Drive Business
· You cannot be a businessman and presume that cheating is the way to success. And, bribery is cheating.
· You cannot justify the cheating by past social ills.
· You cannot justify the cheating by asserting a “re-balancing” for the corruption or abuses that preceded or predated your involvement.
· Past cheating is not rectified by present cheating.
The Government Perspective
On the side of government, we think that best practices in the way government decisions for procurement and use of government money, not unlike the standards that government expects out of public companies in their disclosures and compliance processes, is appropriate. That is what we think should be the focus on the government side of the ledger.
Additionally, we think that the citizenry should expect from its elected and appointed government servants a commitment to stewardship of government resources and money in a manner that belies the abuse and belief that because these resources belong to everyone, they can be used by anyone in any way they want, since the carousel of elected officials turns every election cycle, even if the cycle returns elected officials back to their seat of power in government. That because of that trust, the execution required is one that should be above reproach and viewed in that manner.
Just like cheating today cannot undo the abuse of yesterday, the idea that the “ends are justified by the means” is equally reprehensible to a society that asserts its commitment to the rule of law, and not to the rule of cult, personality, or charisma promoted by undue influence and obsequiousness.
Business Should Require from Government (and the Academic Community can assist in pursuing) the following:
· Attention to detail.
· Attention to the requirements.
· Standards that are clear and concise.
· Standards that do not countenance a “wink and a nod” in any form of accommodation.
These are the things that business should exact from government and that government should exact from those it chooses to do its business on behalf of the public.
The presence of regulation, oversight, and public perception are critical to any business and any person who runs a business.
The prospects of destroying the idea that the ones who can maneuver the system to their benefit secure the spoils is critical to changing the culture of corruption.
The business student and graduate should have a firm knowledge of government and its processes and the way it can influence the conduct of business.
When government loses its balance, the way the balance is restored is not by bribing the official, but addressing the abuse that such a loss in balance, whether due to abuse of power or misuse of authority, requires within the system of governance, through election or other legal redress within the system.
To change the culture of corruption, we need (1) a collaborative engagement between the disciplines of government governance and business enterprise; (2) an involved and informed citizenry, and (3) an adherence to ethical principles that drive balanced and effective transactional relationships. These are the initial steps required to break a culture of corruption. The implementation requires perseverance and constancy to institutionalize practices and conduct exemplifying the objectives of equal opportunity premised on merit and ability.
Eduardo Rodriguez has a JD degree, is licensed to practice law in Texas and New Mexico, served as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of El Paso, Texas, and served various positions at El Paso Electric Company including Executive VP/COO and General Counsel, CAO of Hunt Building Corporation, and is a member of the Board of Directors of ONEOK, Inc., (NYSE:OKE) a publicly held natural gas, natural gas liquids energy company, headquartered in Tulsa, OK.
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