Maintaining Good Government Relations and Business Ethics

1
Maintaining Good Government Relations and
Business Ethics
2
Legal Environment

• Why is it so important?
• Why is it so confusing?

3
Basic Laws for Small Businesses

• Uniform Commercial Code
• Nine areas
• Torts
• Bankruptcy
• Ordinary bankruptcy
• Involuntary bankruptcy
• Chapter 11 bankruptcy

4
Government Help

• Small Business Administration
• Service Corps of Retired Engineers
• U.S. Department of Commerce
• U.S. Department of Agriculture

5
Handling Regulations and Paperwork

• Benefits of Regulations
• Problems with Regulations
• Too difficult to understand
• Too much paperwork
• Difficulty and cost in meeting standards
• Hiring more people More regulations
• Discouraged employers

6
Handling Regulations and Paperwork

• Coping
• Learn as much as possible about the law
• Challenge laws
• Elect people to change laws
• Find better legal environment
• Learn to live with them
• Private Regulators

7
Choosing a Lawyer

• When to Hire
• Where to Look
• What to Look for
• Experience
• Time
• Demeanor/atmosphere/customers
• Cost
• Maintaining Relationships
• How lawyers charge

8
Socially and Ethically Responsible Behavior

• Increasing Emphasis
• Social Responsibility
• Consumerism
• Employee Relations
• Hiring minorities
• Planning for safety
• Environmental Protection
• Pollution control
• Conservation
• Community Relations

9
Business Ethics

• What is unethical behavior?
• 54 of employees run afoul of law or workplace
  standards
• Trust in business leaders
• Junk food

10
Creating an Ethical Environment

• Three levels of ethical behavior
• Laws
• Codes of ethics
• Personal ethics
• Ethical Leadership
• Go beyond laws and social responsibility
• Integrate ethics into company and individual
  employees

11
Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations

• Clear standards
• Ethics training for employees
• A report system for misconduct
• Establishing a track record of disciplining
  violators
• If followed, can reduce federal fines by up to
  95!!!

12
Rotary Internationals Four Way Test

• Is it the truth?
• Is it fair to all concerned?
• Will it bring goodwill and better friendship?
• Will it be beneficial to all concerned?