As if the still growing diesel scandal hadn’t sufficiently demonstrated the strong need for whistleblower encouragement and protection in Germany, the recent case of the sausage maker Wilke drives the point home. Wilke has been found to be the source of the deaths of three people and sickening many more. And recently, photos taken by…
California’s new labor regulation law has implications far wider than its stated goals (to give gig economy workers more stability and economic security). On the downside, if left unchanged, it will most likely hasten the death of some traditional industries that we appreciate and/or which still play an important role in society (such as local…
Howard Schmidt (name changed to protect privacy), a software engineer in a leading machine-building company in Europe, realized that something was terribly wrong. The computers he and his colleagues used to write the software and firmware on which the company machines relied were suddenly closing down, and there seemed to be no way to restart…
On August 19, the Business Roundtable issued a new definition of the purpose of a corporation, signed by 181 CEOs of leading American corporations. This new definition widens the responsibility of a corporation from simply focusing on creating shareholder value, to include delivering value to customers, investing in employees, dealing fairly and ethically with suppliers…
This may sound paradoxal, but it is a fact: When you work in a field where your passion lies you will be much more motivated to have an impact and to make things better. Let’s take an example: you go into a restaurant, the food is overpriced and not very good; the service is sloppy…
In the age of social media, clear ethical positions can make or break a company’s reputation, + should be considered part of brand management. In the past, many companies posted general visions, which also included some basic ethical rules, but didn’t always worry too hard about seeing them implemented at all levels. Today, when a…
It is often said that managers are appointed and leaders selected. True leaders tend to stand out from a crowd and attract people eager to follow them. However anyone in a position of responsibility can and should reflect on what qualities their staff sees in them – and how truly willing staff is to follow…
The most obvious reason for a misunderstanding with a colleague or business contact from another country is that the cultural norms in his/her country are different from those in one’s own. However, this is merely the tip of the iceberg. In fact, culture manifests itself in very different ways. Company culture has almost as much…
When we are most frustrated with other people, we have a wonderful opportunity to learn something about ourselves. A disorganized staff member? An arrogant client? An unreliable colleague? Often what we bitterly criticize in others reflects most strongly our own inner fears and doubts. And usually it is either what we most fear in ourselves…
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