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Introduction: Business Integrity, God’s Perspective, and Decision Models
Up until this point in the discussion about strategy, development and execution has been
focused on profit and competitive advantage. While these things need to be pursued for an
organization to remain successful, the additional element of business integrity is just as important
to God who designed work as a purpose for human life as well as to many of today’s customers
who demand ethical business practices. It should not come as a surprise to see businesses that
operate honestly and with the best interests of their stakeholders in mind find greater success
than those that risk financial and reputation costs through questionable strategies.
The Power of Business Integrity
According to Gamble et al. (2021), certain things are self-evident in business. Companies
are responsible for making a profit and refraining from illegal activity. Business integrity,
however, goes deeper than these simple rules. Businesses that operate with integrity follow
additional ethical standards that transcend rote legal obedience. Contributing to the betterment of
society, limiting negative effects on the environment, and exhibiting a social conscience all set
such businesses apart. It is often these organizations that attract positive customer attention for
reasons beyond having useful products.
The age-old shareholder versus stakeholder debate can be heard in the background of this
discussion. A company which focuses on increasing shareholder value ahead of the needs of
their various stakeholders could be seen as lacking integrity. The argument in favor of
shareholder theory is often made that shareholders a type of stakeholder and that the ultimate are
profit of a company will, in turn, provide the greatest benefit to all stakeholders. When one dives
deeper into this debate, however, it becomes obvious that a firm’s stakeholders consist of
shareholders, employees, customers, community members, and many more. Pursuing a cost-
saving change, such as a switch to cheap labor in China, may ultimately increase shareholder
value and company profit, but it may mean contributing to horrendous working conditions that
degrade the human dignity of sweatshop laborers. Reputations are easily damaged, and Apple,
Inc. recently drew widespread criticism after the public was informed that its Chinese contract
manufacturer had installed “suicide nets” on their high-floored factory buildings to prevent their
workers from jumping (Reeves, 2016 Certainly, working conditions that inspire worker suicide ).
are not worth the financial costs saved.
Gamble et al. (2021) describe how strict adherence to strategy making which promotes
profit over ethical behavior can ultimately backfire. The world is connected today more than ever
before. Revealing questionable methods of turning a profit used to be a difficult task, but now the
internet can convey a simple message, photo, or video in a fraction of a second to enormous
audiences. When a questionable business practice becomes public, whether it involves inhumane
working conditions, environmental pollution, or another type of unethical behavior, costs will be
incurred. They may involve investigative costs, corrective action costs, or administrative costs.
Perhaps more damaging, however, is the loss of reputation and exodus of customers that may
