Faith Integration

Faith Integration

  • Submitted By: mrswinter
  • Date Submitted: 11/24/2013 7:07 PM
  • Category: Business
  • Words: 402
  • Page: 2
  • Views: 88

Business Ethics in Corporate Finance
The Bible offers a huge insight into the manner in which we are advised on the correct ways to manage money and it demands that we deal ethically in business and especially in financial decisions. Money in a religious context is considered earned by people but belonging to God. In fact, it is understood that opportunity is provided by God so people owe their livelihoods and the proceeds from them to God. Therefore, ethical business dealings are rewarded by God and dishonest or unethical business dealings can and will lead to punishment by God. Ultimately, from a religious perspective, this can mean the success or failure of a business.
Being respectful and being trustworthy are two of the "7 Principles of Admirable Business Ethics" Robert Moment discusses in his article on ethical small businesses, and the Bible also addresses these two principles in several examples. An early example can be found in Deuteronomy, 26:16, which clearly articulates God's stand on unethical business dealings, "all who act dishonestly are abhorrent to the Lord," and later we see in Amos 8:5-6 an outline for the code of conduct in business dealings and criticism for those who practice "deceit with false balances." In the secular literature, LaRue Hosmer, a business ethics expert from the University of Michigan, addresses the complexity in handling business dealings ethically. The primary complication is that it is unfortunately quite easy to "lose sight of the fundamental issue of fairness.” This issue of fairness is certainly also a Biblical one and those who do not deal fairly are punished for their selfishness. For example, in Leviticus 25:35-37, the Israelites are forbidden to take advantage of those who are less fortunate, and in Exodus 22:25-27, they are explicitly told, "Do not take interest in advance or otherwise make a profit from them." Both of these guidelines demand ethical financial decisions and both are promised by God to lead to...

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