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Journal of Business Strategy

Corporate culture and ethics: from words to actions


Sarah Enciso, Carlson Milikin, James Scofield O’Rourke,
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Sarah Enciso, Carlson Milikin, James Scofield O’Rourke, (2017) "Corporate culture and ethics: from words to actions",
Journal of Business Strategy, Vol. 38 Issue: 6, pp.69-79, https://doi.org/10.1108/JBS-01-2017-0001
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Corporate culture and ethics: from words
to actions
Sarah Enciso, Carlson Milikin and James Scofield O’Rourke

usiness managers often ask, “Is a business ethics program the same as a Sarah Enciso,

B
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compliance program?” When shown the differences between the two and the Carlson Milikin and
importance of each to large and complex organizations, those same managers James Scofield O’Rourke
are all based at the
frequently reply, “If we’re in compliance with the law, why do we need an ethics code?”
University of Notre Dame,
Good question.
Notre Dame, Indiana,
The purpose of this paper is to examine both the nature and the value of ethics programs USA.
and the codes which frequently accompany and animate them. It further explores the
benefits derived from effective communication of these programs, both internally and
externally to a wide range of stakeholders, as well as what can and often has gone wrong
when ethical values neither support nor guide business behavior.
Do ethical codes matter? Let’s look at the effect a program had on the success of one
company in the marketplace. On February 21, 2017, Tom Linebarger, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of Cummins, a $19 billion global leader in diesel and
alternative-fuel engines headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, stepped forward to
announce the creation of an independent ethics and compliance organization led by a
corporate officer. “Acting in accordance with our Code of Business Conduct is the
responsibility of every employee at Cummins and the creation of this new ethics and
compliance organization does not change the primary accountability each of us has to live
Cummins’ values in every aspect of our work,” he said. (Linebarger, 2016)
The company’s ten-point Code has been in place for several decades, but the new
organizational commitment to compliance and code enforcement is striking in both its
breadth and depth. “Our company’s strong ethical reputation and business success”, said
Linebarger (2016), “have been built on doing what is right and doing what we say we will
do. That is why integrity is one of our company’s core values”.
He went on to underscore the importance of the document, saying, “Our Code of
Business Conduct forms the backbone of our commitment to ethical behavior. This
document serves as a values-based compass that guides me, our leaders and every
one of our employees in the decisions we make and the actions we take each day”.
(Linebarger, 2016)
A document distributed to all Cummins employees (and publicly accessible on the Internet)
emphasizes that “The 10 Ethical Principles that make up our Code explain how we should
conduct ourselves, how we should treat others and how we should do business”. That
same document also includes references to relevant policies, provides examples and
includes questions and answers to help clarify our expectations. “Perhaps most
importantly”, Linebarger (2016) says, “it points out where you can turn for help when you
have questions or concerns”.

DOI 10.1108/JBS-01-2017-0001 VOL. 38 NO. 6 2017, pp. 69-79, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 0275-6668 JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STRATEGY PAGE 69
The value of the Code of Business Conduct to Cummins, its employees, investors, business
partners and customers is made clear in regular statements from the company’s most
senior officials. Linebarger (2016), speaking directly to employees, said “We operate in a
complex and ever-changing world where new laws and regulations that impact us are
introduced almost every day. My leadership team and I want you to raise issues and ask
questions when something doesn’t seem quite right or when you don’t know what to do”.
His instructions are unmistakable, “At Cummins, you are empowered and expected to do
the right thing and to ask for help when the right thing is not so clear” (Linebarger, 2016).
In other large and complex organizations, the way forward has not been as clear, largely
because guidance and leadership have been absent. Recent examples are numerous,
including Volkswagen engineers devising software intended to defeat carbon emission
rules in the USA and the European Union (Ewing and Boudette, 2017) or retail bankers at
Wells Fargo, fraudulently opening multiple accounts for retail customers without their
knowledge or permission (Egan, 2016).

An ethical failure
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An even more striking example of bad corporate behavior, unguided by an agreed-upon


set of values and beliefs, involved generic pharmaceutical manufacturer Mylan. The
reputational damage, loss of market cap and regulatory involvement created headlines
around the world in 2016 (Tuttle, 2016). In 1977, the auto-injection device EpiPen was
launched. The active ingredient, epinephrine, costs less than a dollar per milliliter, and
EpiPen devices contain less than one-third of a milliliter of epinephrine. The marketability of
EpiPen stems not from the drug but from the fact that the device automates a correctly
dosed, rapid injection of epinephrine to counteract a severe allergic reaction. In 2007,
research and development had been recouped, and the device was selling for $57 each.
Within the next six years, new federal guidelines recommended the packaged sale of
EpiPens, legislation gave funding preferences for asthma treatment grants to states
maintaining emergency EpiPen supplies, and competition repeatedly failed to bring a
substitute to market. These factors, in addition to easy marketing opportunities to expand
the sale of EpiPen, yielded the perfect business opportunity for EpiPen to monopolize the
market.
The pharmaceutical company Mylan had acquired EpiPen in 2007 and rapidly began to
increase the pricing scheme for the product. By 2016, the price of an EpiPen had increased
over 450 per cent, a premium pricing strategy made possible by the fact that Mylan had
essentially formed a monopoly that could, “if so inclined, raise the product price [. . .]
[Mylan] may be able to continue doing so in the long run because there will be no entry that
competes the profits away” (Baumol and Blinder, Microeconomics: Principles and Policies).
Indeed, Mylan CEO Heather Bresch stated, “I am running a business. I am a for-profit
business. I am not hiding from that” (Emanuel and Gudbranson, 2016).
Mylan’s business strategy appears to maximize shareholder value yet constitutes a dire
ethics violation. The reprehensibility of Mylan’s actions stems from the consequences of
increasing EpiPen prices. A social worker in Seattle, Denise Ure, expressed her concerns
when she discovered that a pack of two EpiPens would cost $350: “I was terrified because

‘‘Corporate ethical codes have received increasing levels of


attention in the past decade, especially following the 2008
financial crisis and consumer fears of corporate scandals.’’

PAGE 70 JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STRATEGY VOL. 38 NO. 6 2017


‘‘Corporate ethical codes have received increasing levels of
attention in the past decade, especially following the 2008
financial crisis and consumer fears of corporate scandals.’’

there’s this life-saving medicine that I needed, and I couldn’t afford it” (Koons and Langreth,
2015).
People with severe allergies depend on EpiPen and tend to purchase multiple extras,
although their EpiPen supplies will expire because of the limited shelf-life of epinephrine.
Insurance covers only a fraction of the expense, exposing those most at-risk to hefty
out-of-pocket outlays. The price increase of EpiPens cannot be attributed to inflation;
neither does it reflect increasing production costs (Carroll, 2016). The elevated pricing and
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the dependent patient consumers created an uproar and damaged Mylan’s reputation.

Codes of ethics
Corporate ethical codes have received increasing levels of attention in the past decade,
especially following the 2008 financial crisis and consumer fears of corporate scandals.
While concern for “justice” is hardly a new concept, J.C. Penney drafted the earliest
published ethics statement for use in his outlets, which he called “The Golden Rule Stores”.
Penney’s 1913 statement included seven points, summarized in its ending question: “Does
[every policy, method, and act] square with what is right and just?” (Kruger, 2017).
Fast-forward to the twenty-first century and consumers applaud any corporate ethical
statement that includes “major philosophical principles” as well as a set of values to guide
the firm’s actions (Murphy, 2005).
Mylan, in recognition of the importance consumers place on ethics, adopted a code that
opens with a letter from CEO Heather Bresch: “At Mylan, we are committed to setting new
standards in healthcare. Working together around the world to provide 7 billion people
access to high quality medicine, we innovate to satisfy unmet needs”. This statement
contradicts the accelerated EpiPen price increases, which cannot be explained by inflation
or increasing costs. In fact, the prices were fast-approaching prohibitive levels, the
opposite effect from providing “access to medicine”. Mylan’s ethics statement continues
with an explanation of its core values, including their value of service, which they define as
doing “[. . .] whatever it takes, work ‘round the clock, cross any river and spare no effort –
all to meet someone’s need” (Mylan, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics). Unfortunately,
Mylan appeared unwilling to place “someone’s need” above their own profitability.
The nation reacted strongly to the Mylan EpiPen scandal. A variety of factors stimulates
negative consumer reactions, including advertising strategy, environmental concerns,
foreign affairs, local concerns and business-to-business transactions. In the case of
EpiPen, people perceived Mylan as taking advantage of a vulnerable population (people
with severe allergies). They considered Mylan’s price fixing (artificially inflating prices) in
conjunction with the medical “lock-in” created by the need to continually replace EpiPen as
unethical and deeply shameful (Brunk, 2010).
Are ethics codes merely words? Clearly, not adhering to a code of ethics has serious
external ramifications. In the case of Mylan, the company lost respect and was forced to
change its business strategy. An unethical business environment has been linked to poor
employee performance and reported feelings of alienation from work. While implementing
and sustaining an ethical corporate culture may seem daunting, some companies have
received recognition for excellent, ethically commendable business strategies.

VOL. 38 NO. 6 2017 JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STRATEGY PAGE 71


Ethisphere Institute
Since 2006, the Ethisphere Institute in Arizona has published an annual ranking of the
“World’s Most Ethical Companies” to reward organizations with good practices and offer a
model on ethical corporate conduct. The evaluation process considers ethics and
compliance programs, corporate citizenship, culture of ethics, governance and leadership.
The 2016 ranking highlighted 54 industry sectors, including healthcare. Henry Schein, Inc.,
based in Melville New York, provides healthcare products to office-based dental, medical
and veterinary practitioners. The company, with 21,000 employees, has received the honor
of “world’s most ethical company” for five consecutive years (Henry Schein, 2016).
The Ethisphere ranking suggests that companies can conduct business in an ethical
manner. However, academics have long grappled with the problem of identifying what
these companies do differently regarding their treatment of ethics. Academic studies have
yielded a few theories to guide ethics implementation in the workplace.

Expectancy theory
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Expectancy theory forms the basis of a two-part management model. The model would
have chief executives teach moral theory first. Then, the model encourages executives to
create an environment that rewards ethical actions. Three factors shape expectancy
theory: effort-performance expectancy (“E-P expectancy”), performance-outcome
expectancy (“instrumentality”) and valence.

Part 1: Teaching
At the most basic level, writing and presenting a code of ethics begins to create an ethical
business environment. After a code of ethics has been drafted and approved, the
statement should be shared with employees. Training sessions may be needed to teach
basic ethical principles. The most effective training programs encourage active
participation, as exemplified by Citibank’s board game The Work Ethic, which utilizes 100
case-based questions that describe issues relevant to the banking industry. Teams of
employees discuss the ethical dilemma, vote between four imperfect solutions, and then
receive scores based on their choices. “I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and
I understand” Citibank stated in an explanation for the effectiveness of the game in
teaching moral theories (Fudge and Schlacter, 1999).
Effort-performance expectancy, which forms the heart of teaching ethics, is the individual’s
perception that his or her effort positively correlates with performance level. Employees
who believe that attempts to act ethically will result in ethical behavior have a high E-P
expectancy, whereas employees who feel that attempts to act ethically are futile have a
very low E-P expectancy.

Part 2: Creating the environment


Creating a motivational environment relies on the second two factors of expectancy theory:
instrumentality and valence. Instrumentality describes the extent to which a person expects
to receive rewards for his or her performance (i.e. the belief that “if I present this deliverable
by Friday, I will receive recognition” versus “It doesn’t matter when I present this

‘‘After a code of ethics has been drafted and approved, the


statement should be shared with employees. Training
sessions may be needed to teach basic ethical principles.’’

PAGE 72 JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STRATEGY VOL. 38 NO. 6 2017


‘‘Creating a strong culture relies more on implicit cues,
beginning with the behavior of upper management.’’

deliverable, I will not receive recognition for my work”). Valence refers to the value placed
on a reward. When creating an ethical environment, employees must understand that if they
act ethically, they will receive a reward they value (Fudge and Schlacter, 1999).
Henry Schein understands the significance of recognizing employee actions, which
increases employee instrumentality. Henry Schein boasts one of the best fringe benefits
programs in the industry. Additionally, internal promotions are common and expected. For
example, Peter D. rose from a warehouse picker to Vice President (VP) of Infrastructure
Administration in his 33 years at the company. According to Rich Miranda, VP, Chief
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Administrative and Operations Officer for the Global Dental Business, “Managers are
always on the lookout for people looking for new opportunities [. . .] We want managers to
focus on internal promotion opportunities, so they know it and look for it”. Henry Schein
employees understand that good work will result in promotion and reward; thus, they have
a high degree of instrumentality (Henderson et al., 2014).
Henry Schein also ensures that the reward structure appeals to its employees. Sometimes,
this entails direct questioning. In one instance, a junior colleague expressed a desire to
work abroad. Within two weeks, she had been promoted to a new position in Australia.
While employees are expected to work hard, each Schein location is also expected to have
avenues for fun. Once a year, all offices participate in “Theme Day”, a day for team
members to dress up for work to reflect themes like “superhero”. Theme Day remains
optional, but most employees look forward to the team-building experience and show
enthusiasm and support for the concept (Henderson et al., 2014).
The last piece of expectancy theory is follow-through. Linking behavior to outcome will
reinforce ethical behavior as well as deter unethical decisions. In other words, performance
appraisals should reward ethically motivated actions, whereas dismissals should follow
ethics violations to underscore the company’s serious commitment to ethics.

Reinforcing company culture


A second academic approach to ethics implementation focuses on company culture.
Communicating culture starts with explicit ethics codes and policy statements, which, in
theory, are taught and distributed. But creating a strong culture relies more on implicit cues,
beginning with the behavior of upper management.
At Henry Schein, the company’s culture started with founders Henry and Esther Schein and
continues with CEO Stanley Bergman. Gerry Benjamin, Chief Administrative Officer and
Executive Vice President, explains that “in practice, [Team Schein Culture] is simple: treat
people the way you want to be treated. Treat everyone as equals. We don’t have
employees; we have Team Schein Members or TSMs”. In practice, the team identifies key
principles that allow trust to be built and maintained: place the team first; include and
engage all levels of the organization; and remain accountable, honest, transparent and
detail-orientated. Most companies have identified similar values, but Henry Schein is
different in the fact that Schein acts on these principles (Henderson et al., 2014).
Michael Ettinger, Senior Vice President (SVP), Corporate and Legal Affairs and Secretary,
believes that the key principle is putting the company’s interests first. “People who put the
institution first tend to excel here rather than those that focus on individual awards”. Ettinger
may be referring to the internal promotion and reward structure. Individuals who rise most

VOL. 38 NO. 6 2017 JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STRATEGY PAGE 73


quickly within the company are the ones who act most selflessly, making decisions on
behalf of their team’s greater success (Henderson et al., 2014).
A pivotal element of Henry Schein culture is management by consensus and inclusiveness.
Dr Kerry Sulkowicz, a consultant to CEO Stanley Bergman, stated, “New ideas need to be
socialized. Even though it may take longer to arrive at decisions, once you’ve touched all
the bases you get great buy-in”. Communications may be sent to 20 people, rather than 4;
and issues or decisions are widely discussed, even if the result will not directly influence all
departments. De-emphasizing organizational hierarchy compliments the focus on
consensus decision-making and places greater value on broad and vertical input.
According to Jim Harding, SVP, Chief Technology Officer, “Part of the culture is that
everybody is informed of the smallest detail especially when things go wrong. If you know
something has gone or is going to go wrong, let Stan know”. Candid questions about
strategy or actions are encouraged, and employees are expected to help and support their
teammates. Transparency and accountability further build trust between departments,
functions and management (Henderson et al., 2014).
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Reinforcing cultural values relies on unique, company rituals and requires frequent
assessment. Henry Schein’s unique differentiators include “Theme Day”, in addition to a
company-specific “broken record”, a mantra repeated over and over to solidify company
beliefs (“Business” 2002). Henry Schein’s highly repeated phrase is “do well by doing
good”. To assess the reception of company culture, Henry Schein performs a cultural
assessment every two years. In 2006, the company recognized that management needed
a clearer understanding of the global reach of Schein culture. By 2012, 90 per cent of
employees were participating in the voluntary, 73-question survey. Following the survey,
each team was required to create actions plans intended to raise survey scores. Schein
relies on the survey to assess new acquisition partners, who are expected to develop the
company’s consensus and participatory model. If acquisitions cannot “live and breathe”
the Schein culture, the partnership will not last (Henderson et al., 2014).

Communicating corporate ethics to the public


Creating an ethical business environment is an essential first move to avoiding high-profile
scandals. But going the next step and communicating ethical business practices to the
consumer may strengthen brand loyalty and, ideally, generate additional business
revenue.

Who is communicating?
Two types of companies communicate corporate ethics: proactive companies and reactive
companies (Schlegelmilch and Pollach, 2005). Proactive companies position themselves
as ethical and seek to differentiate their brand using corporate values. Reactive
companies, on the other hand, fail to engage in ethical discussions until corporate scandal
negatively affects their image.
Henry Schein acts proactively by engaging with their community. Their major platform,
“Henry Schein Cares”, works to expand access to care for at-risk populations across the
world. For example, their global donation program provides healthcare products and
supplies to community health clinics and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Bergman believes that the Henry Schein value “is our ability to quickly assemble life-saving

‘‘Ethics statements can act as a differentiator in the


marketplace.’’

PAGE 74 JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STRATEGY VOL. 38 NO. 6 2017


‘‘Below should be a sidebar.’’

health care products and to expedite shipment to our NGO partners on the ground”. The
key component of Henry Schein charitable actions is their participation, beyond just writing
a check for the funding. In a partnership with the American Dental Association’s Give Kids
a Smile program, Schein worked to recruit a roster of supply partners to donate items.
Schein’s Back to School program pairs Schein employees with local children to provide
new clothes, backpacks and supplies. Finally, the Schein Holiday Cheer platform
purchases presents and gives them to children at a company party during the holidays
(Henderson et al., 2014).
Mylan, on the other hand, represents a reactive company. They continued to increase
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EpiPen prices until consumer backlash rose to a level where they were forced to release
statements regarding EpiPen affordability. Mylan insisted they would change the
coverage options and began work on a generic, half-price alternative.

What are they communicating?


Ethics statements can act as a differentiator in the marketplace. By selecting a few ethical
issues and focusing on developing those attributes, a company can gain a reputation for
being particularly charitable, active in the local community or, perhaps, just an honest
advertiser. Publically emphasizing ethical issues that directly affect consumers, such as
product safety, tends to generate greater consumer interest than company issues like gift
giving. As a note of caution, focusing on widespread issues runs the risk of these
high-profile topics losing importance over time. For example, the peace movement or
apartheid discussions of the 1980s no longer feature prominently in companies’ ethics
statements (Schlegelmilch and Pollach, 2005).

Who is the audience?


The degree that a company engages in CSR sends a message to both the community of
consumers, as well as potential business partners. Henry Schein, for example, believes that
coordinating community programs like Give Kids a Smile creates a company profile of
responsibility, reliance and ethical uprightness which, in turn, appeals to businesses that
must decide between different vendors. In a 2012 study, Henry Schein found that dentists
who participated in the Give Kids a Smile program doubled their spending with Schein
compared to dentists who did not participate in the community service opportunity
(Henderson et al., 2014).
Beyond strategic company actions, messages crafted for advertisements should pay
attention to culture and geography, as consumers in different demographics tend to place
different degrees of significance on the ethical concerns of top priority.

What channel are they using?


Companies can select from a multitude of channels, including corporate advertising,
media, corporate websites and corporate reports. Corporate advertising involves
communicating company stance on a specific social issue, but it lacks credibility and thus
effectiveness. For example, oil companies assuming an environmentally friendly image
usually fail to change consumer attitudes about the responsible stewardship of their firms.
Despite the slim chance of success, Chevron ran environmental ads in The Wall Street
Journal in 2000 to enhance its social image (Schlegelmilch and Pollach, 2005).

VOL. 38 NO. 6 2017 JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STRATEGY PAGE 75


Media reports have higher credibility and face less consumer cynicism than
company-sponsored advertisements. However, media messages tend to publish negative
rather than positive company information. Corporate websites, on the other hand, allow
companies to dialog directly with their audience by inviting questions or creating forum
spaces online. In 2000, 80 per cent of Fortune 500 websites addressed social responsibility
issues, but only half of those displayed ethics values on their home page. Consumers
generally do not search for ethics statements and firms should consider highlighting
corporate social values on their front page. Finally, corporate reports have the most
detailed statements of ethical values with evidence provided in the form of financial
statements. However, few consumers read corporate repots, which then have limited
influence in the social sphere (Schlegelmilch and Pollach, 2005).

Conclusion
Ethical cultures attract business partners and consumers alike, thus safeguarding
long-term performance success. In rewarding ethical actions, punishing transgressions
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and modeling appropriate company behaviors, management can migrate from ethical
words to ethical actions.

Below should be a sidebar

A sample code
An ethics code addresses universal issues, including legal compliance, workplace issues
(child labor, non-discrimination and harassment), environmental concerns, community
involvement and social media presence. A diversity of firm types can, therefore, adopt a
similar core ethics program. The rest of the code of ethics should address more
firm-specific issues, such as political contributions, code of dealing, financial statements
and responsible communication. Any additional issues reflect industry-specific concerns,
and for this reason, management must use discretion in deciding which standards to
emphasize (Chalmers, 2015). See below for sample sections of an ethical code, written for
a general business model:

Legal compliance
The firm will adhere to all applicable local, state and federal laws. In situations lacking
existing legal precedent, the firm will conduct business operations within the scope of the
ethics policy.

Workplace
To ensure consistent company performance, management will provide the workforce with
adequate incentives and opportunities for success. Management must commit to creating
an honest, trusting and fair environment for all employees.

Child labor
Child labor is never allowed. The International Labor Organization defines a child as
someone who is younger than 15 years of age and, therefore, ineligible for employment
(Chalmers, 2015).

Non-discrimination
Employment decisions, such as compensation, training, discipline and termination, will
depend on employee performance. Such decisions may not be made based on ethnicity,
race, class, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation and political opinion.

PAGE 76 JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STRATEGY VOL. 38 NO. 6 2017


Harassment
Employees shall not be subject to physical, verbal, sexual or psychological harassment.

Environment
The firm will observe all laws, local, state and federal, concerning environmental regulation.
The firm will work with its partners and service providers to uphold ethical environmental
regulation. The firm will commit to minimizing its impact on the environment while
maintaining product quality.

Community
The firm will give back to the communities that it affects. The firm will encourage employees
to volunteer within the community during work hours without sacrificing wages.

Social media
Social media have the potential to build a strong brand name; however, the firm will carefully
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monitor employees’ social media activity. Employees will not release personal opinions on
behalf of the firm. Employees will not broadcast private details about the firm on social media
platforms. Employees will not attack or degrade other people on social media.

Political contributions
Direct or indirect contributions by the firm to any political candidate, party or organization
are strictly forbidden, even if local laws permit such contributions. Political contributions
must approve any political contributions for such contributions to be ethical.

Code of dealing
If the firm is a publicly traded entity, it must ensure equal treatment of all shareholders by
disclosing the same information at the same time. This ensures that people do not
preferential receive information that could significantly affect the price of firm shares.
The firm’s employees cannot:
 Deal in shares when the employee has attained inside information.
 Deal in shares during the period of 15 calendar days preceding any financial results
announcement by the firm (Chalmers, 2015).
 Communicate inside information to third parties unless it falls within the employee’s job duties.
 Recommend an individual or third party to deal in the firm’s shares based on the employee’s
inside information.
Any violation of this code of dealing can result in severe disciplinary action by the firm as
well as the indictment of criminal charges that will give rise to civil liability.

Books, controls and records


Keywords:
Maintaining accurate books, financial statements and records preserves the firm’s integrity Expectancy theory,
and reliability. All transactions must be recorded accurately and in a timely manner. Consumer perceptions,
Incompleteness or inaccuracies will result in criminal and civil liabilities. Cultural values,
Communication imperatives,
Responsible communication
Controls and records,
All firm employees, but especially marketing and communication departments, will promote Corporate ethics,
an accurate and ethical description of the company and its products and services. The firm Ethical code,
will not misrepresent any products or services. Marketing and branding activities that Ethical hazards,
deserve special consideration include advertising, sponsorship, promotions, website Legal compliance,
content, public relations, packing and labeling. Privatization of compliance

VOL. 38 NO. 6 2017 JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STRATEGY PAGE 77


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New York Times, New York, NY, 23 August.

Chalmers, S. (2015), “Code of business conduct of Anheuser-Busch InBev”, Presentation, May.

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About the authors


Sarah Enciso is a Master of Science in Management graduate of the Notre Dame Mendoza
College of Business. She received undergraduate degrees in Biology and Psychology,
graduating cum laude from Notre Dame. In August of 2017, she began working for DaVita,
Inc., as a Redwoods Analyst in Denver, Colorado.

Carlson Milikin is a graduate of the Master of Science in Management program in the


Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame. Prior to Notre Dame, he
studied economics at the University of Virginia. He also played on the varsity lacrosse team
at both universities while earning All-American honors in 2016. He plans on working in the
sports or consumer products industry.

PAGE 78 JOURNAL OF BUSINESS STRATEGY VOL. 38 NO. 6 2017


James Scofield O’Rourke is Teaching Professor of Management and Arthur F. and Mary J.
O’Neil Director of the Fanning Center for Business Communication, Mendoza College of
Business at the University of Notre Dame. Dr O’Rourke teaches corporate communication,
reputation management, public speaking and business writing to undergraduates and
graduate students at Notre Dame. His doctorate in Public Communication is from the
Newhouse School at Syracuse University. His education includes an MA in Speech
Communication, the University of New Mexico; an MS in Mass Communication, Temple
University; and a BBA in Management, the University of Notre Dame. James Scofield
O’Rourke is the corresponding author and can be contacted at: jorourke@nd.edu
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