Business ethics; what does it really mean? Some say it is an oxymoron and that the two words cannot coexist as a concept. These people will tell you that there is no room for ethics and ethical behavior in business. Others will explain the need for companies to practice good ethical and moral values ​​within their company and the importance of this for our society. For me, in the past, I honestly never gave the idea or the term a second thought. Now, after learning so much about business in our society, I have a solid understanding of business ethics and have developed my own personal vision that reflects it. Understanding is undoubtedly the basis of correct business ethics. As in life, all truths and therefore all "rights" come from understanding. It is possible to imitate the steps and follow the guidelines, but this is only a "facade", as Milton Friedman, an American economist, says (Friedman). With understanding you can find the end point and follow what causes the absolute best results for the most interested parties. What does this mean exactly? To begin to answer this question we need to examine the definition of business ethics. Business, as per the Merriam-Webster online dictionary: “Noun: occupation; profession; vocation; any occupation for subsistence; trade; business; concern." And here is the definition of "ethics", again from Webster's Dictionary: "Noun, pl.: philosophy dealing with human character and conduct, the distinction between right and wrong, and moral duty and obligations to the community ". So business ethics is about human character, understanding and distinguishing between right and wrong, and moral duty, in the context of a livelihood, trade, or occupation. Given this definition one can see how there is a lot of debate and confusion about what business ethics actually is. Business ethics is more of a concept than a definable term. Since the definition is quite vague and business ethics is seen more as a concept, we can assume that the concept is relativistic in nature. Even so, this does not mean that it does not exist or cannot be defined more clearly. It simply means that it exists in many forms and for many different reasons, with many different definitions. Practicing the right business ethics means getting to the bottom of it. Ultimately, who will influence action and how? To what extent will it help and why? W... middle of paper... one thing I've learned is not to judge a book by its cover. Don't jump to conclusions or think my first impression is the right one. Business is a whole world that I have never known. It is one that shapes our lives. As individuals we have a responsibility, essentially, to take care of each other. Is it business ethics? Who or what is business if not you and me? It's human ethics and the bottom line. Works Cited Cicero (106-143 BC). Extract from De Officiis, Book III. In L. Cunningham and K. Gunn (Eds.), Business & society—A Journey of Discovery, 5th edition (pp. 275-283). Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing Friedman, Milton. “The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits,” New York Times. Journal, September 13, 1970. Web. March 16, 2015 http://www.colorado.edu/studentgroups/libertarians/issues/friedman-soc-resp-business.htmlMerriam-Webster: Dictionary and Thesaurus. 2015. Web. March 16, 2015 http://www.merriam-webster.com/Mill, John S. “From On Liberty, Chapter 2: Of Freedom of Thought and Discussion.” The Broadview anthology of Victorian prose 1832-1901. Ed. Mary E. Leighton and Lisa Surridge. Peterborough: Broadview, 2012. Print.