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Money Matters

Moral dimension

By Sirajuddin Aziz
Mon, 07, 17

MANAGEMENT

The title of this piece is interrogative. And the answer is, it is possibly a fading facet in all walks of life. The moral standards of this nation till about the decade of the seventies were in harmony with the precepts of the State’s official religion and also with universal truths. However, come the Zia regime, it has eroded to the new base level. In my childhood and teenage years many of the current things that have come to be accepted by the society were then considered repulsively unacceptable. A smuggler’s house in the locality would remain identified, a tax evader would be identified and the morally deviant individual; the highlight of this recognition was that the neighbourhood would abhor their presence and the children would be advised to stay clear of their offspring’s. It is not so, now. What was considered so abhorrent is now a marked feature for acquiring and gaining respect within the society. The pride of less and poverty has been replaced by the arrogance of corruptly acquired and flaunting wealth.

Similar is the case in the world of business. Corruption reeks. Standards of ethics and moral remain consigned to beautifully framed pictures of that of values merely adorn the corporate offices.

Morality, is costly. Even the learned judges recently wrote and quoted, God Father movie’s dialogue- “behind every great fortune, there is a great crime.” The plundering of the nation’s resources, not merely by politicians, but every single strata of the society has become an acceptable fact. The businessmen, the corporates, the bankers, the lawyers, the accountants, the government, you name it have ‘largely’ (hope this is an exaggeration of sorts) black sheep entrenched in their midst and ranks. I personally call this a progressive cultivation of decay and decline in individual’s ethical standards. Our country ranks highest when it comes to philanthropy but those who pay zakat or make donations in excess of seven digit multiples are essentially either ‘Robin hood’ masquerading as nobility, they rob Peter (the state), to pay Paul (the masses). It is possibly the most ignoble way to remain on the charts of global index of philanthropy.

Do organisations have a moral dimension or compass to navigate their business direction? Is there a need for any corporate entity to feel their moral obligation towards society? The answer lies in asking, if some notable charity institutions, like say Melinda Gates Foundation, get funding through corporates who indulge in tax frauds, over-invoicing or under invoicing! No. An empathic, no.

Evaluate to judge if organisations make business decisions within the ambit of accepted moral behaviour and standard. All business leaders must answer how will they react when faced with moral dilemma? Will they resist or succumb? How many times while taking decisions of importance do we as managers ask what is right? What is wrong? Is self interest the guiding principle of decision making or is the interest of the nation at the heart of every activity. And it is significant not to fool ourselves to think that these perceivably important decisions are made only in Islamabad by the high and mighty; nay it is made by you and me! The acceptance of a wrong doing known to you and handled (transacted) by you, makes each of us culpable with the moral crime of abetting the act. If a commodity of our country is exported to overseas markets at below its real value; just imagine how many hands touch this transaction and therefore get guilty of participating in crime against the State! Profits from such under/over invoiced transaction were detested by this very society but today it is portrayed as ‘business acumen and intelligence’. Miserable indeed.

The guiding traits to check behaviour like wisdom, courage and justice are either totally absent or are dearly lacking in our responses to situations. There is no room to hesitate when in doubt about moral credibility of any aspect of business; seek counsel and advice from the wise and upright, colleagues. Preaching the moral values in today’s environment is much easier than practising it. To vitiate or break any law leads to erosion of morality. Simple violation like not respecting the traffic signal is indicative of mindset. Not paying taxes, fines to the highly fashionable concepts of tax consultancy for achieving tax avoidance or attaining efficient tax management, are all the hues of the morally corrupt. A crooked mental makeup will lull all the raging nationalistic fury of just and equitable behaviour! A moral response is never an act of cowardice.

Does the moral compass change its direction with growing age and experience? Does it lead towards acceptance and tolerance of the violation of norms? Does time take a toll on the youthful zest to challenge? Does it wane? I believe, no; if the standards of behaviour are entrenched in the formation years of growth they are hard and thick as the oak tree with deep penetrating roots, which will not permit any corruptibility to shake the foundation of values.

Saintliness in business - is it an enigma? All business ventures are meant to make profit but how much? And at what cost? At all costs or any costs? Here the state of thought of the board and the senior management will determine what kind and type of organisation they intend building. Many ask; can business be done without cheating? The answer is yes, it is possible if and when the chariots of greed are not made to run amok in the course of the endeavours. Self interest must remain subservient to ethical standards.

Self interest is an enemy to moral values - it makes all rules, laws, regulations and procedures, flexible and malleable to serve own interests.

Morally and ethically corrupt need no accuser. The pathway of ethical life is not strewn with pebbles but with boulders that must be surmounted. Morality and ease can never be bedfellows. Only a quiet conscience sleeps in thunder.

Is experience a bulwark against induction and following of high moral values? Perhaps, yes. Over years if there is resignation to accept corruptibility of mind and action there is every likelihood that bad practices would get masked and will not be seen in any negative context. That is to say, when we yield to wrong doing by us or others, as a necessary evil. The mere setting of ethical and moral standards is bound to usher a change in manners. We may experience to choose and act between legally permissible but morally incorrect or morally permissible but legally invalid. “The difference between a moral man and a man of honour is that the latter regrets a discreditable act, even when it has worked and he has not been caught,” AL Meckler - Prejudices. All managers have to vehemently strive to achieve truce between vice and virtue.

Morality is not to be equated with quality of general expediency. A continuous check on the baggage of values is needed to ensure removal of any mis-alignments with the moral dimension. “The unexamined life is not worth living,” had remarked Socrates. “If your morals make you dreary, depend upon it, they are wrong. I do not say give them up for they may be all you have but conceal them like a vice lest they spoil the lives of better and simpler people.” (RL Stevenson)

The morally intelligent will invariably be armed with moral discernment. Fear alone should not be the single largest element of motivation for an upright behaviour. The need for ethical leadership in all segments of economy, politics and society will never diminish. This will begin to emerge only when there is an end to the unrighteousness of attitude within. “A gentleman takes as much trouble to discover what is right as lesser men take to discover what will pay.” (Kongfuzi)

In our country people pay charity, but say no to tax; and they say on the premise that they alone spend the money in a justifiable manner- but tax default or avoidance is breaking the law- hence immoral. Clarity of thought is demanded. Similarly, acceptance of gifts can lead to being compromised. Even Queen Sheeba attempted to derail Solomon through her offerings, but he remained morally steadfast.

Whenever there is a conflict of interest, be wary of its potential to impact your personal, moral and ethical standards.

Business can be done with honesty. Keep greed in check. There would be no issue to either corrupt or be corrupted. Moral and ethical uprightness is a choice, we make.

The writer is a senior banker and freelance columnist