When it comes to business ethics, you may not need an MBA

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When it comes to business ethics, you may not need an MBA

By Lauren | May 18, 2009

It was great to learn that the website “Construction Management Degree,” a site for people looking to make their careers managing construction projects, thinks this blog is one of 100 “awesome business blogs that are better than an MBA.” (Look, Ma, I’m “awesome”!) Unsolicited kudos are always nice, and I was delighted to make the list.

Quite apart from the “aw shucks!” factor, though, the post makes a point that’s worth emphasizing. Thanks in large part to the Internet, it’s a lot easier to learn about how to run a business today than it was even a decade ago. Between the blogs, e-zines and online articles, there’s plenty of solid information out there to help you run your company well even if you don’t have the time to get an MBA.

And let’s face it, folks: business ethics normally aren’t rocket science. If you offer quality products and services for reasonable prices, fulfill your contracts, treat your employees decently, tell the truth, refrain from stealing other people’s money, handle conflicts of interest appropriately, and comply with the laws that govern your company, you’ll be 90% of the way there. And an MBA may not help you, if you come away too impressed with your own credentials. In an era when the Wall Street big boys are choking over their ridiculous bonuses, the stock market continues to stumble along at about half its former value, and investment scandals mushroom all over the headlines, a 90% solution looks pretty darned good. Sophistication isn’t always the key to making good ethical choices, and an expensive education may not be enough to keep you out of trouble if you don’t understand the fundamentals of good business ethics.

To see the full list of sites, visit http://constructionmanagementdegree.org/?page_id=87.

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