Pics: Joshwa D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS)

Mangaluru, Feb 22: A national conference on the theme 'Emerging ethical issues and concerns in business arena' was held at Milagres College auditorium here on Monday February 22.

Bishop of Mangaluru Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza inaugurated the conference and said that one should sacrifice personal good and think about universal good, and that is social ethics. "Today you have taken up a relevant topic for discussion. In the post-modern era we are of the notion that what we feel is right. There is no universal law for ethics. We are thinking about individual benefit and not of the society as a whole. Today we want to do things that please others instead doing the right thing. I congratulate the organizers and wish success to this seminar."

Prof Dr P S Yadapadithaya, former registrar of Mangalore University in his keynote address said, "The organizers have chosen a befitting theme. Todays business is operating in a highly complex and competitive environment where turbulence is felt every now and then. In spite all of this every organization is trying to grow and survive. Ethics should govern the behaviour of individual and organization in a civilized society. Ethics is nothing but rules of standards that govern our behaviour. When we talk about law, two things are important - letter of the law and the spirit behind it. Letter of the law refers to legality and spirit refers to morality. So ethics is legality and morality which are two important cornerstones of truth and justice.

"Question is what are the things that govern the ethical behaviour of individuals or organizations in the modern business world. There is a difference between being unethical and being non-ethical. Ethics involve normative judgments between right and wrong. According to me, the concept of ethics is elusive. Business ethics has a range of criteria where human actions are judged, such as fare competition, the aesthetics of advertising and social responsibility. According to me, if you take care about the process, the result will come automatically. But today it is not the process but the result that matters. No business can afford to be hundred percent ethical. Both moral and legal ethics need to be taken care of. I congratulate and wish all success to this one-day national seminar."

Fr Gerald D'Souza, secretary, CBE, Fr Michael Santhumayor, principal, Fr Valerian D'Souza, correspondent, Milagres Educational Institutions, Eva Manorama and Hardik Chauhan, conference conveners were present.