¶ … Hesitant to Pursue a Career in Business Whom it May Concern

Re: Why I Am Hesitant to Pursue a Career in Business

In a tough economy, most people would probably take any job they can get after they graduate from college. However, as it comes closer to graduation, I find I'm becoming more and more hesitant when I think about launching a career in business. That's because it seems there are so many unethical companies out there, that will do anything to make money, even if it kills people in the process. I'm not talking just about Enron and AIG here, who preyed on their customers and ruined the lives of many of their investors and employees. I'm talking about companies that knowingly engage in unethical business practices, just because they can. Look at the Chinese company that included melamine in its pet food, and killed hundreds of innocent pets.

Even worse, another Chinese company added the same chemical to babies' milk, and Chinese officials covered up the scandal for months, making it even worse. Over 300,000 children were affected, and dozens died, although officials won't confirm just how many died, (they may not really know). I find this horrific and extremely disturbing. After the melamine scandal with pet food, how could they possibly use the chemical in human food? How could they possibly even consider using it in baby food? I cannot imagine how they can even look themselves in the mirror every morning, and it makes me question business practices around the world.

When did it become preferable to make as much money as you possibly could at the expense of others? When did it become acceptable to cut costs so much that you endanger the lives of others? I cannot believe that stakeholders in companies would actually condone these practices, and I cannot believe that anyone would find them acceptable, and yet, they are occurring, and it makes me question my own future in business. Do I want to be involved with a company that engages...

I would rather be unemployed.
One of the things about ethics and responsibility -- in business and in personal lives -- his having accountability and empathy for those around you. I truly feel for the Chinese parents of those babies who got sick, and who died, and it breaks my heart to think of their pain. I cannot believe that the businesses involved in this scandal have any of that empathy or responsibility, or they never would have used that chemical in the first place. That means they are morally and ethically challenged, and I wonder what other shady business practices they engage in. What would they expect me to do as an employee in such a business? That makes me afraid, and also makes me question a career in modern business.

While I do think there are some businesses in China, and elsewhere around the world that really do care about their reputations and their customers, and try to act ethically, I think, cynically, that there are more businesses like these Chinese companies that really don't care about anything but their bottom lines, and at any and all costs. I could try to find a company that is more ethical to work for, and maybe I could work for a smaller business, that takes the time to really care about its customers and how they serve them. However, my studies have helped prepare me for a career in business, and the more I see of big business, the more I question its integrity and honesty.

Another example comes to me. Look at the banks and financial institutions that took the bail out money, and then paid their employees exorbitant bonuses. That is just wrong. They "rewarded" their employees for behavior that almost put them out of business, and they did it with taxpayers' money. How could anyone possibly think that was the right thing to do? It was morally and ethically wrong, and yet they did it, and got away with it. It makes me question the very core business values in this country, and it makes me question my…