Reference no: EM133327047

In Roman times, gladiators fought to the death. That was not considered unethical. In fact, this was the preferred form of weekend entertainment. In Medieval times, a 2-class system prevented common people from owning land. While some thought this unfair, it was not really thought of by most as unethical. It was simply the "luck of birth". And, as recently as the late 1600s, no one considered it unethical that women could not vote. Maybe, ethics do evolve & change with time. Whether you believe that or not, keep the thought in mind.

Less than 50 years ago, accepting suppliers' favors was an acceptable, almost expected way of doing business. Even today, gifts valued under $25 are normal. Business lunches and golf outings costing even more are acceptable in most cases. So, to at least some degree, accepting supplier favors is not always unethical today. But clearly, that has and is changing.

1. Why is it unethical to accept large favors while it is still ethical to accept small favors?

2. What do you think ethics will say about supplier favors 50 years from now?

3. Are there sound business reasons to consider supplier favors unethical? If so, what are they? If not, then why not?