A couple of months ago, I finally read “The Big Short: Insidethe Doomsday Machine” by Michael Lewis. The book delves into the2008 financial crisis, which was fueled by ethical failures on manyfronts. While both the book and the subsequent movie may not beperfect, they provide an interesting look at the role of integrityin business.

As I contemplated the ethical lapses described in the book, moreexamples appeared in the news. Let's consider some of theseevents.

Recent news of yet another major bank scandal (and the corporateand personal income that goes along with it) has called attentionto business ethics yet again. While unethical behavior seems to beperpetrated by those who think of themselves as “good people,” thebank's leadership seems to be tone deaf when it comes to theresults their actions have on the rest of us. Their excuse is thatcross-selling is part of their culture, but they never intended toincentivize falsifying accounts. Meanwhile, the company officialsresponsible for creating the culture cite misinterpretation oftheir customer-centered goals by some misguided associates.