If you can’t beat them, buy them
February 26th, 2006I can’t say I’ve ever used cosmetics from L’Oreal – I guess I’m just not worth it - but I was still slightly depressed to see that they are rumoured to be about to buy up one of their “ethical” competitors, The Bodyshop. This followed news earlier this year that CadburySchweppes had gobbled up Green and Blacks, an “ethical” producer of organic and occasionally Fairtrade chocoloate.
The similarity with developments in the software industry is startling, with the commercial giants swallowing up open-source competitors – Oracle and Sleepycat – Oracle and Innobase – IBM and Gluecode – with more rumoured to be in the pipeline.
Although these announcements are often accompanied with fine phrases about preserving the integrity and core values of the acquisition, the jury is out as to how that can work. The whole raison d’etre of “ethical” companies – and I include open-source software in that term – is that the multinationals have conspicuously failed to display the values that staff and consumers alike demand.
Note to self – check out CABE’s Principles for those in business as reviewed in The Tablet when CABE’s website comes back up…
February 28th, 2006 at 10:53 pm
re CABE Principles for those in business.
Does CABE have a position on whether a company, which as a matter of policy , observes the letter of the law only regardless of the spirit (eg exploiting loopholes to effect tax avoidance transactions) is likely to conform with the CABE set of principles for those in business ? The effect of such practices would be to increase the tax burden of companies which observe both the letter and spirit of the law. Hardly a Christian ethos .
March 1st, 2006 at 8:42 am
You make a good point, and it made me think of Luke 16 and the “dishonest steward”, or for that matter, the old rhyme:
the rain it raineth on the just
and also on the unjust fellow
but chiefly on the just because
the unjust steals the just’s umbrella
i.e. acting ethically puts you at a disadvantage to those who don’t.
I’m not a member of CABE, but I think they would argue that this is covered by their statement:
“Business ethics are essential in guiding employees and managers in their actions. Leading businesses care how results are obtained and will choose the course of highest integrity in guiding their affairs…
with the emphasis on “how”.