The Map Seeker » Politics

Anti-Corruption Policies and Ethical Business Practices

David — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:59:31 +0000

The continued anti-corruption effort is one that has been going on for many years in the political and the business arenas of not just the United States, but of the entire world as well. There are many practices and policies one can enforce in their workplace to ensure that all transactions and relationships remain morally and ethically sound. Perhaps local business and medical practices are what make the news, more so than the widespread international cases of corruption.

In some cases, ethical ways of conducting one’s business, one’s own behavior and that of their employees gets compromised when the standard performance and consistency of practices and policy adherence gets tossed to they wayside. The problem in defining and investigated such practices is the just because an act or a transaction is unethical, it does not necessarily mean that it is illegal. The subject of ethics is a far-reaching philosophical notion, one that has been studied by writers, poets, the judicial systems and the universities.

There are many varied definitions, which are influenced by the ideology, the religions, the cultures of the various societies of the world. So it is no wonder that it is not only difficult to define, ethical behavior that is, it is difficult for the various nations of the world to agree in order to cooperate and collaborate in an all around notion of ethical behavior. So practicing ethical behavior in the business world, brings morals into the boardroom.

Quite often this is difficult for businesses as the most efficient and financial production way to operate may not take into consideration the human aspect of life, of which morals are a part. But the fight towards the end of corruption has resulted in organizations and new laws, being enforced on companies that make it an illegal action to act in an ethical and a moral way. These are policies that are enforced by threat of criminal prosecution, and therefore may serve to forcible create the moral and the ethical practices in businesses throughout the world.

Anti-Corruption Policies and Ethical Business Practices is a post from: The Map Seeker

Political Corruption in the World Today

David — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:44:36 +0000

In a modern democratic society, the power that is given to the bodies who govern are given, mandated politically, to the them by the people of their country, state, county or city. That power, under the philosophy of democracy is to be used to benefit the people of the society as a whole, and is not to be used for the benefit or personal gain of the individual who holds the title. It this power is misused in this fashion, that is called political corruption. This form of corruption is directly contradictory and inherently incompatible with the very definition of democracy.

Unfortunately, corruption is found in every sector of the world, the social sector, the business and financial sectors and even in the democratic political sectors. The challenge is that the temptations that take a hold of those in power become too great and can cause some to act in unethical and undemocratic ways. And while new systems of checks and balances and new mechanisms of control are in place to place obstacles in the plans of those committing the corruption actions, the corruption still remains. Where is corruption happening throughout the world nowadays?

According to a report that comes out each year, the Corruptions Perceptions Index has found evidence that the countries of Scandinavia come out with the least of instances of political corruption, while the lowest ranking governments are to be found in the South East Asian country of Myanmar and the Sub-Saharan regions of Africa, the most corrupt of those being Somalia. These are not the most corruption in the country of Africa, but in the entire world.

The goal of the Index is not to point fingers or to brand any one region in anyway, their goal is just simply to raise the awareness of the people of the world to what is happening in these places. For there have been recent cases in France, Japan, the United States and Germany as well. It points to the fact however, that a leader who is going to practice with a corrupt mind and heart will be as corrupt as the people they govern allow them to be. The checks and balances in some countries are just better organized and carried than in the countries such as certain regions of Africa.

Political Corruption in the World Today is a post from: The Map Seeker

Cases of Money Laundering

David — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:19:48 +0000

Between the years of 1994 and 2001, more than eighteen thousand people in the United States had gone before the federal court system on charges of money laundering. This information was in a report filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in a statement that was then turned over to the Assoc. of the Chiefs of Police. Just about half were charged with the money laundering being the most serious crime, while the rest were charge with offenses equally or more serious such as drug trafficking or dealing, terrorist financing, or extortion and corruption. Almost eighty six percent of those charged were found guilty and therefore convicted. That was almost ten years ago, and the conviction rate was that high.

In today’s world it is getting even more difficult for criminals to get away with this form of corruption, as the agencies investigated such crimes are growing in numbers and sophistication. As well as the fact that many of the banks of the world are becoming more savvy on their own in the ways of uncovering any kind of suspicious activity. They are themselves, cooperating and coordinating with authorities. When a case of money laundering is detected it is not only the criminal that goes under investigation but the financial institution as well. And when the reputation of a bank, or any company for matter, comes into question the result is that they suffer.

People and other institutions do not want their names nor their company name to be associated with one that has been convicted of any form of corruption. It is for this reason that banks will fill out suspicious activity reports, practice the concepts of due diligence and know your customer, and make these reports available to the authorities leading the investigations. It is evident as to just what corruption will do to a bank’s business, as well as to the country it is located in, in the current corruption cases involving the Bank of Tanzania are being uncovered. Not only have foreign investors removed their business from the bank, but from the rest of the economy as well. This is not good for the innocent citizens of Tanzania.

Cases of Money Laundering is a post from: The Map Seeker