As ‘guidelines for responding to unethical adversaries’, De George lays down 10 rules of thumb, beginning with the diktat that you should not give in to the temptation to retaliate in kind. For example, “a company must counter a competitor’s lies with the truth, not with lies of its own.” Principles cannot be turned on or off at will, and victory at the cost of one’s principles will be hollow, the author reminds.

The second rule advises you to use your moral imagination, because there are no specific rules for responding to an unethical opponent. A role model can be Gandhiji, who countered the British armed force ‘with a technique that captured the imagination of masses of people, and it achieved his goal more effectively than force could have.’

Third, “When the response to immorality involves justifiable retaliation or force, apply the principle of restraint.” That is, use no more force and cause no more harm than necessary to accomplish your justifiable aims, counsels De George. The fourth rule is on proportionality.

Apply the technique of ethical displacement, exhorts rule five. This involves rising to a higher level to solve the dilemma. “Thus a dilemma for an individual on a personal level may only find a solution on the corporate level… Corporate dilemmas, in turn, may require changes in industry structures to guarantee fair conditions of competition.”

Rule six, use publicity to underscore the immoral actions, and open up the unethical practice to public scrutiny. Convincing arguments.

D. Murali

http://BookPeek.blogspot.com

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