Question

Below statement is vague. Please elaborate in greater detail:

I can see how some executives do take advantage of situations, but I also agree that some executives have worked very hard and have steered their careers well, in order to achieve the goal of being paid well. So for the ones that take complete advantage of the situation in order to fulfill their own greed, like the executives of Enron, they are completely in the wrong. But for those who have worked hard to achieve their goals under non malicious means... well, I have nothing but respect for them.

Answer 1

Executives can be of two types with regard to their motives.

The respectable ones strive to advance their careers and improve their compensation by carrying out their work ethically. Anything they do, even if it has the goal of improving their career/compensation, they would do only within the frame work of ethical standards of work. They will not adopt dubious methods or strategies. They will have the superordinate goal of well being of the organization as a whole.

In contrast, the other category would do anything, ethical or unethical, to further their careers and compensation. For them, the superordinate goal does not exist. They go by the moto 'any action is fair if, it is done for one's sake'.

Hence, the first category of executives are to be respected and the second are to be scorned of.