I find the argument in this book highly interesting. It may apply to the general public or find use in academic environments. This text is a seminal work in understanding the evolution of commercial greed, casting sunshine on less-than-ethical behaviors by applying the Cambridge Platonist ethical approach. Finally, it shows why unethical strategies are ultimately value debasing.
-- Professor Raul L. Katz, Columbia University, New York.
The world continues to change, raising questions about ethics, which perhaps we do not even know to ask. This provocative book reminds us, especially those whose faith leads them to seek a just society, to constantly keep vigil in the emerging corporate and technological world.
-- The Rev Richard Witt, Executive Director, Rural & Migrant Ministry. Former Chaplain at Vassar College. In 2022 Richard was named by the City and State of New York as one of its top 100 faith leaders.
Most commercial enterprises sometimes deploy greedy and unethical tactics - knowingly or unknowingly. This text is seminal work in understanding the evolution of commercial greed, its sources, root causes, and even intergenerational sources. The authors focus on the often-unethical methods, tactics, and traps deployed by commercial enterprises to seize excess rent from unsuspecting buyers. The book casts sunshine on less-than-ethical behaviors by providing examples and a clear framework. This offers buyers insight and counter-tactics to avoid being cheated. This work helps to find the path between ethical and strategically sound tactics and those that are short-term, unethical. It shows why unethical strategies are ultimately value debasing. That is true increasingly as soulless technologies such as AI and powerful tech monopolies fall into the heavy gravitational pull of greed. As a result, ethical leadership is needed more than ever.
-- Daniel E. Aks, President and CEO, Undertone, Inc. and before that, Chairman and CEO, Antenna International.
Unethical and greedy behavior can be found in the market, and within companies. I have found that many companies are not aware of all material unethical behavior by employees, until it becomes a legal liability. This book shows how to spot unethical behaviors which have evolved to be less obvious, and so harder to detect. This is requisite knowledge for attorneys-- and particularly corporate counsel. Finally, the authors have shown how classic ethics are a tool which can go beyond legal guidelines, and result in fairer, more profitable and humane practices. A must-read. -- Bruce Cranner, Partner at Talley, Anthony, Hughes and Knight, Member of the Louisiana Bar, Board Member, Louisiana Association of Defense, Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Hearing Officer for Louisiana Board of Dentistry. Former Board Member National Foundation for Judicial Excellence.
The authors have surveyed the evolution of two important technologies: Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality, in sufficient depth to identify some of the potential ethical and criminal threats posed. The book applies traditional rules of ethics to form a weapon against (sometimes covert) unethical and criminal threats to corporate governance. -- Pritish Purohit, Group Head of Information Security at NinjaVan (Singapore).
This book ties together practical advice with ethical and organizational psychology. The authors outline how forms of greed drive behavior, and how different titles within a company have very different motivations: some are there to grow revenues, others are there to defend the company from financial and ethical misbehavior. Well worth a look for any CFO or manager who wants to uphold ethical standards.
-- Julio Zamora, Chief Financial Officer, North American Development Bank.
