During the earlier years of the Great Recession, ethical investigations and disciplinary proceedings involving ethical charges were on the decline. One major contributing factor was the high unemployment rate. Employees were simply afraid to take risks and lose their jobs. Had ethical misconduct all but disappeared as an ongoing issue? It was, of course, naive to think that employees had turned the corner when it came to acting ethically.
If we fast-forward several years later, a difficult business environment prevails. Making a deal is not as easy as it was before. Purchasing decisions are being delayed or foregone.
