Professionals, Cheats and Mercenaries 6

Business is a socially useful and necessary field of human activity. Businessmen produce goods of use of to the community and offer them at affordable prices. They promote economic growth and development of the country through business growth. Business provides employment to millions. This ensures steady supply of essential goods and services at the most competitive prices so that the consumers get their money's worth.

When professionally managed, the goods are of high quality and fairly long shelf life. Defects are rectified free of cost or as per the clauses in the agreement. In other cases the defective goods are replaced free of cost. Good business creates customers and the chain of economic activity grows in a healthy manner. There are really professional business men who love their profession and are not dominated by greed .They have operating principles which incorporate their philosophy of life. Such business keeps ahead of competition and serves as a model employer, pay taxes to the povernment, provide employment and motivate employees. They do not find excuses for not honoring a guarantee. They consistently do this and incorporate such principles in their objectives and policies. They really serve the customers.

In contrast we find business that will do anything for money. They adulterate goods, offer poor quality services and at high prices, take advantage of scarcity conditions and exploit the consumers in every possible way. They follow unethical practices which is their basic philosophy. Thus these business tycoons enter the category of cheats.

The business is set up based on a proposal which if examined in depth reveals that the investment is excessive and not viable. Somehow such business takes advantage of the flush of funds in the banking system. With employees working like mercenaries and with refined cheating as their business tactics they flourish.
They cheat the banks by defaulting, sell substandard goods, find fault with the customers, window dress the balance sheet and show a profit even if there is a loss. They even temporarily buy off the shareholders. The contents of packages weigh less than the declared weight. The discounts announced are withdrawn without notice even before the declared time of validity .

Unhealthy employment and remuneration practices prevail in their organizations. Stocks are declared at very high value. Sometimes non existent stock is declared for raising working capital and to enjoy higher financial limits from banks. Unscrupulous among them resort to heavy bribing to get things done from the government. They sow the seeds of corruption and encourage politicians to be corrupt with easy money. They do business by corruption which is part of their ethics. All these defects are camouflaged under the cover of heavy misleading advertisements.

With change in government they shift loyalties for deriving benefits. The business gains concessions and favors from the government which amount to exploiting the consumers. Inefficient methods of production are perpetuated.

Business firms form cartels to control supply of essential commodities and to rig prices. Using money power they eliminate competition. Through this mechanism a competitor who sells first quality product is forced to lose the order and substandard articles of another gain acceptance. Thus good business is driven out of the market. Some of these shady businessmen are known as "fly by night operators". It is such business that has to be hooked by the law and subjected to deterrent punishment in public interest. (To be continued)