Final answer:
Business ethics can be compromised by short-term financial pressures, competitive threats, and a lack of a strong ethical culture. Corporate responsibility and the ethical use of emerging technologies are significant areas of concern in maintaining business ethics.
Step-by-step explanation:
Factors that lead to compromised business ethics include a focus on short-term financial gain over long-term values, pressures from competition, conflicts of interest, lack of accountability, and a culture that does not prioritize or enforce ethical behavior. When competition from firms with better or cheaper products intensifies, it can lead to aggressive tactics that may compromise ethics. In the face of reduced profits or threats to business survival, the urgency to sustain the business may lead some to cut corners or engage in unethical practices.
Corporate responsibility is essential to business ethics, which can be further explained by how organizations should manage their impact on social, economic, and environmental issues. Additionally, ethical considerations in the use of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, pose new challenges that intertwine with normative moral theories and political debate. Codes of ethics are tools businesses and professional organizations use to guide the conduct of their members and address issues like bribery, discrimination, and environmental impact.