Lawyers have their oath of attorney, and doctors have that Hippocratic one, but it struck Max Anderson, a Princeton alumnus who today graduates from the Harvard Business School, that MBAs have nothing. And so he and several of his classmates created the MBA oath, a promise to "act with utmost integrity and pursue my work in an ethical manner." (Read all eight parts of the pledge here.)
"The idea was for us to do something symbolic and meaningful as we graduate into the worst financial crisis of our times," Anderson says. "What the heck does an MBA mean anymore? You walk into a doctor's office and see an M.D. on the wall, and it inspires some kind of trust and confidence. If you see an MBA, does that inspire the same effect? Not right now, but it's worth a shot."
Thanks to the assiduous PR efforts of the oath creators--some of them are budding marketers, after all--their project has garnered plenty of notice, from a largely adulatory article in The New York Times to skepticism from bloggers including Tom Lindmark, who wrote on Seeking Alpha, "Let's not just kid ourselves about how much difference it is going to make."
When asked about the criticisms of the oath--that it's too vague, for instance, or that the pledgers (about 50% of the graduating class) would probably have acted ethically anyway--another of the organizers lapsed unfortunately into PR speak, griping that "those sentiments show that the MBA profession is under fire" and offering this gem: "We can't predict what will happen." She also said that the pledge is "aspirational." (Which raises another question: Why is only half of the class, then, aspiring to act ethically? Do the others want to reserve the right not to act with utmost integrity? Do some think it's an empty gesture?)
The organizers don't intend for the pledge to be a onetime thing--say, a ritual at commencement--but the start of something bigger. They see it as entrée into a club of sorts. The organizers intend to create an online community where those who pledge can come to their peers anonymously with ethical dilemmas they encounter in the workplace.
Whether their plan ultimately works or not--another online community? really?--these Harvard students have started an important discussion about doing the right thing in business, which is never a bad conversation to have. And what struck me as I discussed the oath and the reaction to it with Anderson (full disclosure: an old friend of mine) was his tone. Near the end of our conversation, he said, "We don't have this all figured out. People say it's fluffy. What does it even mean when we say 'ethical'? Valid criticism, totally! We're just saying we're trying to be honest and not looking to screw you." It seemed remarkably like something that's been lacking in a lot of the business world lately--and something we could use more of: humility. --Jeff Chu
Thurs, June 04
Graduate
Harvard Commencement
Cambridge, Massachusetts
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Related Stories: | Topics:Innovation, Leadership, Ethonomics, Magazine, FC Calendar, harvard, MBA, oath, ethics, Max Anderson, Princeton, Tom Lindmark, Harvard Business School, The New York Times Company |
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Recent Comments | 113 Total
July 20, 2009 at 7:13am by cleopatra fernandes
I think this is a good idea but will it really make difference? i do not think so how can you have an oath and make people stand by it.Taking an oath is being ethical. One need not take an oath to show everyone. If a person is aware of what type of person he is and what is his role he can make committments to himsef and stand by it.i do not feel that an oath can change the ethics of a person.
Cleopatra Fernandes
Roll No: 14
IMDR Pune
July 20, 2009 at 7:13am by Nidhi Chawla
IMDR, Pune I appreciate the new practice of conducting an oath ceremony for an M.B.A student. But I really do not understand the importance of oath ceremony. What is the importance of taking an oath if we do not follow it. Is it that only doctors and lawyers are required to behave in ethical way. Those who take oath are they doing ethical things? Every body is supposed to behave ethical with or with out oath. Since our childhood we are taught to behave in ethical way then why we need an oath at the end of the graduation. What was the reason that only 50% students were present. May be they do not know what is ethical and what is unethical. Or they do not require an oath to work in ethical way.
I really like the option of online community where those who pledge can come to their peers anonymously with ethical dilemmas they encounter in the workplace. Because sometimes we really do not know what is ethical and what is not. This will be helpful in such dilemmas.
Nidhi Chawla
Roll No. 13
IMDR, PUNE
IMDR, Pune I appreciate the new practice of conducting an oath ceremony for an M.B.A student. But I really do not understand the importance of oath ceremony. What is the importance of taking an oath if we do not follow it. Is it that only doctors and lawyers are required to behave in ethical way. Those who take oath are they doing ethical things? Every body is supposed to behave ethical with or with out oath. Since our childhood we are taught to behave in ethical way then why we need an oath at the end of the graduation. What was the reason that only 50% students were present. May be they do not know what is ethical and what is unethical. Or they do not require an oath to work in ethical way.
I really like the option of online community where those who pledge can come to their peers anonymously with ethical dilemmas they encounter in the workplace. Because sometimes we really do not know what is ethical and what is not. This will be helpful in such dilemmas.
Nidhi Chawla
Roll No. 13
IMDR, PUNE
July 20, 2009 at 7:14am by Nidhi Chawla
IMDR, Pune I appreciate the new practice of conducting an oath ceremony for an M.B.A student. But I really do not understand the importance of oath ceremony. What is the importance of taking an oath if we do not follow it. Is it that only doctors and lawyers are required to behave in ethical way. Those who take oath are they doing ethical things? Every body is supposed to behave ethical with or with out oath. Since our childhood we are taught to behave in ethical way then why we need an oath at the end of the graduation. What was the reason that only 50% students were present. May be they do not know what is ethical and what is unethical. Or they do not require an oath to work in ethical way.
I really like the option of online community where those who pledge can come to their peers anonymously with ethical dilemmas they encounter in the workplace. Because sometimes we really do not know what is ethical and what is not. This will be helpful in such dilemmas.
Nidhi Chawla
Roll No. 13
IMDR, PUNE
IMDR, Pune I appreciate the new practice of conducting an oath ceremony for an M.B.A student. But I really do not understand the importance of oath ceremony. What is the importance of taking an oath if we do not follow it. Is it that only doctors and lawyers are required to behave in ethical way. Those who take oath are they doing ethical things? Every body is supposed to behave ethical with or with out oath. Since our childhood we are taught to behave in ethical way then why we need an oath at the end of the graduation. What was the reason that only 50% students were present. May be they do not know what is ethical and what is unethical. Or they do not require an oath to work in ethical way.
I really like the option of online community where those who pledge can come to their peers anonymously with ethical dilemmas they encounter in the workplace. Because sometimes we really do not know what is ethical and what is not. This will be helpful in such dilemmas.
Nidhi Chawla
Roll No. 13
IMDR, PUNE
July 20, 2009 at 7:14am by cleopatra fernandes
I think this is a good idea but will it really make difference? i do not think so how can you have an oath and make people stand by it.Taking an oath is being ethical. One need not take an oath to show everyone. If a person is aware of what type of person he is and what is his role he can make committments to himsef and stand by it.i do not feel that an oath can change the ethics of a person.
Cleopatra Fernandes
Roll No: 14
IMDR Pune
July 20, 2009 at 7:14am by cleopatra fernandes
I think this is a good idea but will it really make difference? i do not think so how can you have an oath and make people stand by it.Taking an oath is being ethical. One need not take an oath to show everyone. If a person is aware of what type of person he is and what is his role he can make committments to himsef and stand by it.i do not feel that an oath can change the ethics of a person.
Cleopatra Fernandes
Roll No: 14
IMDR Pune
July 20, 2009 at 7:17am by Linsa Mathew
Taking an oath is a symbolic gesture. Unless and until you are really going to practice what you speak its going to remain just that - a symbolic gesture. Just because doctors and lawyers take an oath are they all ethically correct?
Linsa Mathew
IMDR Pune
Roll no.:33
July 20, 2009 at 7:19am by Tarang jain
I think taking oath does not make any difference. if a person is really ethical it does not require to show that he/she is ethical by taking an oath. 50% of the student who did not took the oath, we don't know that they are ethical or unethical. probably they don't care to show this. and so do i . . .
tarang jain (25)
IMDR, Pune
July 20, 2009 at 7:19am by Tarang jain
I think taking oath does not make any difference. if a person is really ethical it does not require to show that he/she is ethical by taking an oath. 50% of the student who did not took the oath, we don't know that they are ethical or unethical. probably they don't care to show this. and so do i . . .
tarang jain (25)
IMDR, Pune
July 20, 2009 at 7:19am by Tarang jain
I think taking oath does not make any difference. if a person is really ethical it does not require to show that he/she is ethical by taking an oath. 50% of the student who did not took the oath, we don't know that they are ethical or unethical. probably they don't care to show this. and so do i . . .
tarang jain (25)
IMDR, Pune
July 20, 2009 at 7:19am by Tarang jain
I think taking oath does not make any difference. if a person is really ethical it does not require to show that he/she is ethical by taking an oath. 50% of the student who did not took the oath, we don't know that they are ethical or unethical. probably they don't care to show this. and so do i . . .
tarang jain (25)
IMDR, Pune
July 20, 2009 at 7:21am by Abhishek Shroff
This is an excellent and innovative initiative taken up by these students...It is imperative that we as management students are reminded of what is expected of us...there would always be skeptics who would say that this is something that we should be aware of and that there is no point of taking an oath to remind ourselves of this...but i would like to remind these people that it is always good to brings these things out in the open and to make everyone aware of it...whether you would like to take the oath or not is something that should be voluntary...and also, like doctors and lawyers, peoples' lives depend upon decisions taken by us and therefore we should be reminded of the responsiblity that we share...in the case of doctors and lawyers it is already quite obvious...but for us, it is not that obvious and hence needs reminding...and i especially like the part about our peers being responsible for our ethical behaviour...
Abhishek Shroff,
PGDM, Roll No: 59,
IMDR
July 20, 2009 at 7:21am by Abhishek Shroff
This is an excellent and innovative initiative taken up by these students...It is imperative that we as management students are reminded of what is expected of us...there would always be skeptics who would say that this is something that we should be aware of and that there is no point of taking an oath to remind ourselves of this...but i would like to remind these people that it is always good to brings these things out in the open and to make everyone aware of it...whether you would like to take the oath or not is something that should be voluntary...and also, like doctors and lawyers, peoples' lives depend upon decisions taken by us and therefore we should be reminded of the responsiblity that we share...in the case of doctors and lawyers it is already quite obvious...but for us, it is not that obvious and hence needs reminding...and i especially like the part about our peers being responsible for our ethical behaviour...
Abhishek Shroff,
PGDM, Roll No: 59,
IMDR
July 20, 2009 at 7:21am by Abhishek Shroff
This is an excellent and innovative initiative taken up by these students...It is imperative that we as management students are reminded of what is expected of us...there would always be skeptics who would say that this is something that we should be aware of and that there is no point of taking an oath to remind ourselves of this...but i would like to remind these people that it is always good to brings these things out in the open and to make everyone aware of it...whether you would like to take the oath or not is something that should be voluntary...and also, like doctors and lawyers, peoples' lives depend upon decisions taken by us and therefore we should be reminded of the responsiblity that we share...in the case of doctors and lawyers it is already quite obvious...but for us, it is not that obvious and hence needs reminding...and i especially like the part about our peers being responsible for our ethical behaviour...
Abhishek Shroff,
PGDM, Roll No: 59,
IMDR
July 20, 2009 at 7:21am by Abhishek Shroff
This is an excellent and innovative initiative taken up by these students...It is imperative that we as management students are reminded of what is expected of us...there would always be skeptics who would say that this is something that we should be aware of and that there is no point of taking an oath to remind ourselves of this...but i would like to remind these people that it is always good to brings these things out in the open and to make everyone aware of it...whether you would like to take the oath or not is something that should be voluntary...and also, like doctors and lawyers, peoples' lives depend upon decisions taken by us and therefore we should be reminded of the responsiblity that we share...in the case of doctors and lawyers it is already quite obvious...but for us, it is not that obvious and hence needs reminding...and i especially like the part about our peers being responsible for our ethical behaviour...
Abhishek Shroff,
PGDM, Roll No: 59,
IMDR
July 20, 2009 at 7:22am by Neha Gupta
Ethics is something which comes from within. If a person wants to act unethically, taking an oath would not stop him/her from his intentions. An oath would only be a formality for that person. Very few people get conscious about their acts after taking such pledges.
People need to make up their mind to use their skills and potential only in the right direction. Just taking oaths won't help.
Neha Gupta
Roll no. 19
IMDR, Pune
July 20, 2009 at 7:23am by Raina Prabhudesai
An MBA programme is very different from a MBBS or an a LLB programme. Today, doctors and lawyers feel their degree is not sufficient and ultimately end up doing an MBA programme to add value to their profile or to help them take that step higher. I feel there is no real comparison between the two and thus, i see no need for us to prove ourselves.
Business ethics cannot be made mandatory, neither can they be enforced. It is upto each individual to decide where to draw that line. What guarantee do we have that each individual who has taken this oath will abide by it for the rest of his/her life? Humans are ruled by emotions and these emotions change with situations.
All said and done, i appreciate the enthusiasm and effort put into this and if it motivates people to take the right steps, there's nothing like it. I also feel the online community is a really good idea as it provides a platform for us MBA's to discuss issues and our experiences at our work places.
And who knows? It might just make a difference.
Raina Prabhudesai
Roll No. 48
PGDM-1
IMDR
July 20, 2009 at 7:24am by Tarang jain
i dont think that its necessary to take oath.
it depends on person to person,
just take care of your own,
and if the world around you do the same,
entire place will work ethically.
lokesh surana (62)
IMDR, Pune
July 20, 2009 at 7:28am by manisha amdekar
hi,
oath is relevant only if it is followed by consciousness.Above all people do business for profits . Profitability with ethics is the call of the day!!!! and for this oath will not be of much help..
manisha amdekar
IMDR PUNE, INDIA
Roll no. 02
July 20, 2009 at 7:49am by ankur jaiswal
an ehtics oath for an mba are u kidding me?
what is a need of an oath if a person is willing to work with honesty and hert he will,
he does not need take an oath fr that .
what about doctors and lawyers even they take an oath has it made any difference .
people preach doctors as god but what do they get in return at the end of the day
they find that they are being cheated by so called the best doctors in town .
so an oath does not really help out .
it depends on the person
ankur jaiswal
roll no. 26
imdr pune
July 20, 2009 at 7:52am by Swapnali teli
Ethics is the general requirement for each and every professional whether one belongs to doctor, sports, business or any other work. Ethics play an important role in development of ones’ personal as well as professional life. But yes ethics are not enforceable, it is individuals own decision whether he want behave in ethical manner or not. However, his decision is influenced by the environment in which he grows up.
About MBA oath, I don’t think it really going help. Like other line of work like doctors, politicians this MBA graduates will take oath and then forgot. Seeing that it is not possible to forcefully make anyone to perform in ethical way but yes it is possible to make ones’ aware about importance of behaving in ethical manner; moreover make them attentive, aware and wide awake through various live example.
Also I would like to give one case here. Say, the athlete competing in Olympic Game swears an oath about fair competition obeying all the rules. An athlete can be consider behave immorally if he uses forbidden drugs or not try to win the competition until the last moment. Giving up in the middle of the game makes playing meaningless which also decreases winner’s joy of winning the game.
Same thing apply in business context also. If someone try to win game by unethical way, then it will be worthless.
I feel such paradigm will help to make one aware. If it is not so then even oath will not be of use.
Swapnali Teli
IMDR, Pune
Roll NO.63
July 20, 2009 at 8:06am by vivek sharma
The unreasonable and unjustifiable greed of the managers (fund managers) is one of the most important reasons behind current financial crisis all over the world. So it is a good idea to make managers (an MBA) aware about their ethical responsibility towards the society or the organization to which they are serving.
Doctors and lawyers take oath before starting their profession so the MBAs should do the same. I don’t agree with this statement. I think in today’s competitive world, personal interest has got the upper position in people’s priorities. People are ready to manipulate anything for their personal interest. That’s the reason why even after taking oath still unethical incidences happen as far as profession of the doctors and the lawyers is concerned. Taking an oath doesn’t make any sense in making people ethically aware.
Vivek Sharma
Roll No: 57
IMDR, Pune
July 20, 2009 at 8:10am by vivek sharma
The unreasonable and unjustifiable greed of the managers (fund managers) is one of the most important reasons behind current financial crisis all over the world. So it is a good idea to make managers (an MBA) aware about their ethical responsibility towards the society or the organization to which they are serving.
Doctors and lawyers take oath before starting their profession so the MBAs should do the same. I don’t agree with this statement. I think in today’s competitive world, personal interest has got the upper position in people’s priorities. People are ready to manipulate anything for their personal interest. That’s the reason why even after taking oath still unethical incidences happen as far as profession of the doctors and the lawyers is concerned. Taking an oath doesn’t make any sense in making people ethically aware.
Vivek Sharma
Roll No: 57
IMDR, Pune
July 20, 2009 at 8:53am by Rahul Gupta
oath dosent make any sense for people. it can't force people to be ethical and if one want to work ethically he can do it without any oath. oath taking ceremony becomes a tradition and people forget its real sense.one can't define ethics thing ethical for me could be unethical for other.its ones perception.business is to create value for customer, earn profit and follow legal procedures.this is what i understand of business and to do it wholeheartedly is business ethics.oath cant guarantee that the person will remain ethical.
Rahul gupta(21)
imdr
July 20, 2009 at 8:53am by Rahul Gupta
oath dosent make any sense for people. it can't force people to be ethical and if one want to work ethically he can do it without any oath. oath taking ceremony becomes a tradition and people forget its real sense.one can't define ethics thing ethical for me could be unethical for other.its ones perception.business is to create value for customer, earn profit and follow legal procedures.this is what i understand of business and to do it wholeheartedly is business ethics.oath cant guarantee that the person will remain ethical.
Rahul gupta(21)
imdr
July 20, 2009 at 8:53am by Rahul Gupta
oath dosent make any sense for people. it can't force people to be ethical and if one want to work ethically he can do it without any oath. oath taking ceremony becomes a tradition and people forget its real sense.one can't define ethics thing ethical for me could be unethical for other.its ones perception.business is to create value for customer, earn profit and follow legal procedures.this is what i understand of business and to do it wholeheartedly is business ethics.oath cant guarantee that the person will remain ethical.
Rahul gupta(21)
imdr
July 20, 2009 at 2:55pm by Ruby Garg
The recession has taken a toll on the integrity of many in the financial sectors. They were the ones who had help people build castles in the air. The castles perished and the majority of the workforce was MBA grads. Thus there is a need for MBA oaths in today’s times - act with utmost integrity and pursue my work in an ethical manner.
What it tries to bring about in the larger picture is to get all the MBA grads passing out onto one platform where each can share their experiences and thoughts in regard to the issues related to integrity and ethics at work. This is very crucial in the days to come as each one will succumb under pressure to perform and get the job done. The possibility of this becoming a success is a question that can’t be answered today, but the intent comes across vividly.
Ruby Garg
Roll No.-50
IMDR, Pune
July 21, 2009 at 1:14am by Aditya Panigrahi
Although the “oath” taking sounds good and seems to be very effective but it depends on individual. The oath should not be only some words from mouth rather it should be the voice of one’s heart. Not a few words can prevent a person to commit wrong thing but if some one is true from its heart than there will be no need of taking oath. I feel the oath taking inside some class or in any institute will not be helpful to create a good community rather it just an opportunity to increase your popularity that “you” are the person who is doing a different thing.
There are many people who are doing wrong/illegal/unethical things after taking oath. Not only in India but every where in the world also people knows about the legal activity conducted and the police activities, where red tapism, corruption, bribery are influencing the decision and activities a lot. They are taking the oath and there oath matters a lot; but nobody is doing the things right. If there is somebody, than he is becoming a laughing creature for others. So how does it matter to take oath or not. Whole thing depends upon the person and his ethical values and his commitment towards himself as well as towards the society.
Aditya Prakash Panigrahi
PGDM II, IMDR, Pune, India
July 21, 2009 at 1:15am by Aditya Panigrahi
Although the “oath” taking sounds good and seems to be very effective but it depends on individual. The oath should not be only some words from mouth rather it should be the voice of one’s heart. Not a few words can prevent a person to commit wrong thing but if some one is true from its heart than there will be no need of taking oath. I feel the oath taking inside some class or in any institute will not be helpful to create a good community rather it just an opportunity to increase your popularity that “you” are the person who is doing a different thing.
There are many people who are doing wrong/illegal/unethical things after taking oath. Not only in India but every where in the world also people knows about the legal activity conducted and the police activities, where red tapism, corruption, bribery are influencing the decision and activities a lot. They are taking the oath and there oath matters a lot; but nobody is doing the things right. If there is somebody, than he is becoming a laughing creature for others. So how does it matter to take oath or not. Whole thing depends upon the person and his ethical values and his commitment towards himself as well as towards the society.
Aditya Prakash Panigrahi
PGDM II, IMDR, Pune, India
July 21, 2009 at 1:15am by Aditya Panigrahi
Although the “oath” taking sounds good and seems to be very effective but it depends on individual. The oath should not be only some words from mouth rather it should be the voice of one’s heart. Not a few words can prevent a person to commit wrong thing but if some one is true from its heart than there will be no need of taking oath. I feel the oath taking inside some class or in any institute will not be helpful to create a good community rather it just an opportunity to increase your popularity that “you” are the person who is doing a different thing.
There are many people who are doing wrong/illegal/unethical things after taking oath. Not only in India but every where in the world also people knows about the legal activity conducted and the police activities, where red tapism, corruption, bribery are influencing the decision and activities a lot. They are taking the oath and there oath matters a lot; but nobody is doing the things right. If there is somebody, than he is becoming a laughing creature for others. So how does it matter to take oath or not. Whole thing depends upon the person and his ethical values and his commitment towards himself as well as towards the society.
Aditya Prakash Panigrahi
PGDM II, IMDR, Pune, India
July 21, 2009 at 3:30am by rohit bagla
after going through this again what i really infer is that this oath thing basically comes out because of anxiety that doctors and lawyers take oath so lets do an oath for mba aswell, i guess just to make it more glamarous .
what we need to make sure is "why" we need an oath .
just to make sure that he is commited to what he or she is doing.
any ways by the time we graduate we are already 18 + and we inculcate all the habits , beleifs that we have been taught from the young age it becomes really difficult to change and an oath surely does not solve the matter .
age is not a parameter its just an example it does not mean that u make a little kid take an oath and feed him all the right things which he needs to do .
a person learns from his surroundings be it a healthy or an unhealthy surrounding .
what difference has it made any ways who take oath such as doctors , lawyers , politicians etc. we all know the truth about doctors we keep on seeing it every now and then in media and read it out in the newspapers , the same goes for lawyers and politicians as well.
so its we who need to understand that if we want to do good an oath wont help it has to come from the bottom of our heart .
ankur jaiswal
July 21, 2009 at 3:31am by rohit bagla
after going through this again what i really infer is that this oath thing basically comes out because of anxiety that doctors and lawyers take oath so lets do an oath for mba aswell, i guess just to make it more glamarous .
what we need to make sure is "why" we need an oath .
just to make sure that he is commited to what he or she is doing.
any ways by the time we graduate we are already 18 + and we inculcate all the habits , beleifs that we have been taught from the young age it becomes really difficult to change and an oath surely does not solve the matter .
age is not a parameter its just an example it does not mean that u make a little kid take an oath and feed him all the right things which he needs to do .
a person learns from his surroundings be it a healthy or an unhealthy surrounding .
what difference has it made any ways who take oath such as doctors , lawyers , politicians etc. we all know the truth about doctors we keep on seeing it every now and then in media and read it out in the newspapers , the same goes for lawyers and politicians as well.
so its we who need to understand that if we want to do good an oath wont help it has to come from the bottom of our heart .
ankur jaiswal
July 21, 2009 at 3:35am by rohit bagla
after going through this again what i really infer is that this oath thing basically comes out because of anxiety that doctors and lawyers take oath so lets do an oath for mba aswell, i guess just to make it more glamarous .
what we need to make sure is "why" we need an oath .
just to make sure that he is commited to what he or she is doing.
any ways by the time we graduate we are already 18 + and we inculcate all the habits , beleifs that we have been taught from the young age it becomes really difficult to change and an oath surely does not solve the matter .
age is not a parameter its just an example it does not mean that u make a little kid take an oath and feed him all the right things which he needs to do .
a person learns from his surroundings be it a healthy or an unhealthy surrounding .
what difference has it made any ways who take oath such as doctors , lawyers , politicians etc. we all know the truth about doctors we keep on seeing it every now and then in media and read it out in the newspapers , the same goes for lawyers and politicians as well.
so its we who need to understand that if we want to do good an oath wont help it has to come from the bottom of our heart .
ankur jaiswal