In “Why Ethical People Make Unethical Choices,” Ron Carucci explores the paradox of individuals with strong moral values engaging in unethical behavior due to situational pressures. He writes, “When people face conflicting demands or goals, they are often drawn into unethical behavior because they see no way out that would satisfy both.” This highlights the fact that even people with good intentions can make immoral choices when confronted with challenging circumstances, frequently placing survival or success ahead of having ethical considerations in their minds. This reading brings to mind a situation in which I was required to make a decision between assisting a friend with their schoolwork and sticking to the regulations that govern respect for academic honesty. Because of the temptation to keep our connection intact, I was tempted to make a decision that was unethical. To my good fortune, I chose a solution that allowed me to assist my friend in acquiring knowledge without violating any ethical bounds. Along the same lines as Carucci’s observations, I experienced the burden of competing objectives, which prompted me to empathize with the individuals described in the article. The content of the article is relevant to a number of business scandals, including the emissions controversy involving Volkswagen. There are a lot of employees who probably did not come to the organization with the intention of committing fraud, but they felt compelled to reach performance targets anyhow. The way in which Carucci discusses conflicting demands and unethical actions is a reflection of how real-world business pressures can compromise integrity, which is a frequent issue in many different types of organizational crises. Carucci’s argument serves as a reminder that firms need to develop settings that promote ethical behavior and offer employees with the support they need to keep their principles, even when they are under a lot of pressure.

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