Institutional Conflicts of Interest: Business & Public Policy

By: Skip Worden

Narrated by: Tom Kruse

Typically people react emotionally much more severely to an exploited conflict of interest when a person gains a personal benefit such as through a bribe. If company, or even an office or department thereof, stands to benefit inordinately, American society typically looks the other way on the institutional conflict of interest rather than taking it apart. This may just be human nature.

However, the troubling institutional arrangements within an organization or between them may be tolerated because of the erroneous assumption that conflicts of interest are unethical only when they are exploited. Accordingly, the book provides a solid grasp of the structure and essence of the conflict of interest in order to make the case that it is inherently unethical.

Examples of institutional conflicts of interest readily come from business, with particular attention to corporate governance and the financial sector, as well as from how business and government relate, such as through regulation. The reader should come away with a sense of just how pervasive and ethically problematic institutional conflict of interests are.

©2017 Skip Worden (P)2018 Skip Worden

Mind Opening Discussion

The author provides the reader with a strong viewpoint related to Conflicts of Interest and the the intertwining of business, politics, and public interest. The reader must understand that the author is providing a view from academic studies and research related to Conflicts of Interest. I'm sure there are contrasting views (not represented in the book) from people who are trying to find the middle ground of finance and acceptable conflicts of Interest.