A few days ago, while we were discussing our employer over lunch, someone used the phrase "business decision". Which got me to thinking, what exactly is a "business decision"?. Is a decision made by a business somehow different from a decision made by an individual? How are they different? Why are they different?

Perhaps a business decision is different from a individual decision because more people will be affected. I am unsure this difference is present, because an individual can definitely affect large groups.

Perhaps something when it is done by an individual is legal, while when it is done by a business it is not. I am unsure about this one as well. Recent legal tendencies is to give a business all the rights and privileges an individual enjoys, so I assume that businesses also share the same illegalities.

Perhaps a Business Decision is made by an individual who wishes to not be held accountable for it. Which begs the next question: why would a business do something which an individual, especially an individual who works for that business, would find distasteful?

I kind of like this last one, in a cynical and anti-social sort of way. A "business decision" is a cover up. Its like saying "I didn't mean to take away your house." Then the same entity turning around and selling said house and pocketing a great deal of money.

Perhaps the individual involved would really like to hurt people, but doesn't want to be caught doing it, the otherwise innocent business is caught in the middle. Or perhaps the path of most profit is to be as evil as possible, and the people involved are trapped instead, doing distasteful things because they have to maximize profit.

I would like to think the people are trapped, but I have not been impressed by the empathy of business people I have dealt with...

I think this failure can be summed up by wondering why a business is not held to an individual's behavioral standards. The individuals involved must be heald accountable for the business's actions. Or if not the individuals, then a business which is found guilty of some crime must be held accountable. We need a business death penalty, businesses which knowingly violate laws knowing that their individual leaders will not be held accountable must not be allowed to do business again. Cease their assets, they owe society, and they will pay with lock stock and barrel.

In the short term, nasty cut-throat tactics do benefit an individual, or a single company, but the whole society is damaged as a result. If businesses are not going to clean up their acts, then society must defend itself.