Business Makers

Chambers of Commerce are voluntary and non-profit-making organizations of all types of businessmen operating in particular territory, for the protection a promoting of the in tersest of the business community in general and do that territory in particular. A hamper of commerce is a representative body of businessmen. It differs form a trade association, as it does not confine its interests operations to only on particular trade or industry. Rather it represents the business community and particular region, country or the world as whole. The composition and constitution of a chamber of commerce differ form country to country. In France; they have a legal status and are entitled to operate public undertakings like docks, warehouses, etc. In other countries they are voluntary organizations. In India, every major State has its own chamber of commerce. Associated Chamber of Commerce, Indian Chamber of Commerce Bengal Camber Commerce, Indian Merchants Chamber, Delhi, Mariana and Punjab Chamber e commerce are a few examples. Many chambers of commerce are affiliated to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), New Delhi, formed in 1926 or to the Associated Chambers of commerce (ASSOCHAM) Calcutta, sets up in 1920 to improve the terms and conditions of business bet venation and to encourage better international understanding.

The main functions of chambers of commerce are as follows:

Representing the business community on Government and other committees and conferences and keeping the government aware of the problems of trade and industry in the country;
Acting as the spokesman of the business community and making suggestion as representations for securing legislation that will foster trade industry;
Settling disputes among members by arbitration;
Educating public opinion the work and problems of the business community. Sending delegates and arranging trade fairs and exhibitions to further the interest of the business community.
Standardizing and improving trade practices through code of conduct;
Providing facilities for education and research;
Collecting an disseminating information reading to general business condition and keeping members informed of latest developments in the field of business;
Arranging lectures, seminars, discussions, etc., for the exchange of views between members;
Some chambers conduct examinations and awed diplomas and issue certificates of origin to exporters.

Business ethics may be defending as the moral principles which should govern business activities in relation to society.  It suggests the ways and mans of running a business unmoral grounds.  Business ethics requires businessmen to e honest and truthful in their dealings.  They should adopt practices which are beneficial to society.

Business ethics is a set of moral principles governing the conduct of businessmen.  The most important question raised nosiness ethics is: should businessmen earn profit by any means? The answer is negative. Business ethics does not permit a businessman to adopt dishonest means for earning profits.  Businessmen should be honest and truthful and should not ague harm to others for personal gain.  Thus, business ethics suggests ways and means of running a business on the basis of sound moral conduct.

Business ethics require businessmen to observe certain moral and ethical standards in business dealings. Ethical considerations are important in business because businessmen are responsible for the welfare of society.  They can fulfill their social obligations only when they adopt ethical practices.  Business ethics helps incarnating harmonious relationships between business and society.  Social values, personal beliefs and government rules an deregulations are the main factory influencing business ethics.

Business can survive and grow only when the environment in which it operates is clean and safe for eel, animals and vegetation.  Therefore, environmental protectionism an important responsibility of business.  Business can contribute to environmental protection in the following ways:

• Use of clean and low waste technology in industry
• Recycling and revising industrial waste e.g. us of combustible waste in industrial boilers
• Scientific treatment of emissions before their release
• Assisting governmental agencies and egos inclining polluted rivers, managing hazardous substances and checking deforestation
• Installation of pollution resistant machinery
• Promoting awareness about ecological balance
• Planting trees on roads to keep the city green
• Use of CNG vehicles
• Fulfilling requirements for products to bear ECOMARK label
• Adopting other environmental friendly measures

Environmental pollution poses a serious threat to human health and quality of life.  Pollution makes air harmful to breathe, water unsafe to drink and land unfit taj live on.  Control over environmental pollution is necessary due to the following reasons:

• To Reduce Health Hazards: Environmental pollution is a major cause of cancer, lung and heat diseases.  These diseases have become leading cause of death in modern society.  Most of the health problems which women and infants face arise from the environment in which they work and live.

• To Reduce Safety hazards: Air pollution caused by oil refineries sand other industries leads to poor visibility.  As a result automobiles on highways and aircrafts trying to land or take off from airports face hazards.  Poor visibility has were the cause of serious accidents.

• To Reduce Economic Loss: Pollution spoils clothes, vegetation, livestock, and buildings.  Pollution control is necessary to reduce the damage.  It will reduce washing expenses and cost of repair maintenance of buildings.

• To Reduce Inconvenience: Pollution of rivers and lakes makes them unfit for swimming and fishing.  Air pollution causes eye irritation and respiratory problems.  Air pollutions obstruct normal conversation.  Control over pollution can avoid such nuisance or discomfort.

• To Improve Quality of Life: Pollution control helps to improve the quality of air.  It prevents blackening of buildings by pollution.  For example, environmental experts have stressed the need to protect Taj Mahal from the pollution caused by Matura refinery Pollution control will also reduce foul odours.

The causes of various types of pollution are given below:

• Air Pollution: Smoke and other chemicals from industries and carbon monoxide form vehicles cause pollution of air.  Emission of smoke, gases, fumes, dust and ash leads to or pollution.  These harmful substances reduce the quality of air.
• Water Pollution: Business firms and people dump industrial effluents, waste and chemicals into jives, streams and lakes.  As a result water gees polluted.
• Land Pollution: Dumping of toxic waste and garage gausses pollution of land.  Excessive use of fertilizers, chemicals and pesticide also pollutes the soil.  As a result land becomes infertile and no grass or plants can grow.  It is necessary to restore the quality of land that has already been damaged.  It is also essential to prevent future pollution of land by adopting new methods of disposal of solid waste.
• Noise Pollution: Traffic and industries create noise in cities.

• Pollution means the injection of harmful substance into the environment. Since independence, growing population and rapid growth of industries in India have crated serious environmental problems.  For example, Delhi alone has more than 12.355 industries. The smoke and smell emanating from these industries are polluted their.  Such pollution affects the health of people.  It has been estimated that more than 5000 people die every year in India due to air pollution.  Most of the industries dump their liquid waste into rivers, canals and underground water which leads to pollution of drinking water.  Industries also cause noise pollution.

• The amount of environmental pollution depends upon the type of pollutant; the amount of pollutant disposed of into the environment and the distance of a place form the sources of pollution.

Business interacts with several interest groups of society. These interest groups are s follows:

INTEREST GROUPS

Owners and Employees Consumers Supplies Government Community
Investors and general
Public

The responsibilities of business towards these interest groups are summarized below:

• Responsibilities Towards Owners and Investors: (a) To provide a fair return on their investment (b)To furnish regular, accurate and complete information abut the working of the company (c) To maximize the shareholders’ wealth by means of increase in the value of shares (d) To allow the shareholders representation and participation in the management of business.

• Responsibilities Towards Employees: (a) To pay fair wages for the contribution of employees (b) To provide security of job and promotion opportunities (c) To offer welfare facilities like safe working conditions, housing, medical and leave, retirement benefits etc. (d) To treat employees as partners in the management and progress of business (e) To evocate work according to their knowledge an aptitude is as to ensure job satisfaction.

• Responsibilities towards Consumers: (a) To provide goods and services of the right quality and at reasonable prices(b) To avoid unfdair trade practices such as adulteration. Black-marketing, misleading advertising, etc. (c) To handle consumer grievance quickly and courteously. (d) to provide effective and prompt after sale service.

• Responsibilities towards Suppliers: Every business firm should develop and maintain healthy relations with suppliers and competitors. It must pay the right price and make regular payments to its suppliers. In regular dealings with competitors, a business enterprise must not adopt unfair trade practices such as price cutting to gain unfair advantage.

• Responsibilities towards the Government: (a) To comply with the laws passed by the government (b) To pay all taxes honesty and in time (c) To assist the government in the formulation and implementation of proper business policies (d) To support the government efforts in improving the quality of life of people.

• Responsibilities Towards the community and General Public: (a) To reduce pollution (b) To take adequate safety measures against production of hazardous or unsafe products (c) To contribute to social welfare by helping educational institutions, hospitals, weaker sections of society, etc. (d) To provide relief in times of natural calamities such as drought, flood, earthquake, etc. (e) To promote sports, art and culture (vi) To prevent discrimination on the basis of sex, caste, race, religion, etc. in providing employment.

Business is expected to work for the economic and social well being of the community.  The responsibilities of business towards the society as a corporate citizen are as follows:

To make optimum utilization of national resources.
To generate maximum opportunities for gainful employment.
To protect the natural environment formal types of pollution.
To promote communal harmony and peas in society.
To uplift the weaker sections of society such as handicapped, orphans, widows, scheduled castled, etc.
To promote national interrogation and democratic institutions.
To preserved and promote social and cultural values.
To undertake research and development so as to improve quality and reduce costs.

A business owes the following responsibilities to the government:

To comply voluntarily with the laws passed by the government.
To pay taxes and duties honestly and in time.
To make constructive suggestions regarding formulation of policies which have a bearing on business?
To cooperate with the executive organs of the government regarding proper implementation of laws and policies.
To cooperate with the executive organs of the government regarding proper implementation of laws and policies.
To support the efforts of the government for improving the quality of life of people and in solving the pressing national problems in the country.
To plan and establish new endures joint rural and backward areas in the interest of balanced regional development of the country.
To continue towards rescue and relief work in times of national calamity or disaster such s droughts, floods, earthquake, etc.

A business owes its existence to its consumers.  The responsibilities obtuseness towards the consumers is given below:

To produce the goods and services needed and desired by consumers.
To provide goods and services of goods quality at reasonable prices.
To provide current information about goods and services.
To avoid malpractices such as adulteration, black marketing, misleading advertising, etc.
To redress the grievances of consumers effectively and promptly.
To comply with the laws aimed at protection of consumed.
To provide prompt and effective aftedr-sale service.