--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no such thing as business…" description: "\"There is no such thing as business ethics. There is only one kind -- you have to adhere to the highest standards.\" — Marvin Bower" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f4/marvin-bower-33734_business_there-is-no-such-thing-as-business-ethic_3201796.png" --- # There is no such thing as business ethics. There is only… ![“There is no such thing as business ethics. There is only one kind -- you have to adhere to the highest standards.” quote by Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f4/marvin-bower-33734_business_there-is-no-such-thing-as-business-ethic_3201796.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f4/marvin-bower-33734_business_there-is-no-such-thing-as-business-ethic_3201796.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f4/marvin-bower-33734_business_there-is-no-such-thing-as-business-ethic_3201796.png) > “There is no such thing as business ethics. There is only one kind -- you have to adhere to the highest standards.” [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ethics is not a separate discipline but the highest standard of conduct in business. **In simple terms:** Business must follow the highest moral standards. Key Takeaway Uphold top ethical standards. Themes integrity leadership responsibility Mood reflective serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - decision making - leadership training - policy development Key Concepts ethical philosophy corporate governance Questions to Reflect On - How do you define the highest standards? - What challenges arise when applying them? A Different Perspective High standards can be costly and hard to enforce. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Business ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-ethics/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Ethics Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics-kind-2483292/) [Highest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highest/) [Highest Standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highest-standards-1101829/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standards/) ## Related quotes > [It is unreasonable to expect science to produce a system of ethics-ethics are a kind of highway code for traffic among mankind-and the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/it-is-unreasonable-to-expect-science-to-produce-a-system-of-ethics/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [I demand the highest standards in sleep, recovery and nutrition because that makes the difference if you can perform every third or fourth day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-ten-hag/i-demand-the-highest-standards-in-sleep-recovery-and-nutrition/) [Erik ten Hag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-ten-hag/) > [Interest in business ethics courses has surged, and student activities at leading business schools are more focused than ever before on making business serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/interest-in-business-ethics-courses-has-surged-and-student-activities/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Having George W. Bush giving a lecture on business ethics is like having a leper give you a facial, it just doesn't work!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/having-george-w-bush-giving-a-lecture-on-business-ethics-is-like/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [The mother loves her child most divinely, not when she surrounds him with comfort and anticipates his wants but when she resolutely holds him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamilton-wright-mabie/the-mother-loves-her-child-most-divinely-not-when-she-surrounds-him/) [Hamilton Wright Mabie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamilton-wright-mabie/) > [What I am for is protecting, with the highest standards in our courts, the religious liberty of Hoosiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/what-i-am-for-is-protecting-with-the-highest-standards-in-our-courts/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Excellence implies striving for the highest standards in every phase of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/excellence-implies-striving-for-the-highest-standards-in-every-phase/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [When you are able to maintain your own highest standards of integrity - regardless of what others may do - you are destined for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/when-you-are-able-to-maintain-your-own-highest-standards-of-integrity/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I am committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct for government officials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-committed-to-the-highest-standards-of-ethical-conduct-for/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Four Seasons' legendary brand epitomizes the highest standards for service in the hospitality industry worldwide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartz/four-seasons-legendary-brand-epitomizes-the-highest-standards-for/) [Julia Hartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartz/) > [I don't deny that there are problems in the intelligence world, but I would argue that in the UK we try to uphold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hague/i-don-t-deny-that-there-are-problems-in-the-intelligence-world-but-i/) [William Hague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hague/) > [I hold myself to the highest of standards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-irsay/i-hold-myself-to-the-highest-of-standards/) [Jim Irsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-irsay/) > [The world must know that America holds to the highest standards of military conduct and human rights protections. Anything less is unacceptable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mikulski/the-world-must-know-that-america-holds-to-the-highest-standards-of/) [Barbara Mikulski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mikulski/) > [The idea for which this nation stands will not survive if the highest goal free man can set themselves is an amiable mediocrity. Excellence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/the-idea-for-which-this-nation-stands-will-not-survive-if-the-highest/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [“they will have the right to expect from you the highest standards of character, professional competence and integrity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/they-will-have-the-right-to-expect-from-you-the-highest-standards-of/) [John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/) ## More by Marvin Bower > [Convinced that behavior and conduct are every bit as important as skills and expertise, I sought to build the firm into an enduring, values-based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/convinced-that-behavior-and-conduct-are-every-bit-as-important-as/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [Business leaders shape public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/business-leaders-shape-public-opinion/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [Decisions should be based on facts, objectively considered what I call the fact-founded, thought-through approach to decision making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/decisions-should-be-based-on-facts-objectively-considered-what-i-call/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [A business of high principle generates greater drive and effectiveness because people know that they can do the right thing decisively and with confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/a-business-of-high-principle-generates-greater-drive-and/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [If you are not willing to take pain to live by your principles, there is no point in having principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/if-you-are-not-willing-to-take-pain-to-live-by-your-principles-there/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [People should be judged on the basis of their performance, not nationality, personality, education, or personal traits and skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/people-should-be-judged-on-the-basis-of-their-performance-not/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [Decisions should be based on facts, objectively considered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/decisions-should-be-based-on-facts-objectively-considered/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [Basic philosophy, spirit and drive of an organization have far more to do with its relative achievements than do technological or economic resources, organizational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/basic-philosophy-spirit-and-drive-of-an-organization-have-far-more-to/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [Leading fosters a working atmosphere that stimulates an open exchange of ideas and fosters dissent. People should show a genuine concern for one another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/leading-fosters-a-working-atmosphere-that-stimulates-an-open-exchange/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [The course of business shapes public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/the-course-of-business-shapes-public-opinion/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [The difference between a leadership and a command company can be very great indeed, because in a hierarchical situation, people who have concerns about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/the-difference-between-a-leadership-and-a-command-company-can-be-very/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [I believe that leaders and leadership teams working together in a proper design will run the business more effectively than by hierarchical, command-and-control managing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/i-believe-that-leaders-and-leadership-teams-working-together-in-a/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [A business of high principle attracts high-caliber people more easily, thereby gaining a basic competitive and profit edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/a-business-of-high-principle-attracts-high-caliber-people-more-easily/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) [Explore all 14 Marvin Bower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. 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