International BusinessThe business world has always relied heavily on contractual agreements in the conduct of business. These contracts, although written in ink, are etched in stone. Once your business partner signs their name on the dotted line, the pact is sealed and nothing else needs to be said. But what happens when you remove the physical contractual element and everything is agreed by word? The world of business ethics is an ancient discipline in most parts of the world and, in most cases, applies to the everyday business world. But in the case of China, a country of exaggerated figures and inflated profit margins, business ethics have not yet been fully assimilated into Chinese business culture. Business ethics is a multifaceted approach to honesty, integrity and candor in business. business world. This article, however, focuses on two main business ethics topics discussed by Dr. Rothlin in his book, Becoming a Top Player: 18 Rules of International Business Ethics. We will discuss rules 14 and 15 in the following. Rule 14 is about ensuring your public reputation by committing to quality and excellence. Rule 15 mainly deals with corruption and its negative impacts on daily business dealings. Although Rules 14 and 15 both fall under the realm of business ethics, they are very different in nature and so we have decided to give them each their own separate section. The first section we will look at is Rule 14, followed by Rule 15. Rule 14 states: “Your public relations strategy will only secure your reputation if it demonstrates your commitment to quality and excellence.” At first glance, this seems like a rather simple and obvious principle... in the middle of the document... in the middle of the two extremes that would be optimal. The GMC case study makes a compelling argument that reliable services build prestige. By removing the offending companies from its contact list, GMC has established a reputation for honesty and loyalty. Such a reputation rewards a company with future financial profits and business morality. With Enron in the rearview mirror, businesses need to understand that it’s not enough to look like an ethical company. There must be physical proof of commercial morality. This goal can only be achieved slowly, through many business decisions and years of negotiations. As China continues its rise toward modernization and commercialization, its companies rely on pure business ethics to build a solid foundation for the future. If these ethical procedures are not put into practice, the rapidly growing giant that is China could bog down..