Hot answers tagged ethics
15
Forget about lawsuits.
What about your own self-respect? Is your self-respect less valuable than the cost of some software? What about the karmic consequence? Is the karmic price less costly than a discount obtained under false pretenses? And what about these consequences to the other person whose credentials you use if they cooperate in the ruse?
If you ...
11
I don't understand why you think she should leave.
It doesn't sound like you brought her on board with high expectations -- as you say, she doesn't hold any official position. She's not your friend, so you can't expect her to act in some socially-ideal way. She's doing what she's always done; and, in return, she got something of value to her -- equity. Now ...
9
Kenneth is right in that your biggest problems are ethical and moral, rather than legal.
However, since you asked about the legal ramafications, yes, you should be concerned about software piracy as a business practice. Not only can the publisher sue, but the Software Publisher's Association has a very active and aggressive campaign finding and prosecuting ...
9
Willingness to do things they've never done (new technologies, random job responsibilities). Someone who regularly programs in their spare time with new technologies is good.
Ability to pick up new skills quickly (similar to above)
Gets things done ('big ideas' people are good, but you really need people who will execute at a startup). Look for someone who ...
8
I'm actually facing somewhat the same situation myself.
In my experience coming back to the same workplace once left is probably not going to happen. Basically because:
You have the urge to do something different (you are not quite satisfied with the current position) - otherwise you probably wouldn't consider leaving in the first place. The reason being ...
8
The Federal Trade Commission has stated:
When there exists a connection between the endorser and the seller of the advertised product that might materially affect the weight or credibility of the endorsement (i.e., the connection is not reasonably expected by the audience), such connection must be fully disclosed.
So, yes, your paid endorsers need to ...
7
Personal experience: Leave at 5 and don't work overtime, especially if you are a salaried employee. Employers seldom recognize the additional hours so you are giving away something of value for free. From another view, what you work on on your own time will be a revenue generator for years and years. The only benefit you might get long term from an ...
7
It's ok and very reasonable to quit and start a business in a similar space. If you worked for 10 years in the advertising market, I expect you to start a business in advertising, not switch to hardware engineering :-)
There are some pretty clear unethical actions, that you should stay far, far away from. Basically taking any inside knowledge about existing ...
7
If you haven't received paperwork for the options, you weren't granted them. If your offer letter says "subject to board approval," which it probably has to, then you probably don't have legal recourse.
There are a few things that might be going on here.
The board has had trouble issuing options because they have been unable to get a solid valuation for ...
6
Thank you for posting an incredible case for patent reform.
Am I understanding my research and
these links correctly?
Yes.
Are these business practices as
malicious and unethical as I think
they are, or is this normal in the
business world?
Yes, and Yes.
What can a startup company in this
industry (or any other) do to protect
...
6
That sounds like a really bad situation. You have to look around you and decide if this company is essentially dishonest ans runs like a scam, or if they are simply incompetent. You may be able to tell by looking at how they treat their customers for instance.
It looks like you already escalated the issue as much as you could. I assume you asked your direct ...
5
If you're "graduating" from an intern to a full time salaried position, then for all practical purposes it's a different job even if it is with the same company. As such it's not like you're a full time employee leaving for this client, you were on a probationary period (an internship) where your employer could choose to keep you or not. You have the same ...
5
Unfortunately, "subject to board approval" is a common contingency for stock option grants. At this point, I'm not sure there is much you can do about it.
Last year I represented two founders whose small company was purchased by a large software company. A sizable portion of the payment price was in stock options, which had a board approval contingency. I ...
4
There are additional things to consider when working on your startup while working for another company: Do you have a non compete clause in your contract? Are your inventions your own while you work for your company?
Are you being paid for overtime? If not, then it might be expected of you to finish your work regardless of the time, as you already are ...
4
I think it is a work ethic.
Put the shoe on the other foot, someone is working for you, they are nearly done, but it is 5, so they pack up and leave, hopefully remembering what they need to do to quickly finish the task.
If you need more time to do your startup work then just wake up earlier, or, things can balance, if you stay late one day you may be able ...
4
What is the most important strength that you have? Think about this very carefully for a few seconds.
And here is the answer. The most important strength that you have is... YOUR AGE. You have all the time in the world to get better at anything you want to. Employers know this, but you don't. Why? Because young people don't consider youth as an asset. ...
4
Fundamentally, the fact that a competitor is not following industry standards is not your problem.
Personally, I would decline doing the change, explain the problem, and cite the relevant rules and penalties. Don't even reference the competitor, just explain why you won't do it.. because odds are the customer will forward that email directly to their ...
4
I don't think it's either unethical nor unreasonable to consider option 3 or a mix of some your other ones. This is just my opinion, it would be good to see what other people think, but I actually believe developing something for a client and then reusing the code for new projects can benefits both your client and your company.
It's quite frequent in ...
3
The short answer: no. Not unless your potential customers are all venture capitalists and MBA types. For most products, the typical customer won't care or even if they do, they won't understand. They just want to know, as quickly as possible, how you're going to help them or entertain them.
Business plans tend to have a lot of business jargon and ...
3
In a general sense (and especially as applied to your question), morality is highly personal and subjective. And not only that, but it changes all the time. What you think is immoral today ("charing customers for customer service") will inevitably shift as your situation and personal beliefs change.
If you ask Richard Stallman, non-free software is "a crime ...
3
Never violate your conscience.
Whatever your moral compass, it's vital to maintain integration of who you are. The idea we can separate our 'personal' morality from our professional decisions is a myth. Sanity, integrity, and longevity can only be maintained if you function as a whole person. This demands your business decisions to be rooted in your own ...
3
The law may not respect my opinion on the matter, but I think it's a more logical approach to the issue.
If the software is integral to your money-making and you cannot afford it up front, it's my opinion that it's better to pirate it, make some money, and then buy the software as soon as is reasonably possible. I'd definitely assume that the law and ...
3
Hmm why don't you try to think about what you would like to hear if you switched places with your employer? You know your work situation better than anyone here, so take your own advice.
Do you work flipping burgers (or equivalent) and can be replaced instantly? Then give 15 days notice, and tell them that you may enter the workforce again if your startup ...
3
I've done this about 2 times (that means 1 failed startup :)). There is nothing bad about it. And I'm still good friends with these 2 companies.
First of all don't leave them in a bad place. If they need you for a project don't quit until someone can replace you, and they can move on without a problem. This is very very important.
Be honest
If they are ...
3
I don't see anything wrong with that, as long as you are clear in your answer about it. There's nothing wrong with promoting your own business, but you can simply say something like:
Have a look at someshopsite.com, it has a large selection of ... and a
large community of users... Full disclosure: I am the owner of
someshopsite.com
3
I am not a lawyer, and you should consult one.
Typically, when
no money has changed hands and
there is no legal agreement that says the code is owned by the receiving party (the non-profit) under a work for hire scenario - the creator is the owner.
If you provided the software to the non-profit, you've done a good thing (created value for them ...
2
You don't want to lose your safety net until you're ready to. As someone who was recently let go for spending too much time on his start-up (I was preparing to quit soon anyway), believe me when I say that you want to leave on your terms, not the company's.
For that reason, I'd suggest that you avoid being a "clock-watcher," and stick it out, doing the best ...
2
It depends on the relationship you have with your boss. As an employer, if somebody wanted to do this I'd appreciate them being honest with me. If it's true, then you could tell him that this is a fantastic chance for you, and that you'd be forever kicking yourself if you didn't take it, but you're going into it with your eyes open and understand that ...
2
Try to do a pilot program and measure what happens.
Not sure about the psychology of it doesn't feel like I'm spending money. There are already studies indicating increased spending with credit cards over cash. Not sure about pre-payment, you already paid for something you have not received, that can be painful unless it is a gift.
I would think a benefit ...
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