Timeless Virtue in Customer-Centric Cultures: A Comparative Analysis of RICOH and adidas

Introduction: Understanding Timeless Virtue in Business

This page explores the concept of timeless virtue through the organizational values and ethics of RICOH and adidas. Both companies exemplify customer-centric cultures that transcend cultural boundaries, promoting universal ethical principles.

Founding Principles: The Spirit of Three Loves

Kiyoshi Ichimura, the founder of RICOH Corporation, articulated three fundamental principles that guide the organization:

• • Love your neighbor
  • Love your country
  • Love your work

These principles represent the essence of RICOH’s organizational culture.

RICOH’s Commitment to Ethical Standards

RICOH’s value statement encapsulates its dedication to ethics:

“To be one global company, we must care about people, our profession, our society, and our planet. We must dedicate our winning spirit, innovation, and teamwork to sharpen our customer-centric focus and commit to the highest standards of ethics and integrity.”

This statement reflects the virtue of the three loves ingrained in RICOH’s core values. Operating in multiple regions—Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia—RICOH’s universal core values contribute to a diverse company culture and facilitate intercultural collaboration.

Intercultural Impact of RICOH’s Values

RICOH supports millions of businesses worldwide, allowing it to spread its virtues across different cultures. This influence is evident in the professionalism and work ethic exhibited by its employees, who embody these organizational values.

adidas: A Different Approach to Core Values

In contrast, adidas promotes its core values: Performance, Passion, Integrity, and Diversity. According to their vision and values page, their values are designed to:

“Create brands that our customers believe in, and a company our stakeholders can trust. Corporate responsibility has many facets and permeates all parts and operations of the company.”

While adidas emphasizes specific goals, their approach remains effective and culturally adaptable.

Ethical Considerations: Organizational Egoism and Cultural Relativism

Despite both companies’ commitment to ethics and core values, adidas’s values do not influence RICOH employees. This situation illustrates organizational ethical egoism, a concept discussed by Rachels, emphasizing the boundaries that define organizational ethics.

In an era of globalization, fostering fundamental core values that appeal to multiple cultures is vital. As Rachels notes, “According to Cultural Relativism, there is only one way to improve a society [or company]: to make it better match its own ideal.”

Conclusion: Embracing Humanity in Business Ethics

By promoting timeless virtues, RICOH and adidas exemplify how ethical principles can resonate across cultures. Their commitment to core values enhances their relevance in a diverse global market, ultimately supporting the idea that being humane is central to successful business practices.

References

Johannesen, R. L., Valde, K. S., & Whedbee, K. E. (2008). Ethics in human communication. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.

Rachels, J., & Rachels, S. (2014). The elements of moral philosophy (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill Humanities Social.

Hall, B. J. (1997). Culture, ethics, and communication. In F. L. Casmir (Ed.), Ethics in intercultural and international communication (pp. 11-42). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Zaharna, R. S. (2000). Intercultural communication and international public relations: Exploring parallels. Communication Quarterly, 48(1), 85-100.

Murphy, P. E. (1999). Character and virtue ethics in international marketing: An agenda for managers, researchers, and educators. Journal of Business Ethics, 18, 107-124.