Light’s effect on integrity and honesty

Following an earlier post about how clean smells were correlated with more ethically minded decision making is this HBR post about good lighting encouraging the same thing: In one laboratory experiment, we placed participants in a dimly or well-lit room and asked them to complete 20 math problems under time pressure. The participants received aContinue reading “Light’s effect on integrity and honesty”

Slow down for better ethics

Interesting tidbit (and relevant for internal audit) from an article in the latest Economist on how taking time to make decisions results in getting the ethics right: Slowing down makes us more ethical. When confronted with a clear choice between right and wrong, people are five times more likely to do the right thing ifContinue reading “Slow down for better ethics”

Ethics enhanced by clean smells

I wonder if this is something businesses (including accounting firms) might want to look into: A study at Brigham Young University has found that people are “unconsciously fairer and more generous” in clean-smelling environments. The research found a dramatic improvement in ethical behavior with just a few spritzes of citrus-scented Windex. The researchers see implicationsContinue reading “Ethics enhanced by clean smells”

Estate tax as income tax

I just finished reading an article recommended by Richard about the estate tax, titled “Death and taxes“. It appears in New Statesman, a UK magazine “created in 1913 with the aim of permeating the educated and influential classes with socialist ideas.” I’m glad I read the article in full before reading the magazine’s history, asContinue reading “Estate tax as income tax”