Accretion

Accretion means a slow, almost imperceptible change. For example, the ink in a pen is so slowly transferred from the pen to the paper the writer cannot detect any change in the ink level. After a while the pen runs out of ink but no one could really see the ink disappear in the pen even though the ink level was visible. Likewise, ethical standards can slowly corrupt at a rate so slow that no one notices. The powerful influence of making money can slowly, imperceptibly, push aside concern for people and lead to unethical practices.

There is a natural cycle to accretion: 1. Problems slowly accumulate. 2. Ignoring the problems creates other noticeable problems. 3. There is a crisis to correct the problem. Then the business must be brought back into balance with new rules.

Businessmen do not always set out to cheapen their products and services but it happens over the course of a long time. Since the corrupting process is so slow and imperceptible unethical behaviors seem merely customary behavior and acceptable because so many people are doing what they are.

Thomas Paine said to the effect: "People have done things for so long that are essentially not moral that they think what they are doing is right." This is further discussed in the paragraph entitled customary ethics.

Ethical standards evolve to keep businesses on track with fewer unexpected ups and downs that come from the effects of accretion.

Problems with too much accretion:

Creep: Visible changes in policy of a business that an observant person or employee can see.

Deception becomes the guiding force of a business

"Blowback" increases from customer complaints, increased expenses for legal fees, health problems from greater stress to maintain a web of lies, an unstable business that may not survive in the long-term.

Convergence: Here, when all the stars align, so to speak, bad things can happen to a business as they are suddenly overwhelmed with multiple problems. This is somewhat like ignoring good maintenance of a boat that suddenly falls apart under the stress of a storm. Had the boat owner kept track of the little problems slowly growing the boat would not have sunk.

Related Terms
Ethical Drift
Ethical Moment
Ethical Split
Mismanagement

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