Introduction Business ethics refers to application of rules and regulations that govern business conduct by both individuals and organizations (Shaw 35). It forms a basis for the philosophy that gives a business or an organization a purpose to operate. The complexity and demands of business in today’s world have changed how business is executed. Business owners determine what is ethical and what is unethical (Duska 73). Business and ethics are incompatible and that is why business ethics is an oxymoron. The main purpose of a business is to make profits. However, this is difficult to achieve without adopting stringent measures considered unethical by the society such as aggressiveness and competition. These measures ensure that business transactions are profitable and lead to growth of a business despite being considered unethical. Discussion Business ethics is an oxymoron because business and ethics are incompatible. Therefore, businesses should focus on what they do and leave ethics to individuals. Looking at their respective definitions gives an indication of two contradictory sets of principles. To ensure success in business, it is necessary to prioritize personal interests. This requires aggressive competition with other businesses, an insatiable appetite for money and power, and stringent business principles. It is difficult to achieve these business ideals by being overly ethical (Shaw 43). The contradiction presented by business ethics is similar to that which faces employees when required to make decisions that involve conflict of interest. Business and ethics have different objectives that are incompatible. Business values conflict whereas ethics does not. The globally accepted concept of business is competition for available resources while trying to hoard as much resources as possible (Duska 77). Aggressive competition leads to creation of a hierarchy that divides people into different economic classes leading to elimination of those who are unable to compete. This is considered unethical because it does not give equal opportunities to everyone. However, that is the foundation for success in business. Business ethics does not play a role in the business world where making profit is the motivation for setting up and running a business (Duska 78). Examples of contemporary use of unethical measures include Enron, Bernie Madoff, and the subprime mortgage scandal that led to the great recession. The examples show that even though business ethics is lauded as vital in business, it does not apply in the business world and only exist as a concept (Shaw 55). In most cases, high profits are attained by engaging in unethical practices. In addition, business ethics involves doing the right thing. Businesses prioritize by first doing what is right for their operations and then what is right for customers. Furthermore, business ethics is an oxymoron when looked at from an altruistic perspective. For example, in some religions such as Islam, taking interest is unethical. However, it is ethical in many other religions (Boatright 63). This view represents an extreme side of business ethics that is determined by religion. Many business decisions and operations involve intricate situations that are neither fully ethical nor fully unethical. As suc