Previous chapters have considered "business" in a very general sense. Beginning with this chapter, we will look more closely at the ethical responsi¬bilities of specific operations of business institutions. Perhaps most importantly for most of us, businesses are the places where we work. Along with producing goods and services, providing employment is the most important social func¬tion of business. In chapters 5, 6, and 7, we will examine a wide range of ethical issues that arise within the workplace.