Jennifer Lawton, founder of a technology firm, describes in "Ethics and the Entrepreneur," a feature this month on EntreWorld.org, how she departed a public technology company a year ago and has since dealt with these "troubling times" by opening two book stores.

"There are powerful lessons to be learned from today's ethical morass," writes Lawton. "You can wake up each day and vow to live by a higher ethical standard. That standard should include being honest, even when it hurts, not cheating when you know it's the only way to win."

Other entrepreneur columnists offering advice on the theme of "Ethics Lessons from Small Companies" in December are Michelle Benjamin, founder and CEO of Benjamin Enterprises Inc., a Middletown, NY, provider of facilities support services; Richard Rhodes, founder and CEO of Rhodes Architectural Stone Inc., a Seattle-based trader of artifacts and materials from foreign countries; and Fran Huron Oh, co-founder and CEO of Electronic Business Solutions Inc., a Billerica, MA, provider of network-based system solutions.

Benjamin, in her article, "Core Values for Ethical Entrepreneurship," describes her decision to add the position of Corporate Culture Specialist in her company so as to foster career development and self-improvement among her company's 300 full and part-time employees

"At a time when major U.S. corporations, such as Enron, Tyco and Arthur Andersen have managed to set appallingly new lows when it comes to ethical business behavior, entrepreneurial concerns such as our own can and must take the high road," says Benjamin, who provides a four-point program for taking "the ethical high road."

For Fran Huron Oh, an inspiring ethical path has been to use the company she took over after her husband's premature death to cancer as a memorial to him to help provide for other families facing similar illness. She describes "building a business this time around for a higher calling." 

In addition to its Entrepreneurs' Bylines, EntreWorld.org for December features Top Advisors columns by entrepreneurial leadership expert Jana Matthews, who maintains that ethical behavior reflects smart business practices, as well as by Washington lawyer Andrew J. Sherman, who argues that recently-enacted legislation to require greater corporate accountability will spill over to private companies seeking venture funding or planning for acquisition by public companies.

To view the articles mentioned above, visit www.entreworld.org