occupation join with one another in
establishing a craft association.

There are more written standards of
practice governing this relationship
than any other. Unfortunately, stand-
ards governing right and wrong prac-
tices have been confused with stand-
ards governing merchandising plans,
specifications, standardization of prod-
ucts, etc. While these are important,
they are outside the scope of Rotary’s
second object which seeks to stand-
ardize business practices which contain
the ethical element of right or wrong.

As to general relations with competi-
tors the Rotarian should recognize that
the members of his trade or profession
are more likely to be successful if the
trade or profession prospers as a whole
than if individual members of it en-
deavor to advance themselves at the
expense of others in it. It is the hope
of Rotary that cooperation will be devel-
oped in the relation of competitors with
one another and this necessitates the
practice of mutual regard.

The Purchasing Relationship

This relationship covers the dealings
of a business with those from whom it
buys. They should be conducted with
honesty and fairness. The goal is to
establish such contacts that each party
to the transaction is benefited. Pur-
chases characterized by high business
standards from sellers who maintain
similar standards have an economic ad-
vantage. When these conditions exist,
it is observed that the businessman has
a real highway of opportunity in buy-
ing, in service, in terms of payment, in
correction of errors, in quantity pur-
chases, and in cooperation of sellers.

The Relationship with Customers
Or Clients

The object of rules of conduct under
this relationship is to make satisfied

customers and create goodwill for the
business. Goodwill is contingent on
fair and honorable dealings which
cover a multitude of details incident to
all business. For example—truthfulness
in selling, one price to all, attentive
service to large or small purchasers, etc.

Classification Talks

When these talks were originated
many years ago they were partly com-
mercial and partly an educational fea-
ture seeking to extend the other mem-
bers’ horizon of business experience to
many other vocations. Later, when it
was proposed to embody these talks on
one’s vocation as part of vocational
service, it was planned that the member
would employ the time to present cor-
rect standards in the four relationships
as practiced in his business.

If the Rotarian will discuss his voca-
tion as a service to society and emphasize
the ethical features of business relation-
ships, ultimately translating them into
definite and fixed rules of conduct, he
will make a distinct contribution to
vocational service.

Every speech and discussion on the
member’s vocation should have a corol-
lary to what has been presented, the
corollary being one or more rules stat-
ing right conduct, or one or more rules
clearly indicating wrong conduct. By
this plan every club program on voca-
tional service will achieve a tangible
result, and the speech itself, a survival
value.

Standards for Talks on These
Relationships

In order that the programs presented

in Rotary clubs on the subject of busi-
ness management and the four group
relationships, may have an effective,
cumulative value, certain suggestions

0-5