Error Accretion

Error Accretion; the slow almost imperceptible corrupting of a business’s integrity. This is a natural part of doing business but it can lead to increasingly unethical practices if left unchecked. Here the merchant promises goods and services at a given price but goes back on that promise in unseen ways.

An old term for going back on the spirit and fact of an agreement is the word "shifty." A decent merchant might be a bit shifty in the short-term but very honest in the long-term. Unexpected demands and pressures can force a business person to be less than upfront.

Deviating from the original business goals. Businesses are sustained by offering unique service, enjoyable banter, hip merchandise ethical behavior and the like. When a business loses sight of what sustains it, its focus begins to center on maximizing profits. This shift of focus undermines the integrity of a seminal idea of doing business. For example, instead of distinguishing one’s self as a parts supplier with everything in stock, the business can begin to lose customers as the focus changes to optimizing profits by getting rid of slow moving merchandise. Error accretion takes hold as there is a shift from people towards more aggressive forms of doing business.