Johan Wempe - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Johan Wempe

Social Science Research Network, 2003

Encyclopedia of Business and Professional Ethics, 2019

Synonyms Caught between Scylla and Charybdis; Trapped between a rock and a hard place; Truly on t... more Synonyms Caught between Scylla and Charybdis; Trapped between a rock and a hard place; Truly on the horns of a dilemma Definition A dilemma is defined as "a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two (or more) equally undesirable things or course of action." A dilemma is "a state of indecision between two or more unpleasant alternatives" (Oxford Dictionaries).

Voluntary Sector Review, 2020

This article reviews the literature on non-profit volunteering to argue that the concept of ‘work... more This article reviews the literature on non-profit volunteering to argue that the concept of ‘work calling’ is critical to broadening our understanding of volunteer motivation and retention. As an emerging concept, work calling is generally used to explain how individuals satisfy their calling by doing meaningful work. This concept is introduced to the issue of volunteer motivation and retention to detail why volunteers decide to join non-profit organisations and then willingly stay longer. Current theories explain volunteer motivation and retention by focusing on individual factors (commitment and job satisfaction) and organisational factors (management practices, volunteer tasks and organisational reputation). This article integrates work calling with these theories and thus contributes two important insights: (a) volunteers may choose to engage in meaningful work and, therefore, experience self-satisfaction and meaningful life by volunteering; and (b) work calling improves current...

Wageningen UR Frontis Series

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2011

Greek telos, "end"). Actions are taken to achieve a certain end, often with a view to a more dist... more Greek telos, "end"). Actions are taken to achieve a certain end, often with a view to a more distant goal. When ends are a means to a more distant goal, they are referred to as instrumental ends. Ends that are achieved for their own sake are intrinsic. Teleologists are particularly interested in the latter kind of ends. One or more of such ends are chosen as a standard for judging the moral content of actions. The ends that function in teleological theories are not moral in itself. They become morally charged in their use as a standard for the moral content of actions. Depending on the number of intrinsic ends that a teleological theory employs, we call it either monistic or pluralistic. Monistic theories hold that there is only one intrinsic end to which all other ends lead, and on the basis of which all actions can be morally evaluated. Pluralistic teleological theories hold that there is more than one such intrinsic end. Teleological theories are also subdivided according to the nature of the end employed. Hedonism, for instance, holds that this end is pleasure or delight. This criterion for action dates back to the beginning of classical antiquity. One problem that the hedonists have been up against is how to rank different dimensions of pleasure. How is it possible to compare a brief, yet, intense, pleasure with one that lasts longer but that is not quite so intense? The Greek philosopher Epicurus (342/341-270/271 BC) draws the conclusion that the end is not physical pleasure but the satisfaction of the needs of the spirit. As powerful as physical pleasure may be, it remains short-lived. Moreover, the pursuit of physical pleasure as an end would lead to all kinds of evil. Feeding one"s spiritual pleasure is, to his mind, significantly more valuable and leads to a lasting sense of well-being. Teleological theories revolve around this targeted end, which can differ from person to person. As individual ends often conflict with each other, the question arises as to which end should be employed as the criterion for moral action. This question subdivides teleological theories once again. At this third level, ethical egoism (a theory we reject as a normative ethical theory given that it falls short on generalizability) holds that individual pleasure and pain should serve as the ultimate criterion, whereas utilitarianism holds that the common good forms the true end. Classical utilitarianism Adam Smith advocated the pursuit of individual self-interest in the belief that this would indirectly serve the common good. According to utilitarianism, the criterion for evaluating actions is the welfare of society. Utilitarianism is the general term for all ethical theories that hold that actions should 3 be judged on the basis of their total costs and benefits for society. The action that produces the greatest benefits at the lowest costs for society is the action we are morally obliged to follow. Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) is widely considered the father of utilitarianism. Just as in the case of most other theorists Bentham, too, relied on a number of pioneers such as Francis Hutcheson (1694-1746), David Hume (1711-1776), and Adam Smith. Bentham was a true revolutionary of his times. His theory of utilitarianism constitutes a break with ideas on social status common at the time. His criterion is the "greatest pleasure for the greatest number" on the basis of which all actions must be judged. In this regard, he considers the pleasure of a vagabond just as important as that of a well-to-do citizen. Everyone counts as one and no one counts for more than one. The core of his universalistic hedonism is articulated in several passages in An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation published in 1789. Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do. On the one hand the standard of right and wrong, on the other the chain of causes and effects, are fastened to their throne. They govern us in all we do, in all we say, in all we think: every effort we can make to throw off our subjection, will serve but to demonstrate and confirm it. .. The principle of utility seeks to rear the fabric of felicity by the hands of reason and of law. .. By utility is meant that property in any object, whereby it tends to produce benefit, advantage, pleasure, good, or happiness, (all this in the present case comes to the same thing) or (what comes again to the same thing) to prevent the happening of mischief, pain, evil, or unhappiness to the party whose interest is considered: if that party be the community in general, then the happiness of the community: if a particular individual, then the happiness of that individual. .. The community is a fictitious body, composed of the individual persons who are considered as constituting as it were its members. The interest of the community then, what is it? The sum of the interests of the several members who compose it. .. Of an action that is conformable to the principle of utility one may always say either that it is one that ought to be done, or at least that it is not one that ought not to be done. 6 For Bentham it is possible to formulate the utilitarian criterion in quantitative terms. Ethics in his opinion is simply a matter of counting. The meaning of the "greatest pleasure" can be explained in quantitative terms. Happiness lies in the greatest possible amount of pleasure and the absence of pain. To achieve the greatest pleasure for the greatest number, he devises a hedonistic calculus to

Energy, Sustainability and Society, 2014

Background: To achieve the ambition of the energy transition in the built environment, Dutch loca... more Background: To achieve the ambition of the energy transition in the built environment, Dutch local governments try to motivate citizens to participate as communities in policy processes. There is a general expectation that such an interactive approach will foster a more rational policy output and will create stronger support from citizens towards policy outcomes. The emphasis put on this output-outcome effectiveness should not eclipse another major criterion of government policy-and decision-making and implementation: the legitimacy of political authority. Major building blocks of such legitimacy are the principles of liberal democracy and of the rule of law. The aim of this contribution is to identify safeguards for a legitimate exercise of political authority in interactive regional governance initiatives. Methods: The empirical data about 'Sustainable Community Overijssel' is gathered by document study, including research reports, policy plans, and project documents, and by studying recent publications and news items. The analysis uses Beetham's multidimensional approach of legitimacy as point of departure. Results: Beetham's legitimacy dimensions are elaborated upon from a liberal democracy viewpoint and a regulatory state pragmatic choice between various institutional environments. From this, legitimacy dimensions of 'shared values' and 'consent' emerge as most sensitive to interactive policy-making, necessitating proper safeguards, safeguards with relevance to the legitimacy of initiatives such as Sustainable Community Overijssel. Conclusions: Legitimacy is never a given standard, it may be designed into structures and ambitions, but it will still need to be achieved by proper practice. This is certainly the case in projects concerning sustainability challenges of which effective solutions are by no means clear and readily deployable. The Overijssel case should be seen as one of many interesting cases towards evidence-based effective and legitimate policy practices.

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2011

Abstract: In this paper, we argue that the different relationships of corporations can be underst... more Abstract: In this paper, we argue that the different relationships of corporations can be understood as contractual relationships. The aim of the contract is to do justice to the claims of all parties, including that of the corporation. This renders the notion of a contract ...

This booklet was published as a result of the inaugural lectures by Johan Wempe and Michel van Hu... more This booklet was published as a result of the inaugural lectures by Johan Wempe and Michel van Hulten. Within Saxion, professors cooperate in knowledgecentres, the advantage being that they can set up joint multidisciplinary research lines in addition to their own ...

Academy of Management Executive, 2003

The Balanced Company provides a coherent overview of the most important theories and insights in ... more The Balanced Company provides a coherent overview of the most important theories and insights in the field of business ethics and corporate social responsibility. This is an area of growing concern for corporations today-many have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) ...

Journal of Business Ethics, 2005

Due to several recent scandals, Business Ethics is now firmly embraced. Whereas in the 1980s and ... more Due to several recent scandals, Business Ethics is now firmly embraced. Whereas in the 1980s and early 1990s there were serious doubts expressed about combining ethics and business, the link now seems to have become self-evident. Fundamental questions about the tensions between business and ethics however continue to receive little attention. In this paper, based upon a debate concerning the Fair Trade company, the strains between business and ethics are analyzed. The article shows how several great thinkers have already considered this tension. Three ways to conceptualize the tension between business and ethics have been distinguished, and these are outlined in the paper. In one approach, ethical entrepreneurship, value tensions are perceived as a source for entrepreneurship. However, this approach presupposes pluralistic ethics. Thinking only in terms of black and white is seen as blocking the ability to adequately handle the tension between business and ethics. Opting for ''ethical entrepreneurship'', as by Fair Trade, has fundamental and important consequences for the company's communication policy.

Journal of Business Ethics, 2009

This article shows that business ethics is not capable of explaining the responsibility of limite... more This article shows that business ethics is not capable of explaining the responsibility of limited organised collectives such as chains, sectors and industries. The responsibility of the pharmaceutical industry to make AIDS blockers available for patients in Africa is an example of such a sector responsibility. By using system theory, it is possible to understand responsibility at the level of a social system. The Integrative Social Contracts Theory has been extended to determine this system's responsibility.

The Balanced Company, 2002

ABSTRACT The book chapter argues why an organization is a moral entity.

Ethics in the economy: handbook of business ethics, 2002

This book chapter describes the three fundamental ethical dilemmas every organization has to deal... more This book chapter describes the three fundamental ethical dilemmas every organization has to deal with.

Abstract: De Open Onderneming: Een bedrijfsethisch vraagstukIn deze rede wordt de oproep vanuit d... more Abstract: De Open Onderneming: Een bedrijfsethisch vraagstukIn deze rede wordt de oproep vanuit de samenleving tot een grotere maatschappelijke openheid van bedrijven geplaatst in een bedrijfsethisch perspectief. Enerzijds zijn er bedrijfsethischeredenen voor ...

Journal of Corporate Citizenship, 2001

ABSTRACT

Business Ethics: A European Review, 1998

``An ethics report is a snapshot of a process taking place at various levels within a company and... more ``An ethics report is a snapshot of a process taking place at various levels within a company and between its stakeholders.''Ethics reports can serve a number of purposes, and for large multinational companies they can provide an important tool for stakeholder management, ...

Social Science Research Network, 2003

Encyclopedia of Business and Professional Ethics, 2019

Synonyms Caught between Scylla and Charybdis; Trapped between a rock and a hard place; Truly on t... more Synonyms Caught between Scylla and Charybdis; Trapped between a rock and a hard place; Truly on the horns of a dilemma Definition A dilemma is defined as "a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two (or more) equally undesirable things or course of action." A dilemma is "a state of indecision between two or more unpleasant alternatives" (Oxford Dictionaries).

Voluntary Sector Review, 2020

This article reviews the literature on non-profit volunteering to argue that the concept of ‘work... more This article reviews the literature on non-profit volunteering to argue that the concept of ‘work calling’ is critical to broadening our understanding of volunteer motivation and retention. As an emerging concept, work calling is generally used to explain how individuals satisfy their calling by doing meaningful work. This concept is introduced to the issue of volunteer motivation and retention to detail why volunteers decide to join non-profit organisations and then willingly stay longer. Current theories explain volunteer motivation and retention by focusing on individual factors (commitment and job satisfaction) and organisational factors (management practices, volunteer tasks and organisational reputation). This article integrates work calling with these theories and thus contributes two important insights: (a) volunteers may choose to engage in meaningful work and, therefore, experience self-satisfaction and meaningful life by volunteering; and (b) work calling improves current...

Wageningen UR Frontis Series

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2011

Greek telos, "end"). Actions are taken to achieve a certain end, often with a view to a more dist... more Greek telos, "end"). Actions are taken to achieve a certain end, often with a view to a more distant goal. When ends are a means to a more distant goal, they are referred to as instrumental ends. Ends that are achieved for their own sake are intrinsic. Teleologists are particularly interested in the latter kind of ends. One or more of such ends are chosen as a standard for judging the moral content of actions. The ends that function in teleological theories are not moral in itself. They become morally charged in their use as a standard for the moral content of actions. Depending on the number of intrinsic ends that a teleological theory employs, we call it either monistic or pluralistic. Monistic theories hold that there is only one intrinsic end to which all other ends lead, and on the basis of which all actions can be morally evaluated. Pluralistic teleological theories hold that there is more than one such intrinsic end. Teleological theories are also subdivided according to the nature of the end employed. Hedonism, for instance, holds that this end is pleasure or delight. This criterion for action dates back to the beginning of classical antiquity. One problem that the hedonists have been up against is how to rank different dimensions of pleasure. How is it possible to compare a brief, yet, intense, pleasure with one that lasts longer but that is not quite so intense? The Greek philosopher Epicurus (342/341-270/271 BC) draws the conclusion that the end is not physical pleasure but the satisfaction of the needs of the spirit. As powerful as physical pleasure may be, it remains short-lived. Moreover, the pursuit of physical pleasure as an end would lead to all kinds of evil. Feeding one"s spiritual pleasure is, to his mind, significantly more valuable and leads to a lasting sense of well-being. Teleological theories revolve around this targeted end, which can differ from person to person. As individual ends often conflict with each other, the question arises as to which end should be employed as the criterion for moral action. This question subdivides teleological theories once again. At this third level, ethical egoism (a theory we reject as a normative ethical theory given that it falls short on generalizability) holds that individual pleasure and pain should serve as the ultimate criterion, whereas utilitarianism holds that the common good forms the true end. Classical utilitarianism Adam Smith advocated the pursuit of individual self-interest in the belief that this would indirectly serve the common good. According to utilitarianism, the criterion for evaluating actions is the welfare of society. Utilitarianism is the general term for all ethical theories that hold that actions should 3 be judged on the basis of their total costs and benefits for society. The action that produces the greatest benefits at the lowest costs for society is the action we are morally obliged to follow. Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) is widely considered the father of utilitarianism. Just as in the case of most other theorists Bentham, too, relied on a number of pioneers such as Francis Hutcheson (1694-1746), David Hume (1711-1776), and Adam Smith. Bentham was a true revolutionary of his times. His theory of utilitarianism constitutes a break with ideas on social status common at the time. His criterion is the "greatest pleasure for the greatest number" on the basis of which all actions must be judged. In this regard, he considers the pleasure of a vagabond just as important as that of a well-to-do citizen. Everyone counts as one and no one counts for more than one. The core of his universalistic hedonism is articulated in several passages in An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation published in 1789. Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do. On the one hand the standard of right and wrong, on the other the chain of causes and effects, are fastened to their throne. They govern us in all we do, in all we say, in all we think: every effort we can make to throw off our subjection, will serve but to demonstrate and confirm it. .. The principle of utility seeks to rear the fabric of felicity by the hands of reason and of law. .. By utility is meant that property in any object, whereby it tends to produce benefit, advantage, pleasure, good, or happiness, (all this in the present case comes to the same thing) or (what comes again to the same thing) to prevent the happening of mischief, pain, evil, or unhappiness to the party whose interest is considered: if that party be the community in general, then the happiness of the community: if a particular individual, then the happiness of that individual. .. The community is a fictitious body, composed of the individual persons who are considered as constituting as it were its members. The interest of the community then, what is it? The sum of the interests of the several members who compose it. .. Of an action that is conformable to the principle of utility one may always say either that it is one that ought to be done, or at least that it is not one that ought not to be done. 6 For Bentham it is possible to formulate the utilitarian criterion in quantitative terms. Ethics in his opinion is simply a matter of counting. The meaning of the "greatest pleasure" can be explained in quantitative terms. Happiness lies in the greatest possible amount of pleasure and the absence of pain. To achieve the greatest pleasure for the greatest number, he devises a hedonistic calculus to

Energy, Sustainability and Society, 2014

Background: To achieve the ambition of the energy transition in the built environment, Dutch loca... more Background: To achieve the ambition of the energy transition in the built environment, Dutch local governments try to motivate citizens to participate as communities in policy processes. There is a general expectation that such an interactive approach will foster a more rational policy output and will create stronger support from citizens towards policy outcomes. The emphasis put on this output-outcome effectiveness should not eclipse another major criterion of government policy-and decision-making and implementation: the legitimacy of political authority. Major building blocks of such legitimacy are the principles of liberal democracy and of the rule of law. The aim of this contribution is to identify safeguards for a legitimate exercise of political authority in interactive regional governance initiatives. Methods: The empirical data about 'Sustainable Community Overijssel' is gathered by document study, including research reports, policy plans, and project documents, and by studying recent publications and news items. The analysis uses Beetham's multidimensional approach of legitimacy as point of departure. Results: Beetham's legitimacy dimensions are elaborated upon from a liberal democracy viewpoint and a regulatory state pragmatic choice between various institutional environments. From this, legitimacy dimensions of 'shared values' and 'consent' emerge as most sensitive to interactive policy-making, necessitating proper safeguards, safeguards with relevance to the legitimacy of initiatives such as Sustainable Community Overijssel. Conclusions: Legitimacy is never a given standard, it may be designed into structures and ambitions, but it will still need to be achieved by proper practice. This is certainly the case in projects concerning sustainability challenges of which effective solutions are by no means clear and readily deployable. The Overijssel case should be seen as one of many interesting cases towards evidence-based effective and legitimate policy practices.

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2011

Abstract: In this paper, we argue that the different relationships of corporations can be underst... more Abstract: In this paper, we argue that the different relationships of corporations can be understood as contractual relationships. The aim of the contract is to do justice to the claims of all parties, including that of the corporation. This renders the notion of a contract ...

This booklet was published as a result of the inaugural lectures by Johan Wempe and Michel van Hu... more This booklet was published as a result of the inaugural lectures by Johan Wempe and Michel van Hulten. Within Saxion, professors cooperate in knowledgecentres, the advantage being that they can set up joint multidisciplinary research lines in addition to their own ...

Academy of Management Executive, 2003

The Balanced Company provides a coherent overview of the most important theories and insights in ... more The Balanced Company provides a coherent overview of the most important theories and insights in the field of business ethics and corporate social responsibility. This is an area of growing concern for corporations today-many have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) ...

Journal of Business Ethics, 2005

Due to several recent scandals, Business Ethics is now firmly embraced. Whereas in the 1980s and ... more Due to several recent scandals, Business Ethics is now firmly embraced. Whereas in the 1980s and early 1990s there were serious doubts expressed about combining ethics and business, the link now seems to have become self-evident. Fundamental questions about the tensions between business and ethics however continue to receive little attention. In this paper, based upon a debate concerning the Fair Trade company, the strains between business and ethics are analyzed. The article shows how several great thinkers have already considered this tension. Three ways to conceptualize the tension between business and ethics have been distinguished, and these are outlined in the paper. In one approach, ethical entrepreneurship, value tensions are perceived as a source for entrepreneurship. However, this approach presupposes pluralistic ethics. Thinking only in terms of black and white is seen as blocking the ability to adequately handle the tension between business and ethics. Opting for ''ethical entrepreneurship'', as by Fair Trade, has fundamental and important consequences for the company's communication policy.

Journal of Business Ethics, 2009

This article shows that business ethics is not capable of explaining the responsibility of limite... more This article shows that business ethics is not capable of explaining the responsibility of limited organised collectives such as chains, sectors and industries. The responsibility of the pharmaceutical industry to make AIDS blockers available for patients in Africa is an example of such a sector responsibility. By using system theory, it is possible to understand responsibility at the level of a social system. The Integrative Social Contracts Theory has been extended to determine this system's responsibility.

The Balanced Company, 2002

ABSTRACT The book chapter argues why an organization is a moral entity.

Ethics in the economy: handbook of business ethics, 2002

This book chapter describes the three fundamental ethical dilemmas every organization has to deal... more This book chapter describes the three fundamental ethical dilemmas every organization has to deal with.

Abstract: De Open Onderneming: Een bedrijfsethisch vraagstukIn deze rede wordt de oproep vanuit d... more Abstract: De Open Onderneming: Een bedrijfsethisch vraagstukIn deze rede wordt de oproep vanuit de samenleving tot een grotere maatschappelijke openheid van bedrijven geplaatst in een bedrijfsethisch perspectief. Enerzijds zijn er bedrijfsethischeredenen voor ...

Journal of Corporate Citizenship, 2001

ABSTRACT

Business Ethics: A European Review, 1998

``An ethics report is a snapshot of a process taking place at various levels within a company and... more ``An ethics report is a snapshot of a process taking place at various levels within a company and between its stakeholders.''Ethics reports can serve a number of purposes, and for large multinational companies they can provide an important tool for stakeholder management, ...