The Reconciliation Project: Separation and Integration in Business Ethics Research (original) (raw)

Business ethics in context: Researching with case studies

Journal of Business Ethics, 1995

This paper discusses criticisms of survey research in business ethics as conceptually naive and methodologically unsound. A query is raised about the neglect of case-study methods by business ethics researchers-probably for prudential and ideological reasons. It is argued that the case-study approach is more appropriate to inquiries into the complex, diverse contents and contexts of business ethics. Investigatory case study in particular can do much to rectify the inadequacies of the prevailing positivist paradigm by evolving grounded theoretical questions for further research. Case study offers an alternative to the measurement of ethical behaviour, i.e., naturalistic generalisation which is rooted in the context of organisational cultures and economic systems. It results in enhanced conceptual understanding of the interaction between ethical beliefs of individuals and corporate and market pressures on business decisiontaking. The categories selected represent the set of problems for which vignettes could be developed

EXAMINING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF ETHICS IN BUSINESS: AN ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVE

The ethics of business practice became the subject of growing social and political debate in the past two and a half decades. The revelations of transgression by businesses and Institutions, time and again has led to debates and dilemmas on the principles and practices of corporations. Large scale human and natural disasters, such as Bhopal tragedy, Chernobyl disaster, fall of Enron, major accounting frauds in Satyam, the illegal mining activities, incessant felling of forests in name of economic development and countless such instances have reiterated the debate as to ‘Can Business and Ethics go Hand in Hand’ can they survive together or one will disappear in oblivion, most possibly the latter. The issue is not as to how much have been taught and thought on Ethics but the question is about conviction among the people to see and follow through it. Despite being taught in every B School, Business Ethics has never become obvious for the managers and policy makers. This paper aims at examining the relevance and sustainability of ethics in academia and business, looking into the vast cultural drifts taking place both in academia and the corporate. The paper would categorically focus on academic challenges in making ethics a practice beyond the four walls of the classroom. The paper would also look into the possible causes and consequences of a long term avoidance approach to ethics in business.

Bringing Excitement to Empirical Business Ethics Research: Thoughts on the Future of Business Ethics

Journal of Business Ethics

To commemorate 40 years since the founding of the Journal of Business Ethics, the editors-in-chief of the journal have invited the editors to provide commentaries on the future of business ethics. This essay comprises a selection of commentaries aimed at creating dialog around the theme Bringing Excitement to Empirical Business Ethics Research (inspired by the title of the commentary by Babalola and van Gils). These editors, considering the diversity of empirical approaches in business ethics, envisage a future in which quantitative business ethics research is more bold and innovative, as well as reflexive about its techniques, and dialog between quantitative and qualitative research nourishes the enrichment of both. In their commentary, Babalola and van Gils argue that leadership research has stagnated with the use of too narrow a range of perspectives and methods and too many overlapping concepts. They propose that novel insights could be achieved by investigating the lived experi...

Comments on BEQ’s Twentieth Anniversary Forum on New Directions for Business Ethics Research

Business Ethics Quarterly, 2011

ABSTRACT: In 2010, Business Ethics Quarterly published ten articles that considered the potential contributions to business ethics research arising from recent scholarship in a variety of philosophical and social scientific fields (strategic management, political philosophy, restorative justice, international business, legal studies, ethical theory, ethical leadership studies, organization theory, marketing, and corporate governance and finance). Here we offer short responses to those articles by members of Business Ethics Quarterly’s editorial board and editorial team.

A Descriptive Study on Business Ethics

International Journal of Research in Commerce and Management, 2016

Ethics in Business has gained momentum over the last few decades with the advent of competition. A decade ago competition was relatively low. However, with the increase in struggle at an alarming rate, some business organizations are resorting to unethical practices which are ultimately harming the human kind and their values. There is a growing realisation all over the world that ethics is very essential for any business to grow. Ethics and business go together; it means if there are good ethics, there is good business. Even the government of every nation across the world is stressing upon business corporate to be ethical and follow ethical practices. "In law a man is guilty when he violates the rights of others, but in ethics, he is guilty if he only thinks of doing so." Hence, higher education must pay more attention to helping students understand how to lead ethical lives. The aim of this study is to investigate the common sources of ethics and to understand the impact of business ethics over the organization as well on the nation by analysing its pros and cons.

A management perspective on business ethics

Journal of Business Ethics, 1995

Caron olster ABSTRACT. [n recent years the institutionalisation of ethics as a means of enhancing the ethical nature of business operations has received widespread empirical coverage. To date, however, few studies have been conducted in the Australian business context. This paper examines the institutionalisation of ethics by a sample of companies based in Perth, Western Australia. In particular, company representatives were asked if their company was institutionalising ethics, why this initiative was undertaken, how this was taking place and what specific issues were being addressed in the institutionalisation process. The results suggest that perceptions of external parties were the primary motivation for ethics institutionalisation efforts although there was also considerable focus on trying to internalise ethical values. In terms of how ethics were being institutionalised the responding companies were more likely to have conducted ethics training programs than to have written Codes of Conduct and in general it appears that few companies were developing comprehensive formal ethics programs. The primary issue covered by these institutionalisation efforts was the observance of laves.