Blending theory and practice, this innovative, interdisciplinary text equips students to act as ethical change agents who improve the moral performance of their work organizations. Written in a reader-friendly style, the book is structured around levels of organizational behavior. Author Craig E. Johnson examines ethics in not just corporations but all types of workplace organizations, including nonprofit, government, military, and educational entities.
This introductory textbook begins by discussing basic tenets of ethical theory and their relevance to business practices. It then addresses a business' particular obligations to its employees, its customers, and society as a whole. Issues like collective bargaining, sexual harassment, safety, inside
This book develops an intellectual framework for analyzing ethical dilemmas that is both grounded in theory and versatile enough to deal rigorously with real-world issues. It sees ethics as a necessary foundation for the social infrastructure that makes modern life possible, much as engineering is a foundation for physical infrastructure. It is not wedded to any particular ethical philosophy but draws from several traditions to construct a unified and principled approach to ethical reasoning. Rather than follow the common academic practice of seeking a reflective equilibrium of moral intuitions and principles, it builds on a few bedrock principles of rational thought that serve as criteria for valid argumentation. It develops the ideas from the ground up, without presupposing any background in ethics or philosophy. Epistemologically, the book views ethics as parallel to mathematics, in that it relies on generally accepted proof techniques to establish results. Whereas mathematics rests on such proof paradigms as mathematical induction and proof by contradiction, ethics can be seen as relying on proof by applying consistency tests, such as generalizability and respect for autonomy. Utilitarianism also plays a key role, but it is reconceived as a deontological criterion. This approach obviously requires that these criteria be formulated more rigorously than is normally the case. To accomplish this, the book begins with the classical idea that an action is distinguishable from mere behavior by virtue of its having a coherent rationale, where coherence requires passing certain consistency tests such as generalizability. An action is therefore inseparable from its rationale, and generalizability is defined in terms of consistency with the rationale. A utilitarian criterion receives a similar treatment with respect to a means-end rationale. Respect for autonomy is grounded in a carefully developed action theory that takes into account such concepts as joint autonomy, implied consent, and the permissibility of interference with unethical behavior. It provides an account of responsibility that is both practical and theoretically satisfying, and it yields a novel solution of the much-discussed trolley car dilemmas. The book is written for a general audience and strives to be as readable and engaging as possible, while maintaining rigor. It begins by dispelling a raft of misconceptions that trivialize ethics and block its development as an essential tool of modern life, such as the notion that ethics is just a matter of opinion without rational foundation. After presenting the ethical principles just described, along with many examples, it provides several chapters that analyze real-life dilemmas, many obtained from the author’s students and professional workshop participants. One cannot understand physics or chemistry without seeing how their principles are applied to real problems, and the same is true of ethics. These chapters demonstrate that a unified normative theory can deal with a wide range of real cases while achieving a reasonable level of objectivity and rigor.
Business Ethics: An Ethical Decision-Making Approach presents a practical decision-making framework to aid in the identification, understanding, and resolution of complex ethical dilemmas in the workplace. Focuses exclusively on three basic aspects of ethical decision making and behavior—how it actually takes place, how it should take place, and how it can be improved Uses real-life examples of moral temptations and personal ethical dilemmas faced by employees and managers Discusses the biases, psychological tendencies, moral rationalizations, and impact of self-interest as impediments to proper ethical decision making Includes relevant examples of ethical misconduct and scandals appearing in the news media
An authoritative and practical guide to business ethics, written in an accessible-question-and answer format In today's turbulent business climate, business ethics are more important than ever. Surveys of employees show that misconduct is on the rise. Cover stories reporting indictments, prosecutions, and penalties imposed for unethical business conduct appear almost daily. Legislatures pass requirements elevating the levels of punishment and their enforcement against corporations and individuals. Organizations face pressure to design and implement effective ethics and compliance programs. As a result, businesses and businesspeople are increasingly worried that their conduct might cross lines that put their wealth and reputations at risk. Business Ethics: What Everyone Needs to Know (R) explains what those lines are, how not to cross them, and what to do when they are crossed. Written for both businesspeople facing real-life dilemmas and students studying ethical questions, this succinct book uniquely surveys materials from moral philosophy, behavioral science, and corporate law, and shares practical advice. Experts J.S. Nelson and Lynn A. Stout cover a wide array of essential topics including the legal status of corporations, major ethical traps in modern business, negotiations, whistleblowing and liability, and best practices. Written in a short question-and-answer style, this resource provides engaging and readable introductions to the basic principles of business ethics, and an invaluable guide for dealing with ethical dilemmas.
Ethics is not just about morality; it is a complex dimension of personal and corporate life that can lead to higher performance by both business and society. Customers, employees and business partners seek predictable corporate behaviour that is aligned with stated personal, workplace and democratic values. Ethics training can help to achieve this. This business ethics primer is a valuable tool for raising ethical awareness in your organisation. Reflecting on employees' personal values and world views, it then examines their impact on the development and application of your organisation's mission, vision and values and finally, your organisation's impact on the societies and environment in which it operates. Three Dimensional Ethics: Implementing Workplace Values concludes with a unique chapter on ethics and doing business in China, illuminating roles in corporate stakeholder responsibility that align with principles in the Confucian Analects. Lagan and Moran provide a practical perspective on business ethics training that is lively, relevant and useful with insights into managing corporate values such as: Ethical frameworks Ladder of escalation options Ethical dilemmas Ethical decision making models Ethics audits Codes of ethics and Codes of conduct Vision and values models Stakeholder commitment steps Governance checklists Addressing values gaps Knowing your values The four virtues Stages of moral development Reflection and action Training tools include Australian and global case studies, definitions, tips, snapshots of ethical approaches, models, quotes, checklists, discussion panels, workshops, scenarios and exercises.
