In the past few years, business ethics has emerged as a broad and important
concept, universities are offering seminars, corporations are sending their managers
on trainings, and an enormous literature body seems to be emerging out of nowhere.
In contrast to this movement, the ‘globalization bible’, the novel NoLogo written by
journalist Naomi Klein draws a different picture: it accuses companies and CEOs of
antisocial behaviour. Consumer capitalism on the one hand and at the same time
articles about sweatshops, bad working conditions, and ‘famous’ names like the
Brent Spar platform, Sao Wiwa and Shell, and Nike sweatshops support the negative
image of MNCs.
In the following I would therefore like to examine why certain corporations seem to
take on corporate responsibility while others, as stated in Klein’s novel, act as ‘the big
brand bullies’. I seek to answer in this paper why business ethics as a concept is not
an oxymoron (cp. Collins 1994) per se and why in the words of John L. Campbell
“given the incentives for maximizing profit and shareholder value, let alone acting
opportunistically, why would a corporation ever act in socially responsible ways, even
at the most minimal level” (947).
In general, there are three main approaches to the grounds of acting socially
responsible: there are moral reasons, economic reasons and institutional reasons.
First of all I would like to start by giving some theoretical basics. Subsequently moral,
economic and institutional theories as an explanation for the implementation of
business ethics will be examined. Because each of these three parts is considered
equally important they will all be covered, but concessions need to be made due to
the enormous width of the topic. I would then like to come up with a diagnosis and
possible topics to ‘walk the talk’ and finally draw a conclusion.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Theoretical Basics
- Defining Moral and Ethics
- Building a Bridge to Business Ethics
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- The World is Flat: The Phenomenon of Globalization
- Moral Insights
- Economic Insights
- Institutional Insights
- Resumé and ‘Walk the Talk’
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines why corporations behave in socially responsible ways, considering moral, economic, and institutional perspectives. It aims to provide a framework for understanding corporate social responsibility and to dispel the perception that business ethics is an oxymoron.
- Defining the concepts of morality and ethics and their relationship to business ethics.
- Exploring the different theoretical perspectives on corporate social responsibility, including moral, economic, and institutional arguments.
- Analyzing the phenomenon of globalization and its impact on corporate responsibility.
- Developing practical recommendations for corporations to ‘walk the talk’ regarding social responsibility.
- Addressing the contrasting perspectives of corporate social responsibility versus negative representations of corporate behavior, such as those presented in Naomi Klein's 'No Logo'.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The paper begins with a discussion of theoretical basics, defining morality and ethics and exploring the concept of corporate social responsibility. It then delves into moral, economic, and institutional insights regarding corporate responsibility, providing a comprehensive overview of the different perspectives on why corporations should engage in socially responsible behavior. The paper concludes with recommendations for corporations to implement ethical practices and to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper explores the ethical dimensions of business and examines the reasons behind corporate social responsibility, drawing upon moral, economic, and institutional arguments. Key concepts include corporate social responsibility, ethical relativism, globalization, stakeholder theory, and practical implications for ethical business practices. The paper aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the complex relationship between corporations and society and to foster responsible and ethical corporate behavior.
- Quote paper
- Marlene Speth (Author), 2008, Zur Begründung einer Übernahme ethischer Verantwortung in Unternehmen, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/115801
