Business Ethics: A European Perspective: Managing Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability in the Age of Globalization

Abstract

INTRODUCTION PART A: UNDERSTANDING BUSINESS ETHICS 1. INTRODUCING BUSINESS ETHICS What is business ethics? Why is business ethics important? Globalization: a new context for business ethics? Sustainability: a new goal for business ethics? Europe: a new perspective for business ethics? Summary: study questions, research exercise Case 1. McEurope: McDonalds faces ethical criticism in Europe 2. FRAMING BUSINESS ETHICS: CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY, STAKEHOLDERS AND CITIZENSHIP What is a corporation? Corporate social responsibility Stakeholder theory of the firm Corporate accountability: the firm as a 'political' actor Corporate citizenship Summary: study questions, research exercises Case 2. The 'English Patient': BMW withdraws from Rover Longbridge 3. EVALUATING BUSINESS ETHICS: NORMATIVE ETHICAL THEORIES Introduction The role of ethical theory Normative ethical theories: a European perspective Traditional ethical theories Contemporary ethical theories Summary: towards a pragmatic use of ethical theory Study questions, research exercise Case 3. A bitter pill: the pharmaceutical industry and affordable AIDS drugs for Southern Africa 4. MAKING DECISIONS IN BUSINESS ETHICS: DESCRIPTIVE ETHICAL THEORIES Introduction Models of ethical decision-making Individual influences on ethical decision-making Situational influences on decision-making Summary: study questions, research exercises Case 4. Rogue traders: Scandals in the banking and finance industry 5. MANAGING BUSINESS ETHICS: TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES OF BUSINESS ETHICS MANAGMENT Introduction What is business ethics management? Setting standards of ethical behaviour: designing and implementing codes of ethics Managing stakeholder relations Assessing ethical performance Organizing for business ethics management Summary: study questions, research exercise Case 5. Shell shocked: has Shell moved towards a new way of managing business ethics? PART B: CONTEXTUALIZING BUSINESS ETHICS: THE CORPORATE CITIZEN AND ITS STAKEHOLDERS Introduction to Part B 6. SHAREHOLDERS AND BUSINESS ETHICS Introduction: reassessing the importance of shareholders as stakeholders Shareholders as stakeholders: understanding corporate governance Ethical issues in corporate governance Shareholders and globalization Shareholders as citizens of the corporation Shareholding for sustainability Summary: study questions, research exercise Case 6. Derailing privatization: Railtrack, shareholders, and the 'travelling public' 7. EMPLOYEES AND BUSINESS ETHICS Introduction Employees as stakeholders Ethical issues in the firm-employee relation Employing people worldwide: the ethical challenge of globalization The corporate citizen and employee relations in a varied European context Towards sustainable employment Summary: study questions, research exercise Case 7. Unhealthy business: junior doctors and excessive working hours 8. CONSUMERS AND BUSINESS ETHICS Introduction Consumers as stakeholders Ethical issues and the consumer Globalization and consumers: the ethical challenges of the global marketplace Consumers and corporate citizenship: consumer sovereignty and the politics of purchasing Sustainable consumption Summary: study questions, research exercise Case 8. Boycotting the 'baby killers'? Nestle and the ongoing infant formula controversy 9. SUPPLIERS,COMPETITORS AND BUSINESS ETHICS Introduction Suppliers and competitors as stakeholders Ethical issues and suppliers Ethical issues and competitors Globalization, suppliers, and competitors: the ethical challenges of global business networks The corporate citizen in the business community: ethical sourcing and fair trade Sustainability and business relationships: towards industrial ecosystems Summary: study questions, research exercise Case 9. The spying game: allegations of industrial espionage at Unilever, Canal Plus, and Ericsson 10. CIVIL SOCIETY AND BUSINESS ETHICS Introduction: what is civil society? Civil society organizations as stakeholders Ethical issues and CSOs Globalization and civil society organizations Corporate citizenship and civil society: charity, collaboration, or regulation? Civil society, business and sustainability Summary: study questions, research exercise Case 10. From conflict to collaboration? Greenpeace's Greenfreeze Campaign 11. GOVERNMENT, REGULATION AND BUSINESS ETHICS Introduction Government as a stakeholder Ethical issues in the relation between business and government Globalization and business-government relations Corporate citizenship and regulation: business as key player in the regulatory game Governments, business, and sustainability Summary: study questions, research exercise Case 11. Mixing oil and Kohl: Elf, Leuna, and allegations of political corruption in France and Germany 12. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES Introduction The nature and scope of business ethics Globalization as a new goal for business ethics Sustainablity as a new goal for business ethics Business ethics in a European context The role of different stakeholder constituencies in business ethics Corporate citizenship as a new concept in business ethics The contribution of normative ethical theories to business ethics Influences on ethical decision-making The role of management tools in business ethics Summary: study questions, research exercise Case 12. No laughing matter: the Ilisu dam project in Turkey

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