Business Ethics:
an international perspective
Dr Robert Shaw
School of Management
Guangdong University of Foreign Studies
Today
1. International directions
2. Business ethics courses
International directions
1.
United Kingdom
Ethics in society
Education
Philosophy of Management
2.
United States
Character education movement
Who shall we blame for bad corporate behavior?
Schools of Business
A traditional course
1.
Problems
Dishonesty in the workplace
Corporate dishonesty
Human resource management
Whistleblowing
Honest advertising
Child labour
2.
Theories of Ethics
Virtue ethics – codes of behaviour
Deontology
Utilitarianism
3.
Some big issues
Globalisation
Environmental protection
Our Commitment to Corporate Citizenship (CSR)
Lenovo is committed to being a responsible and active corporate citizen,
consistently working to improve its business while contributing to the
betterment of our local communities, the environment and society overall.
Product quality and safety: lifecycle, recycling or disposal.
Safe and healthy workplaces: employees … stringent voluntary
workplace standards.
The highest ethical standards: highest standards of integrity and
responsibility …
Concern for the environment: committed to environmental
responsibility …
Donating time and resources to philanthropy: Lenovo and its
employees … less fortunate and, when disaster …
From their website
Our Commitment to Corporate Citizenship (CSR)
Lenovo is committed to being a responsible and active corporate citizen,
consistently working to improve its business while contributing to the
betterment of our local communities, the environment and society overall.
Product quality and safety: lifecycle, recycling or disposal.
Safe and healthy workplaces: employees … stringent voluntary
workplace standards.
The highest ethical standards: highest standards of integrity and
responsibility …
Concern for the environment: committed to environmental
responsibility …
Donating time and resources to philanthropy: Lenovo and its
employees … less fortunate and, when disaster …
From their website
Conflicts within business ethics
1.
The goal – students – decision-making
Heteronomy (follows rules) or
Autonomy
Own decision
Rational
Strength of will
2.
The goal – courses
Ethics as how we ought to decide
Ethics as how we do decide
3.
Teaching strategies – thinking skills
Issues/problems → theory or
Theory → issues/problems
Conflicts within business ethics
1.
The goal – students – decision-making
Heteronomy (follows rules) or
Autonomy
Own decision
Rational
Strength of will
2.
The goal – courses
Ethics as how we ought to decide
Ethics as how we do decide
3.
Teaching strategies – thinking skills
Issues/problems → theory or
Theory → issues/problems
Topics
Yesterday
Business ethics as “science”
Know about …
Corporate social responsibility
The evil ways of others
Different cultures
Today
Teach skills
Deeper enquiries
Philosophy of management
Critical management theory
Critique social & economic theory
Course innovation
More profound courses
Leadership focus
Strong topics
Capitalism/ social justice
Finance
Globalization
Marxism
Environmentalism
Democracy
Science – technology – society
Openness
Leadership - ideas matter