Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo

Menu
Table of contents
  1. Preface
  2. 1 Why Ethics Matter
    1. Introduction
    2. 1.1 Being a Professional of Integrity
    3. 1.2 Ethics and Profitability
    4. 1.3 Multiple versus Single Ethical Standards
    5. Key Terms
    6. Summary
    7. Assessment Questions
    8. Endnotes
  3. 2 Ethics from Antiquity to the Present
    1. Introduction
    2. 2.1 The Concept of Ethical Business in Ancient Athens
    3. 2.2 Ethical Advice for Nobles and Civil Servants in Ancient China
    4. 2.3 Comparing the Virtue Ethics of East and West
    5. 2.4 Utilitarianism: The Greatest Good for the Greatest Number
    6. 2.5 Deontology: Ethics as Duty
    7. 2.6 A Theory of Justice
    8. Key Terms
    9. Summary
    10. Assessment Questions
    11. Endnotes
  4. 3 Defining and Prioritizing Stakeholders
    1. Introduction
    2. 3.1 Adopting a Stakeholder Orientation
    3. 3.2 Weighing Stakeholder Claims
    4. 3.3 Ethical Decision-Making and Prioritizing Stakeholders
    5. 3.4 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
    6. Key Terms
    7. Summary
    8. Assessment Questions
    9. Endnotes
  5. 4 Three Special Stakeholders: Society, the Environment, and Government
    1. Introduction
    2. 4.1 Corporate Law and Corporate Responsibility
    3. 4.2 Sustainability: Business and the Environment
    4. 4.3 Government and the Private Sector
    5. Key Terms
    6. Summary
    7. Assessment Questions
    8. Endnotes
  6. 5 The Impact of Culture and Time on Business Ethics
    1. Introduction
    2. 5.1 The Relationship between Business Ethics and Culture
    3. 5.2 Business Ethics over Time
    4. 5.3 The Influence of Geography and Religion
    5. 5.4 Are the Values Central to Business Ethics Universal?
    6. Key Terms
    7. Summary
    8. Assessment Questions
    9. Endnotes
  7. 6 What Employers Owe Employees
    1. Introduction
    2. 6.1 The Workplace Environment and Working Conditions
    3. 6.2 What Constitutes a Fair Wage?
    4. 6.3 An Organized Workforce
    5. 6.4 Privacy in the Workplace
    6. Key Terms
    7. Summary
    8. Assessment Questions
    9. Endnotes
  8. 7 What Employees Owe Employers
    1. Introduction
    2. 7.1 Loyalty to the Company
    3. 7.2 Loyalty to the Brand and to Customers
    4. 7.3 Contributing to a Positive Work Atmosphere
    5. 7.4 Financial Integrity
    6. 7.5 Criticism of the Company and Whistleblowing
    7. Key Terms
    8. Summary
    9. Assessment Questions
    10. Endnotes
  9. 8 Recognizing and Respecting the Rights of All
    1. Introduction
    2. 8.1 Diversity and Inclusion in the Workforce
    3. 8.2 Accommodating Different Abilities and Faiths
    4. 8.3 Sexual Identification and Orientation
    5. 8.4 Income Inequalities
    6. 8.5 Animal Rights and the Implications for Business
    7. Key Terms
    8. Summary
    9. Assessment Questions
    10. Endnotes
  10. 9 Professions under the Microscope
    1. Introduction
    2. 9.1 Entrepreneurship and Start-Up Culture
    3. 9.2 The Influence of Advertising
    4. 9.3 The Insurance Industry
    5. 9.4 Ethical Issues in the Provision of Health Care
    6. Key Terms
    7. Summary
    8. Assessment Questions
    9. Endnotes
  11. 10 Changing Work Environments and Future Trends
    1. Introduction
    2. 10.1 More Telecommuting or Less?
    3. 10.2 Workplace Campuses
    4. 10.3 Alternatives to Traditional Patterns of Work
    5. 10.4 Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and the Workplace of the Future
    6. Key Terms
    7. Summary
    8. Assessment Questions
    9. Endnotes
  12. 11 Epilogue: Why Ethics Still Matter
    1. Introduction
    2. 11.1 Business Ethics in an Evolving Environment
    3. 11.2 Committing to an Ethical View
    4. 11.3 Becoming an Ethical Professional
    5. 11.4 Making a Difference in the Business World
    6. Endnotes
  13. A | The Lives of Ethical Philosophers
  14. B | Profiles in Business Ethics: Contemporary Thought Leaders
  15. C | A Succinct Theory of Business Ethics
  16. Answer Key
    1. Chapter 1
    2. Chapter 2
    3. Chapter 3
    4. Chapter 4
    5. Chapter 5
    6. Chapter 6
    7. Chapter 7
    8. Chapter 8
    9. Chapter 9
    10. Chapter 10
  17. Index
1. “The Latest: Police Release Call from Starbucks Employee,” Associated Press, April 17, 2018. https://apnews.com/7c0b3793ca244e128effc1019bde194c.
2. “Starbucks,” Fortune. http://fortune.com/fortune500/starbucks/; “Starbucks Corporation Institutional Ownership,” Nasdaq. https://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/sbux/institutional-holdings; “Starbucks Company Profile,” Starbucks. https://www.starbucks.com/about-us/company-information/starbucks-company-profile (accessed June 18, 2018).
3. Michael Nunez, “New Horror Story Proves Working for Amazon Is More Soul-Crushing Than We Thought,” Gizmodo, March 7, 2016. https://gizmodo.com/new-horror-story-proves-working-for-amazon-is-more-soul-1763323814.
4. Lynn A. Stout, “The Shareholder Value Myth,” Paper 771 (Ithaca, NY: Cornell Law Faculty Publications 2013), 6. http://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2311&context=facpub.
5. Thomas Donaldson and Lee E. Preston, “The Stakeholder Theory of the Corporation: Concepts, Evidence, and Implications,” The Academy of Management Review 20, no. 1 (1995): 65–91.
6. Thomas Donaldson and Lee E. Preston, “The Stakeholder Theory of the Corporation: Concepts, Evidence, and Implications,” The Academy of Management Review 20, no. 1 (1995): 65–91.
7. Thomas Donaldson and Lee E. Preston, “The Stakeholder Theory of the Corporation: Concepts, Evidence, and Implications,” The Academy of Management Review 20, no. 1 (1995): 65–91.
8. Christopher Meyer and Andre Schwager, “Understanding Customer Experience,” Harvard Business Review, February 2007. https://hbr.org/2007/02/understanding-customer-experience.
9. Paul Williams and Earl Naumann, “Customer Satisfaction and Business Performance: A Firm-Level Analysis,” Journal of Services Marketing 25, no. 1 (2011): 20–32.
10. Mia Galuppo, “Scarlett Johansson Drops Out of ‘Rub & Tug’ Trans Film Following Backlash,” Hollywood Reporter, July 13, 2018. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/scarlett-johansson-drops-trans-film-rub-tug-backlash-1127003.
11. Aaron Hicklin, “Exclusive: Scarlett Johansson Withdraws from Rub & Tug,” Out, July 13, 2018. https://www.out.com/out-exclusives/2018/7/13/exclusive-scarlett-johansson-withdraws-rub-tug.
12. Brad L. Rawlins, “Prioritizing Stakeholders for Public Relations,” Institute for Public Relations, March 2006. https://www.instituteforpr.org/wp-content/uploads/2006_Stakeholders_1.pdf.
13. Charles Riley, “Volkswagen's Diesel Scandal Costs Hit $30 Billion,” CNN Money, September 29, 2017. http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/29/investing/volkswagen-diesel-cost-30-billion/index.html.
14. Miles Brignall, “Volkswagen’s US Compensation Deal Leaves British Drivers Fuming,” The Guardian, October 29, 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/oct/29/volkswagen-us-compensation-deal-british-drivers-fuming; Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, “German Consumers Fight Automakers for Compensation in Emissions Scandal,” All Things Considered, November 10, 2017. https://www.npr.org/2017/11/10/563378729/german-consumers-fight-automakers-for-compensation-in-emissions-scandal.
15. P1 Examining Team, “All About Stakeholders – Part 1,” ACCA. http://www.accaglobal.com/us/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-exams-study-resources/p1/technical-articles/stakeholders-part1.html (accessed August 5, 2018).
16. Christopher D. Stone, “Should Trees Have Standing? Toward Legal Rights for Natural Objects,” Southern California Law Review 45, (1972): 450–501.
17. Nathaniel Meyersohn, “Why Kroger Is Making Its Own Clothes,” CNN Money, November 3, 2017. http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/03/news/companies/kroger-clothes/index.html.
18. “Systems Engineering Guide. Stakeholder Assessment and Management,” MITRE. https://www.mitre.org/publications/systems-engineering-guide/enterprise-engineering/transformation-planning-and-organizational-change/stakeholder--assessment-and-management (accessed May 1, 2018).
19. “Systems Engineering Guide. Stakeholder Assessment and Management,” MITRE. https://www.mitre.org/publications/systems-engineering-guide/enterprise-engineering/transformation-planning-and-organizational-change/stakeholder--assessment-and-management (accessed May 1, 2018).
20. John Anthony, “Malaysia Airlines Prepares for Rebranding, CEO Mueller Says,” Stuff, October 2, 2015. https:www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/72625417/Malaysia-Auirlines-prepares-for-rebranding-CEO-Christoph-Mueller-says.
21. Wesley E. Lindahl, “The Fundraising Process,” in Understanding Nonprofit Organizations, 2nd ed, eds. J. Steven Ott and Lisa A. Dicke (Philadelphia: Westview Press, 2012), 123.
22. Jenna Goudreau, “How IKEA Leveraged the Art of Listening to Global Dominance,” Forbes, January 30, 2013. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/01/30/how-ikea-leveraged-the-art-of-listening-to-global-dominance/#6ab8eefc2b09.
23. Dan Levin, “Shh. It’s Naptime at Ikea in China,” New York Times, August 26, 2016. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/27/world/what-in-the-world/shh-its-naptime-at-ikea-in-china.html.
24. Victoria Knowles, “What’s the Difference Between CSR and Sustainability?” 2degrees, March 25, 2014. https://www.2degreesnetwork.com/groups/2degrees-community/resources/whats-difference-between-csr-and-sustainability/.
25. “Dow Jones Sustainability Indices,” RobecoSAM. http://www.sustainability-indices.com/index-family-overview/djsi-family-overview/#tab-1 (accessed August 5, 2018); “Results Announced for 2017 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices Review,” RobecoSAM, September 7, 2017. http://www.sustainability-indices.com/images/170907-djsi-review-2017-en-vdef.pdf.
26. Kamala Harris, “The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act. A Resource Guide,” California Department of Justice, 2015. https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/sb657/resource-guide.pdf.
27. Coca-Cola Company, “2016 Sustainability Report: Stakeholder Engagement,” August 18, 2017. http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/stakeholder-engagement#2.
28. Martha Pskowski, “Coca-Cola Sucks Wells Dry in Chiapas, Forcing Residents to Buy Water,” Salon, September 16, 2017. https://www.salon.com/2017/09/16/coca-cola-sucks-wells-dry-in-chiapas-forcing-residents-to-buy-water_partner/.
Order a print copy

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Citation/Attribution

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/business-ethics/pages/1-introduction
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/business-ethics/pages/1-introduction
Citation information

© Mar 31, 2023 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.