The Ethical Dimension of Economic Choices

In general, capitalist countries display sustained growth, dynamism and innovation, and a high adaptability in response to external shocks. Yet in the last twenty years discontent over the notorious drawbacks of capitalism – corporate frauds, corruption, abuses of market power – has grown continually. In this paper, we argue that no remedy to these difficulties can be found if ethical dilemmas are not anticipated and addressed at the individual, firm and economy-wide level. While pro-ethical changes in business regulation would help, government action alone may not be effective enough. Given that the social sciences provide the general framework of reference for human action, better integration of the ethical dimension by these disciplines would bring about additional benefits. In particular, economic theory would gain from developing more in-depth reflection on human end-goals and values.Calculativeness; Capitalism; Corporate social responsibility; Economics; Virtue Ethics

Ethical dimension of business

У статті представлений порівняльний аналіз моральних цінностей бізнесу у різних типах суспільства – східної та західної цивілізації, індустріального та інформаційного суспільства, що функціонують у сучасному світі і визначають основні моделі господарювання. Доведено, що цінності, домінуючі в сучасному світі – це поєднання двох систем, в основі яких лежить ринкова економіка: цінностей попереднього індустріального суспільства (яке сформувало традиційні цінності індивідуального підприємництва) та цінностей постіндустріального (інформаційного) суспільства (яке сформувало нову етику соціальної відповідальності). Нова етика покликана згуртувати людство на засадах довіри та нових духовних принципів, враховуючи нові вимоги часу, нові потенційні можливості та весь попередній накопичений досвід інтелектуального та морального розвитку.В статье представлен сравнительный анализ нравственных ценностей бизнеса в различных типах общества – восточной и западной цивилизации, индустриального и постиндустриального (информационного) общества, функционирующих в современном мире и определяющих основные модели хозяйствования. Доказано, что ценности, доминирующие в современном мире – это сочетание двух систем, в основе которых лежит рыночная экономика: ценностей предыдущего индустриального общества (которое сформировало традиционные ценности индивидуального предпринимательства) и ценностей постиндустриального (информационного) общества (которое сформировало новую этику социальной ответственности). Новая этика призвана сплотить человечество на основе доверия и новых духовных принципов, учитывая новые требования времени, новые потенциальные возможности и весь предыдущий накопленный опыт интеллектуального и нравственного развития.Active restructuring of the entire system of socio-economic relations that occur in countries with economies in transition, actualizes the problem of introduction of such business in Ukraine economically and morally served to benefit the state. Today the problem of finding a new business model is increasingly attracting the attention of modern scientists, philosophers, sociologists, psychologists and political scientists. But business in the XXI century is focused not only on the growth of income and productivity. Modern businessmen realize that doing business effectively impossible, if not created conditions in which the employee is able to reach their full potential. They also recognize the role of spiritual values and responsibility for the consequences of their economic actions. Spiritually-moral problems faced by modern businessmen (as the main subjects of the market) while solving purely rational economic issues in a competitive environment are such that require deep philosophical analysis

Meaning and uselessness: how to think about derogatory words

Williams explains why there might have been some point to a linguistic approach in ethics. I suggest that there might be some point to paying attention to an ethical dimension in philosophy of language. I shall consider words that I label ‘derogatory’, and questions they raise about linguistic meaning

Ethical and compliance-competence evaluation: a key element of sound corporate governance

Motivated by the ongoing post-Enron refocusing on corporate governance and the shift by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in the UK to promoting compliance- competence within the financial services sector, this paper demonstrates how template analysis can be used as a tool for evaluating compliance-competence. Focusing on the ethical dimension of compliance-competence, we illustrate how this can be subjectively appraised. We propose that this evaluation technique could be utilised as a starting point in informing senior management of corporate governance issues and be used to monitor and demonstrate key compliance and ethical aspects of an institution to external stakeholders and regulators

Ethics-Rorty-cultural studies : towards an understanding of the cultural production of solidarity : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in English at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Is cultural studies on the verge of an ethical turn? What role could the work of Richard Rorty play in such an ethical turn? Rorty may be considered as a cultural theorist whose work enables a productive articulation of cultural studies and that area of experience known as "ethics" – one's sensitivity and sense of responsibility to others in pain. Through an extended "misreading" of the dispersed texts Rorty has written on and around the topic, it is possible to formulate a Rortian account of ethics as solidarity, including such concepts as the moral subject, the other, moral identification, moral community, as well as the ethical implications of Rorty's theoretical ethnocentrism. This account, by virtue of its antifoundationalist and discursive theoretical position, holds much interest for a cultural studies concerned to understand the normative dimension of discursive meaning

The philosophy of memory today and tomorrow: Editors' introduction

This introductory chapter provides an overview of the chapters making up the book, which are grouped into six sections: challenges and alternatives to the causal theory of memory; activity and passivity in remembering; the affective dimension of memory; memory in groups; memory failures: concepts and ethical implications; and the content and phenomenology of episodic and semantic memory

The Changing Face of Economics? Ethical Issues in Contemporary Economic Schools as a Consequence of Changes in the Concept of Human Nature

The last financial crisis combined with some recent social trends (like growing inequality or environmental problems) inspired many contemporary economists to the re-evaluation of actual economic knowledge in the search for solutions to these problems. Modern economic schools (especially heterodox ones) stress the meaning of ethical issues in economics more often. The thesis of the paper is that this revival of the ethical face of present economics depends very strongly on the changing assumptions of human nature within economics and other disciplines which work alongside economics, such as social psychology or business ethics, for instance. In order to prove the thesis, the paper provides an evaluation of current economic schools, especially within the heterodoxy, in search of their ethical aspects, and presents them as a result of the changing assumptions about human beings within those schools. This ethical dimension of human beings manifests itself in different ways, which can be perceived as a result of it being based on different ethical schools and different psychological and philosophical assumptions about human nature. Therefore, the paper also considers the current developments of the view on human beings in contemporary schools of economic ethics

SOME COMMENTS ON EDUCATION FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Author stresses the increasing role of education for entrepreneurship within the formal system of education, as well as the importance of individual’s socialization. In formal education technical, economical and legal disciplines are more important, while other forms of socialization should develop courage, innovative attitude, risk acceptance and creativity. Several dimensions of entrepreneurships, defined in theory, are discussed: economic, managerial, innovative and ethical. For each dimensions there are specific forms of education. While some authors suggest that ethical dimension turns into specific form of social entrepreneurship, there is a need for further education in this field too.dimensions of entrepreneurship, formal education, socialization, social entrepreneurship

Guanxi’s consequences: Personal gains at social cost

Is guanxi ethical? This question is largely ignored in the existing literature. As guanxi has an impact on the wider public other than the guanxi parties, it must be studied in the context of all stakeholders. This paper examines the ethical dimension of guanxi by focusing on the consequences of guanxi in business, from ethically misgiving behaviour to outright corruption. Guanxi may brings benefits to individuals as well as the organisations they represent but these benefits are obtained at the expense of other individuals or firms and is thus detrimental to society. It can be argued that guanxi is an inevitable evil under the current political and socio-economic systems in China. Its role and importance in business life will be diminished as the country moves towards an open market system