76 research outputs found
The importance of meta-economics
E.F. Schumacher was one of the first scholars who recognized the crucial role of metaeconomics.
In his "Small is beautiful" he writes: "The science of economics is 'so prone to usurp
the rest' … because it relates to certain very strong drives of human nature, such as envy and
greed. All the greater is the duty of its experts, the economists, to understand and clarify its
limitations, that is to say, to understand meta-economics." (Schumacher, E. F. 1973: p. 38)
Meta-economics is the basic assumptions about the subject-matter, value-orientation and
methodology of economics. (Zsolnai, L. 1991) The paper attempts to reconstruct the metaeconomic
foundation of mainstream economics and that of alternative economics initiated by
Schumacher. It shows how the emerging alternative economics transcends the erroneous metaeconomic
assumptions of mainstream economics by considering the total economic process,
choosing sustainable livelihood as basic value-orientation, and employing a constructive
methodology
Future of Capitalism
The moral foundation of capitalism should be reconsidered. Modern capitalism is
disembedded from the social and cultural norms of society and produced a deep financial,
ecological and social crisis. Competitiveness is the prevailing ideology of today’s business
and economic policy. Companies, regions, and national economies seek to improve their
productivity and gain competitive advantage. But these efforts often produce negative effects
on various stakeholders at home and abroad. Competitiveness involves self-interest and
aggressivity and produces monetary results at the expense of nature, society and future
generations
The collaborative enterprise framework promotes a view in which economic agents care about
others and themselves and aim to create values for all the participants in their business
ecosystems. Their criterion of success is mutually satisfying relationships with the
stakeholders. New results of positive psychology and the Homo reciprocans model of
behavioral sciences support this approach.
The economic teachings of world religions challenge the way capitalism is functioning, and
their corresponding perspectives are worthy of consideration. They represent life-serving
modes of economizing which can assure the livelihood of human communities and the
sustainability of natural ecosystems.
Ethics and the future of capitalism are strongly connected. If we want to sustain capitalism for
a long time we have to create a less violent, more caring form of it
Environmental ethics for business sustainability
The paper derives operational principles from environmental ethics for business organizations in order to achieve sustainability. Business affects the natural environment at different levels. Individual biological creatures are affected by business via hunting, fishing, agriculture, animal testing, etc. Natural ecosystems are affected by business via mining, regulating rivers, building, polluting the air, water and land, etc. The Earth as a whole is affected by business via exterminating species, contributing to climate change, etc. Business has a natural, non-reciprocal responsibility toward natural beings affected by its functioning. At the level of individual biological creatures, awareness-based ethics is adequate for business. It implies that business should assure natural life conditions and painless existence for animals and other sentient beings. From this point of view a business activity system can be considered acceptable only if its aggregate impact on animal welfare is non-negative. At the level of natural ecosystems, ecosystem ethics is relevant for business. It implies that business should use natural ecosystems in a proper way, that is, not damaging the health of the ecosystem during use. From this point of view a business activity system can be considered acceptable only if its aggregate impact on ecosystem health is non-negative. At the level of the Earth as a whole, Gaian ethics applies to business. Its implication is that business should not contribute to the violation of the systemic patterns and global mechanisms of the Earth. From this point of view a business activity system can be considered acceptable only if its aggregate impact on the living planet is non-negative. Satisfying the above principles can assure business sustainability in an ethically meaningful way. In this case business performs its duty: not to harm nature or allow others to come to harm
The moral economic man
Economic behavior is multifaceted and context-dependent. However, the so-called Homo Oeconomicus model states that agents are perfectly rational, self-interest-maximizing beings. This model can be criticized on both empirical and normative grounds. Understanding
economic behavior requires a more complex and dynamic framework. In the "I & We" paradigm developed by Amitai Etzioni, economic behavior is co-determined
by utility calculations and moral considerations. Two major factors can explain the ethicality
of economic behavior; namely, the moral character of the agents and the relative cost of
ethical behavior. Economic agents are moral beings, but the ethical fabric of the economy determines which
face of the Moral Economic Man predominates
Ethical decision making
The self-centeredness of modern organizations leads to environmental destruction and human
deprivation. The principle of responsibility developed by Hans Jonas requires caring for the
beings affected by our decisions and actions.
Ethical decision-making creates a synthesis of reverence for ethical norms, rationality in goal
achievement, and respect for the stakeholders. The maximin rule selects the "least worst
alternative" in the multidimensional decision space of deontological, goal-achievement and
stakeholder values.
The ethical decision-maker can be characterized as having the ability to take multiple
perspectives and make appropriate balance across diverse value dimensions.
Modern organizations should develop a critical sensitivity to and empathy toward human and
non-human beings with which they share a common environment
Redefining economic reason
Despite of Martin Heidegger’s warning not modern technology but modern economizing destroys the Being. With its exclusive focus on profit-making modern economizing endangers
the integrity and diversity of natural ecosystems, autonomy and culture of local communities, and chances of future generations for a decent life.
This paper gives a critique of the profit principle and redefines economic rationality in a more
holistic, substantive and humanistic form
Spirituality and business: An interdisciplinary overview
The paper gives an interdisciplinary overview of the emerging field of spirituality and business. It uses insights from business ethics, theology, neuroscience, psychology, gender studies, and philosophy to economics, management, organizational science, and banking and refers to different religious convictions including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, the Baha'i faith, and the North-American aboriginal worldview. The authors argue that the materialistic management paradigm has failed. They explore new values for post-materialistic management: frugality, deep ecology, trust, reciprocity, responsibility for future generations, and authenticity. Within this framework profit and growth are no longer ultimate aims but elements in a wider set of values. Similarly, cost-benefit calculations are no longer the essence of management but are part of a broader concept of wisdom in leadership. Spirit-driven businesses require intrinsic motivation for serving the common good and using holistic evaluation schemes for measuring success. The Palgrave Handbook of Business and Spirituality, edited by the authors, is a response to developments that simultaneously challenge the “business as usual” mindset
Profit, fenntarthatóság és etika
A nagy nĂ©met filozĂłfus, Martin Heidegger szerint a modern technolĂłgia sodorja vĂ©gveszĂ©lybe az emberi Ă©s termĂ©szeti lĂ©tezĂ©st. A modern technolĂłgia ökolĂłgiai Ă©s etikai veszĂ©lyessĂ©ge kĂ©tsĂ©gtelen, azonban csak a modern vállalati működĂ©s segĂtsĂ©gĂ©vel fejti ki a hatásait. A profit-hajszolĂł modern vállalatok azok, amelyek veszĂ©lyeztetik a termĂ©szeti
ökoszisztémák integritását és biológiai sokféleségét, a helyi közösségek autonómiáját és kultúráját, valamint a jövő generációk életesélyeit. A tanulmányban a profit-maximalizálás kritikáját vázoljuk fel, és a gazdasági racionalitás egy átfogó, ökológiai és etikai értelmezését adjuk. Nem a profit eltörléséről van
szĂł, hanem a kĂmĂ©letlen profit-hajszolás megregulázásárĂłl. A profit a gazdasági cselekvĂ©s jogos Ă©s termĂ©szetes gyĂĽmölcse, ha az azt lĂ©trehozĂł tevĂ©kenysĂ©g fenntarthatĂł Ă©s etikus mĂłdon megy vĂ©gbe
A gazdasági etika paradoxona
A gazdasági etikát gyakran tekintik elméleti és gyakorlati szakemberek úgy, mint olyan
eszközt, amivel a vállalatok tevĂ©kenysĂ©gĂ©t javĂthatjuk, ami egyfajta “hozzáadott Ă©rtĂ©ket”
biztosĂt a vállalatok számára. A Community of European Management Schools (CEMS)
etika professzorainak legĂşjabb könyvĂ©ben a gazdasági etikai teljesen más megközelĂtĂ©sĂ©vel találkozhatunk. SzerintĂĽk az etika önĂ©rtĂ©kkel bĂr az ĂĽzleti Ă©letben, s
csak akkor váltható át valós gazdasági eredményekre (profit, piaci érték), ha azt a
szereplők őszintén, meggyőződéséből képviselik. A cikkben a kötet szerkesztője – a CEMS Business Ethics Interfaculty Group vezetője és a BKAE Gazdaságetikai Központjának igazgatója – foglalja össze a 10 ország 15 etika professzorának nézeteit,
amelyek a gazdasági etika megvalĂłsĂtásának Ăşj megközelĂtĂ©sĂ©t adják
Vállalati etika
A cikk a vállalati etika (corporate ethics) témakörét mutatja be. Kiindulásul az ún. stakeholder-elméletet
választja, amely szerint a managementnek tekintetbe kell vennie minden olyan vállalaton belüli, vagy
vállalaton kĂvĂĽli szemĂ©lyt, csoportot vagy szervezetet, amelynek jelentĹ‘s Ă©rintettsĂ©ge van a vállalati
döntĂ©sekben Ă©s politikában. A szerzĹ‘ az etika vállalaton belĂĽli intĂ©zmĂ©nyesĂtĂ©sĂ©nek legfontosabb mĂłdjait tárgyalja
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