Normative Theory and Business Ethics

Since its inception thirty years ago, business ethics has benefited from the interdisciplinary contributions by management, political theory, sociology, and, of course, philosophy. This volume provides an updated examination of the role that moral and political philosophy can play in addressing problems in business ethics. The essays contained within its pages represent the work of new scholars and address a wide array of foundational issues such as distributive justice within firms, human rights, ethical challenges of international business, the role of virtue in business management, entrepreneurship and the relationship of markets and market actors with democratic institutions. In an important sense, this collection traces where philosophy has been and where it is headed within business ethics. Each of the contributions represent new work that, at once, strengthens the theoretical foundations of normative business ethics and provides practical insight for non-philosophers working in the field.

Author Biography

Jeffery D. Smith is assistant professor and director of the Banta Center for Business, Ethics and Society at the University of Redlands.