Business Ethics: Kant, Virtue, and the Nexus of Duty

This book offers students a philosophical introduction to the ethical foundations of business management.  It combines lessons from Kant with virtue ethics and also touches upon additional approaches such as utilitarianism. At the core of the book lies the concept of the “nexus of imperfect managerial duty.” This consists of the creation and reinforcement of virtuous managerial teams, engagement of discourse among all stakeholders, and pursuit of business responsibilities including the creative efforts necessary for modern organizations. A variety of special problems in managerial ethics are also explored, such as the ethics of managerial paternalism, fairness in stakeholder negotiations, devolution of business into scandalous corruption, and the role of boycotts in society’s shaping of managerial duties.

Case illustrations of these applications are presented throughout the book including in chapter appendices. A series of brief-answer questions, essay questions, and discussion questions are presented at the end of each chapter. Links to relevant video presentations of lectures applicable for each chapter are also provided.