John W. Houck Notre Dame Series in Business Ethics – Serie

We are living in an exciting and challenging era, characterized by what many are calling globalization—the integration of economic activity on an international scale. It involves unparalleled movements not only of capital but also of goods and services, technologies, and people.Globalization is perceived as both a promise and a threat. The promise is seen in the rising prosperity experienced by many in rich and poor countries alike in the aftermath of international linkages. The threat is the growing perception, by nations and individuals, that we can no longer control our way of life. Whether it be corporate downsizing, takeovers, bankruptcies, human rights abuses, or the loss of jobs, the pace of change and the disruption of communities is very troubling to many.We are experiencing a growing call for a global ethic. From various parts of the world, proposals are emerging for a new global code of conduct, along with an ever-increasing concern for the promotion and protection of human rights in developing countries. To further the discussion on global codes of conduct, the University of Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Religious Values in Business presents the reflections of a group of distinguished leaders from business, the academy, and other parts of civil society. This resulting collection asks important questions for us to consider in the rush toward globalization: What is the next step in this chorus of activity? Should we try to move toward one global code of conduct? What accountability structures are helpful? Global Codes of Conduct: An Idea Whose Time Has Come will be of value to all readers interested in the emerging global economy. It will be particularly useful as a textbook for courses in business ethics.

The business world is sometimes unfairly caricatured, as a world where everyone knows the price of everything and yet appreciates the value of nothing. It is our moral imagination that allows us to become sensitive to the dimensions of a situation that are likely to lead to the harming of human welfare. The essays gathered in The Moral Imagination: How Literature and Films Can Stimulate Ethical Reflection in the Business World show how, through literature, art, and film, society might learn to develop a sense of moral imagination.The premise of this collection is that the more interesting and prior question is Who are we? rather than What shall we do? Cultivating the imagination through art, literature, and film illuminates our understanding of what it means to be human and thus brings us closer to answering this fundamental question. By having a genuine sense of self, one can expand an impoverished moral vision and open the way for the greatness of heart that is needed to guide us through an ethical life in business.The focus on moral images in business ethics is credited, in part, to Aristotle. Some of these essays can be seen as arguing for a retrieval of the Aristotelian insight on ethics for the business ethics of our time. Ethics in this perspective is not primarily concerned with analyzing situations so that we can make correct decisions but rather with reflecting on what is constitutive of the good life. The fostering of this philosophical tradition can bring a crucial corrective to the way business ethics is practiced today.

The new emphasis on spirituality in the workplace has been widely discussed in recent years and reported in major publications such as the Wall Street Journal and Fortune. Spirituality seems to be a basic human good essential for human flourishing. The contributors to this volume are all proponents of spirituality in the workplace, yet all raise important questions about this movement and what it means. What are the moral questions that should guide leaders? Is spirituality being treated as simply an instrumental good, valued for its usefulness in enhancing productivity and well-being? What are the responsibilities of business leaders? Of business schools and their faculty? Of churches? The essayists in this collection reflect on these and other pertinent questions.The common thread linking these authors is that all have distinguished themselves in their respective fields or professions and all wish to advance spirituality in business. Contributors to Business, Religion, and Spirituality provide a sober, but positive, prognosis for this new growth in spirituality while offering direction for the future.

The new emphasis on spirituality in the workplace has been widely discussed in recent years and reported in major publications such as the Wall Street Journal and Fortune. Spirituality seems to be a basic human good essential for human flourishing. The contributors to this volume are all proponents of spirituality in the workplace, yet all raise important questions about this movement and what it means. What are the moral questions that should guide leaders? Is spirituality being treated as simply an instrumental good, valued for its usefulness in enhancing productivity and well-being? What are the responsibilities of business leaders? Of business schools and their faculty? Of churches? The essayists in this collection reflect on these and other pertinent questions.The common thread linking these authors is that all have distinguished themselves in their respective fields or professions and all wish to advance spirituality in business. Contributors to Business, Religion, and Spirituality provide a sober, but positive, prognosis for this new growth in spirituality while offering direction for the future.

Economic Imperatives and Ethical Values in Global Business offers an in-depth and systematic analysis of the workings of the Sullivan Principles and their impact on the interactions of foreign corporations with South Africa. Published for the first time in the United States, this book interprets how the experience of the Sullivan Principles might instruct the process of developing codes of ethics as large multinational corporations cope with issues of human rights, living and working conditions of workers, environmental protection, and sustainable growth in their overseas manufacturing operations.

Peace through Commerce: Responsible Corporate Citizenship and the Ideals of the United Nations Global Compact contains a foreword, introduction, and twenty-one chapters by major business leaders and scholars who discuss the issues set out by the UN Global Compact. The chapters address the purpose of the corporation; the influence of legal and peace studies; the experience of career NGO officials and of business leaders; how commerce can help promote peace; and how we might envision the future. Ten case studies document the efforts of individual businesses, including IBM, Chevron, Bristol-Myers-Squibb, General Electric, Nestle, and Ford, to successfully serve society's interests as well as their own. Peace through Commerce will lay the groundwork for courses in business schools on corporate social responsibility, corporate citizenship, and global environment of business.Contributors: Mark Moody-Stuart, Oliver F. Williams, C.S.C., Marilise Smurthwaite, Timothy L. Fort , Michelle Westermann-Behaylo, Douglass Cassel, Sean O'Brien, John Paul Lederach, Willie Esterhuyse, Mary Anderson, David B. Lowry, Donal A. O'Neill, Klaus M. Leisinger, Ofelia C. Eugenio, Brigitte Hélène Scherrer, Samery Abdelnour, Babiker Badri, Oana Branzei, Susan McGrath, David Wheeler, Gerald F. Cavanagh, S.J., Mary Ann Hazen, Brad Simmons, David Berdish, John Bee, Lisa Newton, Stanley Litow, Marshall Greenhut, Bob Corcoran, Daniel Malan, Alexandra Guáqueta, Thomas Costa, Lee Tavis, and Carolyn Y. Woo.