Business Commons^™

Reframing The Dei Case, Veronica Root Martinez

Faculty Scholarship

Corporate firms have long expressed their support for the idea that their organizations should become more demographically diverse while creating a culture that is inclusive of all members of the firm. These firms have traditionally, however, not been successful at improving demographic diversity and true inclusion within the upper echelons of their organizations. The status quo seemed unlikely to move, but expectations for corporate firms were upended after the #MeToo Movement of 2017 and 2018, which was followed by corporate support of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement in 2020. These two social movements, while distinct in many ways, forced firms to rethink …

The Diversity Risk Paradox, Veronica Root Martinez

Faculty Scholarship

There is a growing body of literature discussing the proper role of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts by and within public firms. A combination of forces brought renewed energy to this topic over the past few years. The #MeToo movement demonstrated a whole host of inequities faced by women within workplaces. Business Roundtable’s 2019 Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation rejected the view that the purpose of the corporation was solely to be focused on the maximization of shareholder wealth. And, in 2020, the murder of George Floyd ignited a racial reckoning within the United States, which prompted many …

The Importance Of Business Ethics As A Project Management Professional (Pmp®), James Burrows

Senior Honors Theses

The Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification is the most industry-recognized certification due to the rigorous requirements and credibility of the Project Management Institute (PMI), (Alexander, 2020). PMI requires members and certification holders to abide by the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, which prioritizes four main value areas: responsibility, respect, fairness, and honesty (Project Management Institute, 2006). The following research and analysis aim to define each value area by connecting project management methodologies and ethical business dilemmas through each value area’s accompanying subsections.

Appropriation Of Artisans' Intellectual Property In Fashion Design Accessories: Piracy Disguised As Giving Back?, Clovia Hamilton

Technology & Society Faculty Publications

Creative industries are industries focused on the creation and exploitation of intellectual propert, including art, fashion design, and related creative services, such as advertisement and sales. During a trip to Burkina Faso in \Nest Africa, Keri Fosse was taught by an African woman how to wrap newborns with fabric in a manner that creates a strong bond and frees the mother's hands for other tasks. Burkina Faso has a craft culture and is known for its woven cotton and the textile art of Bogolan. Bogolan is a technique original to Mali and involves the tradition of dyeing threads with bright …

Living Up To Your Codes? Corporate Codes Of Ethics And The Cost Of Equity Capital, Hong Kim Duong, Marco Fasan, Giorgio Gotti

Accounting Faculty Publications

Purpose-

Previous literature provides mixed evidence about the effectiveness of a code of ethics in limiting managerial opportunism. While some studies find that code of ethics is merely window-dressing, others find that they do influence managers' behavior. The present study investigates whether the quality of a code of ethics decreases the cost of equity by limiting managerial opportunism.

Design/methodology/approach-

In order to test the hypothesis, the authors perform an empirical analysis on a sample of US companies in the 2004–2012 period. The results are robust to a battery of robustness analyses that the authors performed in order to take care …

Sustainability In Business: Developing An Undergraduate Business Course, Julie Nelsen, Mary Henderson, Sarah Rand

Business Administration Faculty Scholarship

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the rationale and process of creating a new course focused on business sustainability in the University’s Department of Business Administration. Currently, the University offers just one business sustainability course, delivered once every two years as a January study-abroad course in Chile. While an outstanding experience, a limited number of students can take advantage of the opportunity. After identifying this gap in our business programs, we created a stand-alone course that focuses on business sustainability. This paper addresses the following questions: What is the business case for adding the course? What should the …

More Meaningful Ethics, Veronica Root Martinez

Faculty Scholarship

Firms have exponentially increased their investment in the creation and implementation of ethics and compliance programs over the past fifteen years. The convergence of more robust corporate enforcement actions and more sophisticated industry standards and practices surrounding compliance efforts has created a booming compliance industry with commonly accepted standards and responsibilities. Within these efforts is a formal acknowledgment by the government, industry leaders, and academics that ethics has a role to play in helping to prevent misconduct within firms and that compliance without concern for ethics is insufficient. The reality, however, is that within firms’ efforts to implement effective ethics …

The Compliance Process, Veronica Root

Faculty Scholarship

Even as regulators and prosecutors proclaim the importance of effective compliance programs, failures persist. Organizations fail to ensure that they and their agents comply with legal and regulatory requirements, industry practices, and their own internal policies and norms. From the companies that provide our news, to the financial institutions that serve as our bankers, to the corporations that make our cars, compliance programs fail to prevent misconduct each and every day. The causes of these compliance failures are multifaceted and include general enforcement deficiencies, difficulties associated with overseeing compliance programs within complex organizations, and failures to establish a culture of …

Cross-Country Evidence On The Role Of Independent Media In Constraining Corporate Tax Aggressiveness, Kiridaran Kanagaretnam, Jimmy Lee, Chee Yeow Lim, Gerald J. Lobo

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

Using an international sample of firms from 32 countries, we study the relation between media independence and corporate tax aggressiveness. We measure media independence by the extent of private ownership and competition in the media industry. Using an indicator variable for tax aggressiveness when the firm’s corporate tax avoidance measure is within the top quartile of each country-industry combination, we find strong evidence that media independence is associated with a lower likelihood of tax aggressiveness, after controlling for other institutional determinants, including home-country tax system characteristics. We also find that the effect of media independence is more pronounced when the …

How Applying Instrumental Stakeholder Theory Can Provide Sustainable Competitive Advantage, Thomas M. Jones, Jeffrey S. Harrison, Will Felps

Management Faculty Publications

Instrumental stakeholder theory considers the performance consequences for firms of highly ethical relationships with stakeholders, characterized by high levels of trust, cooperation, and information sharing. While research suggests performance benefits, an obvious question remains: If instrumental stakeholder theory-based stakeholder treatment is so valuable, why isn't it the dominant mode of relating to stakeholders? We argue that the existing instrumental stakeholder theory literature has three shortcomings that limit its ability to explain variance in performance. (1) Little theory exists around how instrumental stakeholder theory-based stakeholder management could provide sustainable competitive advantage. (2) The literature has largely neglected the potential downsides (i.e., …

Does Machiavelli’S The Prince Have Relevant Lessons For Modern High-Tech Managers And Leaders?, Clovia Hamilton

Winthrop Faculty and Staff Publications

When we think of Machiavellian conduct in technology companies, we think of cut-throat, cunning, behaviour. Cut-throat competition in technological innovations can be the barrier to market entry (Lee, 2014). The lean philosophy is that managers and leaders are to strive for the efficient and effective use of resources in order to overcome this barrier and gain competitive advantage. In order for there to be cut throats, there have to be cut-throat technology innovation leaders and managers. What the lean philosophy lacks is guidance on how to achieve an efficient and effective use of resources in a cut-throat competitive environment. The …

Editor’S Perspective: The Sacredness Of The Marketplace, Michael E. Cafferky

Faculty Works

This article presents ideas from the ancient Hebrew concept of holiness and its relevance for contemporary business. It explores the thesis that the marketplace is sacred.

Gleaning As A Transformational Business Model For Solidarity With The Poor And Marginalized, Bruce D. Baker

SPU Works

“Gleaning” refers to the mandate within the Mosaic Law that harvesters should leave behind “gleanings” for the sake of the poor who subsist on the literal and figurative margins of society. Although this biblical mandate is generally neglected and considered irrelevant in modern business practice, it holds powerful lessons to help guide modern businesses into transformational solidarity with the poor and marginalized. This paper interprets the biblical significance of gleaning, to discern how the principles of gleaning, though rooted in ancient agrarian culture, might be applicable to modern business which is generally far removed from agriculture. The exegesis and analysis …

“Oversight Of The False Claims Act” Testimony By Professor Larry D. Thompson Before The U.S. House Of Representatives Judiciary Subcommittee On The Constitution And Civil Justice, Larry D. Thompson

Presentations and Speeches

Sibley Professor in Corporate and Business Law Larry D. Thompson testifies in a U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice hearing on “Oversight of the False Claims Act.” The purpose of the hearing was to examine the act’s success and seek ways “to prevent, detect and eliminate false claims costing taxpayer dollars, while ensuring fair and just results.”

The Volkswagen Scandal, Britt Blackwelder, Katerine Coleman, Sara Colunga-Santoyo, Jeffrey S. Harrison, Danielle Wozniak

Robins Case Network

Volkswagen is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world. For years the company has focused on producing attractive and environmentally friendly automobiles, and recent initiatives have included a project to reduce CO² production, along with advertisements claiming lower emission of greenhouse gases. The world was shocked to hear that Volkswagen had been producing diesel engines for its cars that were able to trick emissions testing equipment. The engines were producing many times the EPA standards for emissions, yet they passed emission tests. This case provides detailed information about the scandal as well as information about the history, …

Does An Embedded Wind Turbine Reduce A Company’S Electricity Bill? Case Study Of A 300 Kw Wind Turbine In Ireland, Tony Kealy

Articles

In recent years, a growing number of small-to-medium-enterprises are embracing wind turbine projects not only as part of their cost reduction strategy but also to actively play their part in the global fight against climate change. However, it would appear there are currently limited empirical studies carried out in this emerging industry. This case study analyses the cost effectiveness of one such wind turbine initiative by a company in the Republic of Ireland, who invested in a 300 kW embedded wind turbine project at the end of 2013. The research methodology which is primarily a case study analysis included comparing …

A Content Analysis Of Sustainability Dimensions In Annual Reports, Sayed Mr. Afjei

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the triple bottom line of sustainability, in the context of both profit-oriented and non-profit oriented organizations. Sustainability is a compound result of interaction between economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Sustainability cannot be achieved without balance between all three dimensions, which has implications for measuring sustainability and prioritizing goals. This study demonstrates a method for measuring organizational sustainability achievement in these three dimensions of sustainability.

Content analysis of the annual reports of corporations from the United States, Continental Europe (and Scandinavia), and Asia reveals that the economic dimension remains the preeminent aspect, and corporations still have a long …

Stakeholder Theory As An Ethical Approach To Effective Management: Applying The Theory To Multiple Contexts, Jeffrey S. Harrison, R. Edward Freeman, Mônica Cavalcanti Sá De Abreu

Management Faculty Publications

This article provides a brief overview of stakeholder theory, clears up some widely held misconceptions, explains the importance of examining stakeholder theory from a variety of international perspectives and how this type of research will advance management theory, and introduces the other articles in the special issue.

The Ethical-Religious Framework For Shalom, Michael E. Cafferky

Faculty Works

This paper explores the ancient Hebrew Decalogue, the Ten Commandments, a traditional ethical-religious framework for business conduct, in terms of its contribution to well-being. Some elements of the Decalogue align with what contemporary scholars believe are generally-accepted moral principles expected of businesses. This paper addresses the question of how all the elements of the Decalogue contribute to the Hebrew concept of Shalom. The purpose of the Decalogue is established in the context of a covenant community of believers. Each of the Ten Commandments is evaluated in terms of its contribution to Shalom.

India - Censorship For A Good Cause?, Judith Schrempf-Stirling

Robins Case Network

Information technology (IT) companies face significant censorship challenges in countries such as China and India. This case deals with the ethical issues associated with government censorship, and specifically whether corporations that comply with such censorship are complicit in violating basic human rights. The context is India, and the case provides a summary of relevant cultural and legal issues in this very turbulent country.

Do Employers Have Obligations To Pay Their Workers A Living Wage?, Javier S. Hidalgo

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

Jeremy Snyder argues that employers have obligations to pay their workers a living wage if workers stand in relationships of dependence with their employers. I argue that Snyder’s argument for this conclusion faces a dilemma. Snyder can adopt either a descriptive or a moralized account of dependence. If Snyder adopts a descriptive account, then it is false that dependence activates obligations to pay a living wage. If Snyder endorses a moralized account of dependence, then Snyder’s argument is circular. So, Snyder’s argument fails to establish that employers have obligations to pay their workers a living wage.

The Dilemma Between Ethics, Contemporary Political-Economy And Society's Common Good: Reengaging The Stewards Of The Common Good, Kwamie Dunbar

Presidential Seminar on the Catholic Intellectual Tradition

The paper focuses on the rising gap between ethics and modern day business practices and employs recent Catholic Social Teaching and moral anthropology in order to assess the types of (value) ascriptions that can (normativelv) best define business ethics in an era of positive economics, rising levels of individualism and a shrinking “common good."

Stakeholder Theory In Strategic Management: A Retrospective, Jeffrey S. Harrison

Management Faculty Publications

This chapter will provide a description of the personal journey of the author who, as a newly graduated Ph.D. in strategic management in 1985, embraced stakeholder theory. Perhaps one of the interesting aspects of this narrative is that the field of strategic management itself was in its infancy at the time of my graduation. So I have “grown up” in the strategy field while simultaneously observing and to some extent participating in the development of what we now call stakeholder theory. Over the past two and a half decades I have frequently found myself frustrated by my strategy colleagues’ lack …

Business Ethics Education: How Well Are We Preparing Students To Handle Ethical Issues At Work?, Hector Lopez

Touchstone

Educators at large constantly struggle to overcome curriculum and resources constraints to prepare students for everything within their specific academic program. The logical question to ask is whether the content of an ethics course aligns with the content of the ethical challenges students will face. While a strong case can be made supporting the mastery of classical approaches to ethical analysis, the touchstone for deciding what to include in a business ethics course or curriculum should reflect practicality and applicability as well as critical thinking. To build student awareness of ethics in real-time situations, both a conceptual foundation and ample …

Western Kentucky University Annual Report 2010: Bridging The Gap, Sife, Wku

SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise)

No abstract provided.

Dimensionality Of Business Ethics In China, Marc Sardy, J. Mark Munoz, James Jianmin Sun, Ilan Alon

Faculty Publications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the ethical dimensions in China. It reviews the extant business ethics literature on China, collects data on ethical conduct from a large Chinese university, and analyzes the data to examine emerging trends. Design/methodology/approach – Factor analysis and multidimensional scaling (MDS) are applied to an established survey instrument after reliability is confirmed. Findings – Principal-components factor analysis uncovers six main factors. MDS further reduces the explanatory variables into four ethical dimensions, while increasing the number of useable observations. These four dimensions are then correlated with some demographic and psychographic variables. Results …

Giving Voice To Values: How To Speak Your Mind When You Know What's Right (Book Review), Andra Gumbus

WCBT Faculty Publications

Book review by Andra Gumbus.

Gentile, Mary. Giving Voice to Values: How to Speak Your Mind When You Know What's Right. New Haven: Yale University Press, c2010.

ISBN 9780300161182

Moral Management Methodology/Mythology: Erroneous Ethical Equations, Andrew Sikula Sr.

Management Faculty Research

Understanding the falsity of certain common beliefs helps students move toward better business ethics and a higher degree of moral management. This article explains one method for teaching moral management, by using ethical equation inequalities, and offers 10 implications and suggestions to managers.

"Islamic Banking And Finance: Moral Beliefs And Business Practices At Work", Karen Ahmed

Publications – Dreihaus College of Business

The religion of Islam has existed for 1400 years but Islamic economic theory and its financial institutions emerged as an industry only in the 1970s. Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) are designed to help Muslims conduct business internationally while simultaneously upholding traditional Islamic values related to trade finance and currency movement. The basis for their existence is the Islamic moral prohibition on charging interest—interest is a central component of capitalist banking—yet IFIs conduct billions of dollars of business annually in the world economy and the de facto Islamic banking transaction is—in most cases—virtually identical to a capitalist banking transaction. Business practices …

The Relevance And Value Of Confucianism In Contemporary Business Ethics, Gary Kok Yew Chan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article examines the relevance and value of Confucian Ethics to contemporary Business Ethics by comparing their respective perspectives and approaches towards business activities within the modern capitalist framework, the principle of reciprocity and the concept of human virtues. Confucian Ethics provides interesting parallels with contemporary Western-oriented Business Ethics. At the same, it diverges from contemporary Business Ethics in some significant ways. Upon an examination of philosophical texts as well as empirical studies, it is argued that Confucian Ethics is able to provide some unique philosophical and intellectual perspectives in order to forge a richer understanding and analysis of the …