Business Commons^™

The Ethical Controversy Around Gene-Editing Technology, Katrina Powers

A with Honors Projects

In this honors project, the author discusses the risks and benefits of using CRISPR to edit genetics.

Corporate Foreign Policy In War, Kishanthi Parella

Scholarly Articles

On February 24, 2022, Russian troops invaded Ukraine. Over a year later, the war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and led to the displacement of millions. In Spring 2023, both Ukrainian and Russian forces prepared new offensives, while the United States committed to providing Ukraine with military tanks—a move that Russian officials had previously warned would constitute direct involvement in the war. While countries debated how to respond, we also witnessed the privatization of foreign policy as hundreds of companies around the world similarly sought to assist Ukraine or punish Russia using the tools of national foreign policy—humanitarian …

Why Corporate Success Requires Dealing With The Past, Sarah Federman, Judith Schrempf-Stirling

School of Peace Studies: Faculty Scholarship

Customers, employees, and citizens expect companies to address historic transgressions and work toward a positive legacy.

Businesses’ past involvement or complicity in atrocities and human rights abuses such as slavery and genocide is a pressing concern for stakeholders today. Managers who meaningfully engage with their companies’ past actions can address historic harms while simultaneously contributing to their companies’ future success. The authors examine the factors that are pushing companies to take action now, and they offer guidance to help leaders begin the process of moving forward.

The Effect Of Resource Scarcity On Consumer Ethical Behavior, Todd C. Haderlie Jr, Jaehoon Lee

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2022

We identify a novel relationship between scarcity and ethical behavior. When resource scarcity is made salient, consumers engage in less ethical behavior. Furthermore, the effect of resource scarcity on ethical behavior is stronger for consumers with high (vs. low) levels of the inclusion of others in the self (IOS).

Teenagers’ Moral Advertising Literacy In An Influencer Marketing Context, Emma Sweeney, Margaret-Anne Lawlor, Mairead Brady

Articles

Teenagers are avid consumers of social media and also constitute attractive target audiences for influencer marketing (IM). Teenagers can perceive strong, parasocial relationships with influencers, frequently regarding them as being akin to a peer or a friend. Furthermore, influencer endorsements are observed to carry greater credibility and authenticity than traditional forms of advertising. This therefore raises questions about young consumers’ discernment of, and critical evaluation of the overall appropriateness when influencers act as conduits of commercial messages on behalf of brands. This paper reports on a qualitative study of 29 teenagers aged 15–17 years. The aim was to explore the …

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.

Public Relations Education In Singapore: Educating The Next Generation Of Practitioners On Ethics, Eugene Yong Sheng Woon, Augustine Pang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study examines if PR education adequately prepares students for the workplace, particularly in the practice of ethics in the context of Singapore, which has been described as one of “Asia’s economic tigers” (BBC, 2018). This study, thus, aims to first, elucidate the state of PR education specifically in relation to how PR ethics is taught in Singapore. Second, it examines how ethics education prepares students for the workplace in Singapore. Data comes from examining the syllabi of 14 universities in Singapore, both local and international, and interviews with 20 academics and practitioners. Findings suggest there are varying degrees in …

Zero Textbook Cost Syllabus For Mgt 3800 (Management And Society), Jared Peifer

Open Educational Resources

The course aims to help students better understand how business interacts with society. The dramatic rise in the exchange of goods, information, services and capital around the world makes business a driving force in global society. Yet, the evolving expectations of corporate stakeholders (e.g., customers, investors, governments and civil society groups) are not well understood. Corporations are expected to meet ever-higher standards of care wherever they operate. Stakeholders expect managers to make a profit for their companies in ways that are lawful, socially responsible and contribute to the welfare of society. Tomorrow’s business leaders will need to be equipped with …

Strengthening Social Fabric And Quality Of Life, Singapore Management University

Research Collection Office of Research

In this booklet, read about our research in the area of “Strengthening Social Fabric and Quality of Life”.

Contents:

Well-being of People, Groups, Organisations, Societies

• Serving the Underserved
• Does Family Background Affect Socioeconomic Mobility?
• Becoming a Happy Analyst
• Effective Childcare Subsidies
• Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Successful Ageing of People, of Populations

• Economic and Social Aspects of Ageing Successfully
• Exploring the Effectiveness of Smart Technologies in Eldercare
• Keeping our Silver Edge Sharp
• Sleep Quality & Dementia

Social Inclusion, Exclusion, Inequality

• The Helping Hand of Diversity
• Protecting Vulnerable Adults
• Finding the Path to an Inclusive Society
• Well-being of Singapore Youth …

Ethical Dilemmas Surrounding Manufacturing Offshoring: Assessing The Morality Of Offshoring Decisions Through A Utilitarian Viewpoint, Luis Encinas

Honors Scholar Theses

The purpose of this paper to assess the ethical dilemmas that exist when American companies offshore manufacturing work to cheaper labor markets abroad through a utilitarian perspective. The paper will explain what offshoring is and what has driven American companies into engaging in this practice. Next, the criteria for the utilitarian assessment will be explained. After, I will examine the effects on the U.S labor force, U.S economy, and the foreign labor force through two case studies: the Bangladeshi apparel industry and the Mexican maquiladoras industry. Finally, the paper will offer some suggestions for making this practice more ethical in …

Ethical Responsibility - An Arendtian Turn In Leadership Ethics, Rita A. Gardiner Ph.D

Education Publications

This paper adopts an Arendtian approach to consider the interconnections among responsibility, ethics, and leadership. Considering responsibility through an Arendtian lens may offer insights into leadership ethics. These insights may help deepen our understanding of the nascent theory of responsible leadership. In particular, Arendt's emphasis on judgment illustrates the importance of responsible action. Engaging with the Arendtian corpus may help us rethink connections among leadership, ethics, and responsibility in new and productive ways. This engagement with Arendt's work can in turn add value to thinking about responsible, ethics, and leadership.

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 …

Perfectly Frank: A Reflection On Quality Lawyering In Honor Of R. Franklin Balotti, Leo E. Strine Jr., James J. Hanks Jr., John F. Olson, A. Gilchrist Sparks, E. Norman Veasey, Gregory P. Williams

All Faculty Scholarship

This essay honoring the late R. Franklin Balotti focuses upon certain of the key attributes necessary to practice business law effectively and ethically. Among these attributes are a strong work ethic, the integrity to stand behind your own advice and candidly admit when things do not go according to plan, empathy for how others will view your client’s actions and the ability to communicate that perception to your client, the confidence to change the pace of a transaction when a slow down or time out is warranted, and the ability to have some fun and laugh (even at yourself). Perhaps …

The Evolution Of Ethics In The Irish Real Estate Profession, Lorna Colley, Lloyd Scott

Conference papers

Since the Economic Collapse of 2008 much discussion and analysis of the role of ethics in the financial sector in Ireland has occurred. However little if any of this focus has been on the real estate profession. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the Irish Real Estate Profession deals with the issue of ethics. How has this relationship evolved over time? Has the Irish political context influenced the approach to ethics on a societal level and has this fed into the profession’s approach? The role of ethics education is also examined in current Irish real estate qualifications, …

Mutually Assured Protection Among Large U.S. Law Firms, Tom Baker, Rick Swedloff

All Faculty Scholarship

Top law firms are notoriously competitive, fighting for prime clients and matters. But some of the most elite firms are also deeply cooperative, willingly sharing key details about their finances and strategy with their rivals. More surprisingly, they pay handsomely to do so. Nearly half of the AmLaw 100 and 200 belong to mutual insurance organizations that require member firms to provide capital; partner time; and important information about their governance, balance sheets, risk management, strategic plans, and malpractice liability. To answer why these firms do so when there are commercial insurers willing to provide coverage with fewer burdens, we …

The Ethical Debate On Drones, Anne Hopkins

Augustana Center for the Study of Ethics Essay Contest

No abstract provided.

An Ethical President Elect?, Cameron Mackenzie

Augustana Center for the Study of Ethics Essay Contest

An ethics paper intended to take an unbiased stance, while breaking down the ethics surrounding then President Elect Donald Trump's 100-day plan.

Protecting One's Own Privacy In A Big Data Economy, Anita L. Allen

All Faculty Scholarship

Big Data is the vast quantities of information amenable to large-scale collection, storage, and analysis. Using such data, companies and researchers can deploy complex algorithms and artificial intelligence technologies to reveal otherwise unascertained patterns, links, behaviors, trends, identities, and practical knowledge. The information that comprises Big Data arises from government and business practices, consumer transactions, and the digital applications sometimes referred to as the “Internet of Things.” Individuals invisibly contribute to Big Data whenever they live digital lifestyles or otherwise participate in the digital economy, such as when they shop with a credit card, get treated at a hospital, apply …

Mercy And Business: A Partnership For Catholic University Business Students, Arlene J. Nicholas

Faculty and Staff - Articles & Papers

A university mission that reflects mercy and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition can be integrated into business courses. Critical to this integration is the willingness of students to embrace concepts such as fairness and mercy, as part of their lives beyond academia; that caring for others is inclusive in business and private life. Some examples in management courses include; the protection from harassment or disenfranchisement of any ethnic, economic or lifestyle differences; fairness of applications, interviews and testing, and opportunities for training and promotions. In all business courses, the understanding of cultural dimensions and respect for others are emphasized.

12. Ethics And Leadership, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

CORE

In this module, students consider various ethical codes relevant in a position of leadership. By the end of the module, students will be able to differentiate between ethics and morals, examine how ethics and morals play a role in the decision making process, reframe their preconceptions of ethical decisions, and compare ethical and unethical paths to reach a certain goal. This module examines case studies of different ethical scenarios that challenge students to discuss different perspectives and develop their own opinions. Ethical and unethical leaders are also examined through historical and contemporary examples. Specifically, students look at the reasons behind …

Love And Hate In University Technology Transfer: Examining Faculty And Staff Conflicts And Ethical Issues, Clovia Hamilton

Winthrop Faculty and Staff Publications

With respect to university technology transfer, the purpose of this paper is to examine the literature focused on the relationship between university research faculty and technology transfer office staff. We attempt to provide greater understanding of how research faculty’s personal values and research universities’ organization values may differ and why. Faculty researchers and tech transfer office (TTO) staff are perceived to be virtuous agents. When both are meeting each other’s needs, a “love” relationship exists. However, when these needs are not met, a “hate” relationship exists that is replete with doubt and uncertainty. This doubt and uncertainty creates tension and …

Ethical Implications Of The Affordable Care Act On Employment, Stephanie Anne Brown

Senior Research Projects

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has affected the decisions of many companies across America. Accountants in these companies are constantly concerned with lowering costs in order to increase profits. Firing full-time employees and hiring part-time replacements could help cut down on costs, but management's decisions not only impact the company, but the lives of their employees, their employee's families and the country's economic health. As a Christian accountant, one needs to realize the ethical impact of ACA to make informed decisions. This paper explores whether or not it is ethical for Christians to recommend that a company fire its staff …

Empowering Employees To Prevent Fraud In Nonprofit Organizations, John M. Bradley

All Faculty Scholarship

This Article examines the significant problem of fraud within nonprofit organizations and demonstrates that current anti-fraud measures do not adequately reflect the important role employees play in perpetuating or stopping fraudulent activity. Psychological and organizational behavior studies have established the importance of (1) participation and (2) peers in shaping the behavior of individuals within the organizational context. This Article builds on that research and establishes that to successfully combat fraud, organizations must integrate employees into the design, implementation, and enforcement of anti-fraud strategy and procedures. Engaged, empowered employees will be less likely to commit fraud and more likely to dissuade …

Case Study: Sexism In Advertising And Airlines, Tamilla Curtis, Anke Arnaud Ph.D., Blaise Waguespack

Publications

This case study outlines an ethical dilemma faced by a young female student who is planning to buy airline tickets. Her purchase decision is influenced by cost and advertising strategies. The case discusses advertising ethics, ethical moral philosophies, including teleology and deontology, and sexist advertising with examples from the airline industry. This case will be beneficial for marketing students to discuss the topic of advertising ethics, and for business students to discuss the topic of organizational ethics. Students enrolling in aviation related classes will also benefit from this case. The teaching notes for instructors are available upon request.

Sustainability, Stakeholder Perspective And Corporate Success: A Paradigm Shift, Eunsup Daniel Shim

WCBT Faculty Publications

In this paper, I argue that the corporation can ‘do well by doing good’ in the long run if they take the stakeholder perspective. Corporations narrowly focused on short-term profits, can make business decisions that could be detrimental to long-run sustainability. For example, firms might not be making enough investments in Research and Development, producing potentially harmful products, and might not pay enough attention to their corporate image. The stakeholder perspective promotes ethical business decision-making and focuses on long-run sustainability by emphasizing a stable customer base, employee well-being, a better corporate image, and corporate social responsibility. Ethical decision-making includes a …

Capital In The Twenty-First Century: A Tale Without Morality, Bruce D. Baker

SPU Works

Thomas Piketty has given economists a lot to argue about, but their arguments miss the point of the book’s success. “Capital in the Twenty-First Century” is not a bestseller based on its economic merits. It’s a bestseller because it speaks to a deep moral anxiety. Confidence in capitalism has been shaken. The crisis of 2008 exposed weaknesses in the financialization of our economy. Piketty makes a valiant contribution to economic theory and history, but his empiricism succumbs ultimately to the same flaw John Paul II diagnosed in Marxism—it leads to an incoherent statement of moral order.

Manager's Toolbox: Ethics And Values, Ratan Tata, Philip C. Zerrillo

Asian Management Insights

Ratan Tata zeros in on ethics and values as part of the science of management, and India's current economic journey, in this interview with Philip Zerrillo.

Shortcomings Of Investior-Based Ratings Of Corporate Reputation: An Exploratory Empirical Study That Shows A Variety Of Stakeholder Groups Place Greater Emphasis On Corporate Ethics Than Profits., Kent Walker Dr., Bruno Dyck Dr.

Odette School of Business Publications

We examine three assumptions commonly held in the corporate reputation literature: i) reputation ratings of owners and investors are generally representative of all stakeholders; ii) stakeholders will generally provide a higher reputation rating to firms that emphasize corporate social responsibility versus firms that do not; and iii) profitability is the primary criterion of importance to all stakeholders when rating a firm’s reputation. Using an exploratory in-class exercise our findings suggest that: i) there are significant differences among stakeholder groups in their reputation ratings; ii) firms that emphasize corporate social responsibility are not rated more highly across all stakeholder groups, and …

Ethical Leadership In The Age Of Apology, Craig E. Johnson, Paul Shelton

Faculty Publications - College of Business

The growing importance of public apology makes forgiveness seeking a critical responsibility for ethical leaders. Leaders must offer apologies on behalf of themselves (in their roles as moral people) and on behalf of the organizations they lead (in their roles as moral managers). Morally satisfying apologies adequately acknowledge offenses, express remorse, offer explanations, and make reparations for damages. The apologies of disgraced professional cyclist Lance Armstrong and General Motors CEO Mary Barra demonstrate how incomplete apologies can undermine ethical leadership. Armstrong’s apology did little to atone for his failings as a moral person. In her role as a moral manager, …

A Moral Debate: The Responsibility Of Human Resource Professionals In The Implementation Of A Code Of Ethics, Erika Felty

Senior Honors Theses

The overarching idea of this thesis is that human resource professionals have a responsibility to oversee a code of ethics that governs employee behavior within an organization. Although the development and implementation of such a code is a collaborative effort between stakeholders, human resource managers bring value to a code through factors such as training and communication. Initially, one must define ethics and a code of ethics, in order to better understand the creation, management, and implementation of the code. Recent ethical situations in the world today, such as Enron and TI Instruments, establish and exemplify the purpose and overall …