Business Ethics A Kantian Perspective

by Bowie, Norman E.

• ISBN13: 9780631211747
• ISBN10: 0631211748
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-01-26
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

This book provides essential reading for anyone with an academic or professional interest in business ethics today.

Author Biography

Norman E. Bowie is Elmer L. Anderson Chair in Corporate Responsibility at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of fourteen books and over 50 articles on business ethics and political philosophy. He was a recent fellow in The Program in Ethics and Professions at Harvard University.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Introduction	1	(176)
The Self-Defeating Nature of Immoral Business Practice	11	(30)
Introduction	11	(1)
Immoral Actions Are Based on Self-Defeating Maxims	12	(2)
Inconsistency and Immorality	14	(1)
Applications to Business	15	(4)
It Seems Right in Theory But Does It Work in Practice?	19	(5)
Objections to the Application of Kantian Ethics to Business	24	(1)
Extending the Reach of Categorical Imperatives: Pragmatically Inconsistent Maxims	25	(5)
Why Neither Being Trustworthy nor Not Trusting in Business Involves a Pragmatic Contradiction	30	(7)
Transition to Chapter 2	37	(4)
Treating the Humanity of Stakeholders as Ends Rather Than as Means Merely	41	(41)
Introduction	41	(2)
The Respect for Persons Principle	43	(5)
Not Using Employees: Neither Coercion nor Deceit	48	(6)
Business Practices That Reduce or Remove Coercion and Deception	54	(6)
An Objection and Replies	60	(3)
Positive Freedom and Meaningful Work: Respecting the Humanity in a Person	63	(4)
Kant's Reflections on Work	67	(4)
Meaningful Work and Contemporary Business	71	(11)
The Firm as a Moral Community	82	(38)
Introduction	82	(1)
Viewing Organizations and Human Nature	83	(4)
Creating the Kantian Moral Firm: The Kingdom of Ends Formulation of the Categorical Imperative	87	(3)
The Principles of a Moral Firm	90	(6)
Implications for Organizational Studies	96	(24)
Acting from Duty: How Pure a Motive?	120	(29)
Introduction	120	(1)
Kant's Position on the Purity of Moral Motives	121	(7)
Strategic Payoffs and Moral Motives	128	(9)
Reasons and Emotions: A Brief Aside	137	(1)
Multiple Moral Motives	138	(11)
The Cosmopolitan Perspective	149	(28)
Introduction	149	(2)
The Morality of the Market	151	(9)
International Business Can Contribute to World Peace, Universal Rights, and Democracy	160	(6)
Objections and Replies	166	(7)
Conclusion	173	(4)
Bibliography	177	(2)
Further Reading	179	(1)
Index	180