In defence of wish lists: business ethics, professional ethics, and ordinary morality

Sinnicks, M. (2023) In defence of wish lists: business ethics, professional ethics, and ordinary morality. Business and Professional Ethics Journal, 42 (1). pp. 79-107. ISSN 2153-7828 doi: 10.5840/bpej202347137

Abstract/Summary

Business ethics is often understood as a variety of professional ethics, and thus distinct from ordinary morality in an important way. This article seeks to challenge two ways of defending this claim: first, from the nature of business practice, and second, from the contribution of business. The former argument fails because it undermines our ability to rule out a professional-ethics approach to a number of disreputable practices. The latter argument fails because the contribution of business is extrinsic to business in a way that distinguishes from the established professions. The article ultimately suggests we adopt a more aspirational approach to business ethics, which retains an appeal even in the face of charges of anti-capitalist irrelevance.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/101073
Identification Number/DOI	10.5840/bpej202347137
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Henley Business School > Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour
Publisher	PDC
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