How do managers think about market economies and morality? Empirical enquiries into business-ethical thinking patterns

How do managers think about the relationship between the pursuit of economic success and ethical demands? This paper presents the main results of a qualitative-empirical study (Ulrich and Thielemann, 1992). The range of thinking patterns displayed by Swiss managers in this field of tension is elucid...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Ulrich, Peter 1961- (Author) ; Thielemann, Ulrich (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Springer 1993
In: Journal of business ethics
Year: 1993, Volume: 12, Issue: 11, Pages: 879-898
Further subjects:B Empirical Enquiry
B Market Economy
B Business Ethic
B Economic Growth
B Previous Investigation
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Summary:How do managers think about the relationship between the pursuit of economic success and ethical demands? This paper presents the main results of a qualitative-empirical study (Ulrich and Thielemann, 1992). The range of thinking patterns displayed by Swiss managers in this field of tension is elucidated and typologized. The results are then compared with those yielded by other studies on managerial ethics. Although the comparisons reveal essential parallels, the findings of previous investigations are interpreted in a considerably different manner. In particular it is shown that, on the strength of a systematic conception of the fundamental problem of business ethics, the frequently heard assertion that the vast majority of managers are ethical opportunists must be revised. The internationally prevailing thinking pattern among managers does not prove to be ethical opportunism or even cynicism buteconomism, i.e. theethical conviction that economically “appropriate” actionin itself is ethically good as such.
ISSN:1573-0697
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of business ethics
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1007/BF00871669