Learning outcomes
After this session, you should have a solid understanding of
- what ethics, business ethics and corporate social responsibility is, including their key components;
- the origins of ethical dilemmas in business and the significance of approaching these;
- the impact of CSR on various stakeholders;
- the strategic advantages and potential challenges associated with implementing business ethics/CSR initiatives in a company;
- and when and why good ethics in strategic management pay back.
Prologue
A single individual can usually only commit small sins; a large firm can commit grandiose ones. Claes Gustafsson in Mintzberg (2014)
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters. Alan Simpson, Institute for Business Ethics (IBE)
Good ethics is good business. Bad ethics can derail even the best strategic plans.
Ethical strategy
Why strategy?
Following concerns make the idea of an ethical strategy relevant:
- The concept of ethics and morals applies to corporations just as it applies to individuals/humans.
- Wrong actions by companies can not only prove expensive, but also cause long-term damage.
- The nature of the planning and implementation process in companies makes it difficult to change course mid-way.
- The changing perceptions of what is considered ethical or unethical makes the process complex as well.
Business ethics
Ethics
Ethics is the branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. Wikipedia contributors (2023)
The term comes from the Greek word ‘ethos,’ which means character. Ethical theories reflect on what is morally good and how individuals ought to behave, offering guidance for making moral decisions.
Corporate moral responsibility
Firms do not function in a vacuum. They function in the context of a (wider) social environment, which imposes on them certain moral demands and responsibilities. Mintzberg (2014)
In a nutshell: business ethics is about doing the right thing in business.
- A company is a collection of human and social groupings.
- General expectations regarding acceptable conduct of others underpins such groupings.
- Values such as loyalty, credibility, diligence, cooperation, moral conduct, etc. are manifest in organisations, or at least, expected.
Ethic in business
The term business ethics emphasizes the importance of aligning business activities with ethical principles. It is a form of applied ethics that deals with ethical principles and moral or ethical issues that arise in a business environment. It encompasses all aspects of business conduct and is relevant to the behavior of individuals and entire organizations.
Business ethics, according to Drucker (1981), is about ensuring that business practices, decisions, and operations adhere to ethical standards and contribute positively to society while fulfilling the company’s objectives and obligations to its stakeholders. This is particular important when ethical dilemma occur. An ethical dilemma occurs when individuals or groups are faced with a challenging situation that requires them to make a choice between conflicting moral principles or values.
Values
The right conduct includes those lines of actions that are desirable in terms of the objectives and (moral) values of our society (Bowen and Johnson 1953).
Morality is an aspect of culture—different cultures have different moral systems. Moral values also change over time.
- Some moral values change slowly, over centuries
- Others change more quickly, needing just decades.
- Catastrophic events such as war, genocide, epidemic diseases, etc. may cause moral values to change abruptly.
Implications
Given that there are always grounds for ethical strategic concerns, it is desirable to develop ethics sensitivity in the company, and a routine to probe the general ethical climate of the firm (Mintzberg 2014).
Codes of conduct are a useful means of influencing the ethical climate in the company if they are not enforced through control systems and sanctions. They are an effective means of educating employees, especially when management visibly supports and emphasizes them.
A clear and consistent expression of moral convictions has a strong unifying cultural effect in the organization and gives it the intellectual power to manage ethical conflicts and avoid critical pitfalls.
Another aspect of ethical strategy is predicting and preparing for the future, for example by anticipating possible cultural and value-related changes.
Corporate social responsibility
Definitions
The firm’s consideration of, and response to, issues beyond the narrow economic, technical, and legal requirements of the firm. Davis (1973)
The economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary expectations that society has of organizations at a given point in time. Carroll (1979)
The policies and practices of corporations that reflect business responsibility for some of the wider societal good. Yet the precise manifestation and direction of the responsibility lie at the discretion of the corporation. Matten and Moon (2008)
Features
Definitions in academia and practice capture the following features (Moon 2014):
- Business responsibility to society (i.e., being accountable).
- Business responsibility for society (i.e., in compensating for negative impacts and adding to societal welfare).
- Business’s responsible conduct (i.e., ethically, responsibly, and sustainably).
CSR pyramid
The CSR pyramid helps managers to recognize that different types of obligations are in constant tension with each other and are not mutually exclusive (Carroll 1991). The model includes economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic (discretionary) expectations that society has of organizations at a given point in time.
| Type of Responsibility | Societal Expectation | Explanations |
|---|---|---|
| Economic responsibility | Required of business by society | Be profitable. Maximize sales, minimize costs |
| Legal responsibility | Required of business by society | Obey all laws, adhere to all regulations |
| Ethical responsibility | Expected of business by society | Do what is right, fair, and just. Assert ethical leadership |
| Philanthropic responsibility | Desired/expected of business by society | Be a good corporate citizen. |
Economic responsibilities
Firm has a responsibility to use the resources available to produce goods and services for society.
Economic responsibilities most dramatically impact owners, shareholders, and employees.
Examples
- Generating a high and consistent level of profitability
- Establishing and maintaining a strong competitive position
- Operating the firm at a high efficiency level
Legal Responsibilities
The laws and regulations that all firms are expected to follow as they perform their daily functions.
Legal responsibilities are certainly crucial with respect to owners and shareholders (i.e., employees and consumer stakeholders).
Examples
- Operating consistent with government and legal expectations
- Showing complete compliance with all regulations
Ethical Responsibilities
Change over time because they are based on expectations of society.
Ethical responsibilities affect all stakeholder groups (i.e., consumers, employees, and the environment).
Examples
- Meeting expectations of both social and ethical standards
- Ability to adapt to new or developing ethical and moral standards
Philanthropic Responsibilities (Discretionary Responsibilities)
Those responsibilities in which society does not have a clear message to present to businesses as to what their courses of action should be. Left in the hands of managers to make the right judgment.
Philanthropic responsibilities most affect the community.
Examples
- Giving to charitable organizations
- Providing drug treatment programs
Principles
Some principles that characterize the ethics of corporate strategies:
- Honesty and transparency in decision-making
- Considering all stakeholders, including employees, customers, and shareholders, when making strategic decisions
- Establishing clear guidelines for ethical behavior
- Holding individuals and organizations accountable for any unethical actions
- Fair treatment of employees, including decent working conditions and living wages
- Equal opportunities for career advancement and professional development
- Use of sustainable and ethical materials in products and operations
- Support for social and environmental initiatives and advocacy campaigns
- Collaboration and partnerships with local organizations and communities
Review and consolidation
The following questions are designed to review and consolidate what you have learned and are a good starting point for preparing for the exam.
- Provide examples of ethical dilemmas in business. How should organizations approach and resolve these ethical challenges?
- Analyze the potential conflicts between profit maximization and ethical decision-making. How can businesses balance these often-competing objectives?
- Explain the intersection between business ethics and CSR.
- Why is it essential for businesses to go beyond mere legal compliance and incorporate ethical practices into their operations?
- Why should business ethics be an important part of strategic management (including strategy formation and implementation)?
- How can business ethics be considered in both the external and internal audit?
- How does leadership impact employee conduct and overall organizational culture?
- Define Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its significance in the modern business landscape.
- Explore the impact of the different levels of CSR on various stakeholders, including employees, customers, communities, and the environment. Give real-life examples.
- Describe the strategic advantages and potential challenges associated with implementing CSR initiatives in a company.
- Provide examples of successful CSR programs or initiatives from prominent companies. What made these initiatives successful?
- How does CSR influence brand perception, consumer behavior, and long-term business sustainability?
Homework
- Listen to the Decoder Episode with Philips CEO Roy Jakobs and take notes on Philips’ organisational structure.
- Read Lorenz and Buchwald (2023) and make notes on following questions:
- What is the difference between a Chief Digital Officer and a Chief Information Officer?
- What are their main responsibilities?
- How do CDOs and CIOs work together to develop digital projects and align them with the company’s overall strategy?
- What is structural ambidexterity and how does it relate to the CIO and CDO roles?