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¶ … Glen Whelan of the University of Nottingham discusses the political perspective of corporate social responsibility (CSR), which he claims is but one form of globalization, rather than a consequence of globalization. The distinction is an important one according to Whelan, who argues the political perspective of CSR has not been sufficiently addressed in the literature on business ethics, the humanities or the social sciences. He believes the political activities of multi-national corporations (MNCs) should not be "under the radar," but open and understood.
The intended audience of the paper is those who have an academic interest in business ethics. Obviously, one would hope that ethical standards would be, for every corporation, not just a concern but a priority. The focus of this article, however, is not a how-to for chief executive officers, but rather a call for greater research in the field, research that can, presumably, inform instruction in undergraduate and graduate business programs and eventually make principals more aware and accountable for their actions. Whelan makes a number of suggestions for future research...
He suggested that researchers consider business ethics in the context of political philosophy, international relations and even what he terms "foundational philosophy" (Whelan; cited in Hartman and DesJardins, 2008, p. 730) such as the writings of Immanuel Kant. Such a philosophical approach is probably beyond nearly all executives of multi-national corporations -- not that they are incapable of understanding, only that in the face of daily decisions about market share and profits, the philosophical underpinnings of business ethics is lost. Whelan crafts a valid argument for the need to study business ethics, but beyond his esoteric notions, he offers no real practical strategies for bringing ethics to the fore in the world of MCNs.
As Whelan points out, "globalization" is a term used to describe a new inter-connectedness of peoples as a result of technological means (e.g., the Internet, air travel) and/or organizational means (e.g., multi-national corporations). Globalization has been blamed for diminished standards in a number of regards, from environmental…
As has been noted, Whelan does not discuss the practical application of business ethics by MCNs, only the theories which drive it and the semantics with which it is considered. It is an interesting article from a philosophical perspective, but not an article that offers real guidance in any decision-making process.
Reference
Hartman, L.P., & DesJardins, J.R. (2008). Business ethics: Decision-making for personal integrity & social responsibility. Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.
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