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Business ethics and doing what one ought to do

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Abstract

There are situations in human life where the failure to perform a certain act can be morally blameworthy and at the same time not constitute the failure of moral duty or obligation. While traditional approaches to ethics have not acknowledged the possibility of these acts, recent contributions to the literature have made a strong and convincing case for their existence. Here I explain the nature of these acts, present some examples of these acts as they might arise in one's business or professional life, and point out the importance of recognizing and performing these acts for those who wish to practice good ethics in their business or professional lives.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Philosophy Department, Calvin College, 3201 Burton St. S.E., 49546, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA

    Gregory Mellema

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  1. Gregory Mellema
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Gregory Mellema is Professor of Philosophy at Calvin College. He has writtenIndividuals, Groups, and Shared Moral Responsibility andBeyond the Call of Duty and has published articles inAmerican Philosophical Quarterly, Philosophical Studies, Canadian Journal of Philosophy, Philosophia, Analysis, andJournal of Value Inquiry. In recent years he has taught courses and spoken widely on topics in Business Ethics.

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Mellema, G. Business ethics and doing what one ought to do. J Bus Ethics 13, 149–153 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00881583

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