Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Global Ethics: An Integrative Framework For MNEs

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Global ethics has recently emerged as a popular concept among researchers in the field of international management and is of immediate concern among managers of multinational enterprizes (MNEs). This paper presents an integrative framework covering a range of factors and issues relevant to multinationals with respect to ethical decision making. The paper provides an overview of the existing literature on the topic, and framework is aimed at providing the managers of multinationals with a basis for relating and synthesizing the perspectives and prescriptions that are available for incorporating ethics into the strategic decision-making process.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ackerman, W. and A. Bauer: 1976, Corporate Social Responsibility. The Modern Dilemma (Reston, Reston, Virginia).

    Google Scholar 

  • Amba-Rao, S.: 1993, 'Multinational Corporate Social Responsibility, Ethics, Interactions and the Third World Governments: An agenda for the 1990s', Journal of Business Ethics 12, 553–572.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ansoff, H.: 1975, 'Managing Strategic Surprise by Response to Weak Signals', California Management Review (Winter), 21–23.

  • Arcelus and Schaeffer: 1982, 'Social Demands as Strategic Issues: Some Conceptual Problems', Strategic Management Journal 3, 347–357.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bassiry, G.: 1990, 'Business Ethics and The United Nations: A Code of Conduct', Sam Advanced Management Journal (Autumn 1990), 38–41.

  • Becker, H. and D. Fritzsche: 1987, 'A Comparison of the Ethical Behavior American, French and German Managers', Columbia Journal of World Business (Winter), 87–95.

  • Bommer, M., J. Grato, J. Gravander and M. Tuttle: 1987, 'A Behavior Model of Ethical and Unethical Decision Making', Journal of Business Ethics 6, 265–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Datta, D.: 1988, 'International Joint Ventures: A Framework for Analysis', Journal of General Management 14(2), Winter, 78–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bromiley, P. and A. Marcus: 1993, 'The Deterrent to Dubious Corporate Behavior: Profitability, Probability and Safety Recalls', Strategic Management Journal 10, 233–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buller, P., J. Kohls and K. Anderson: 1991, 'The Challenge of Global Ethics', Journal of Business Ethics 10(10), October, 767–775.

    Google Scholar 

  • Center for Business Ethics: 1986, 'Are Corporations Institutionalizing Ethics?', Journal of Business Ethics 5(2), 85–91

    Google Scholar 

  • David F., L. Anderson and K. Lawrimore: 1990, 'Perspective on Business Ethics in Management Education', Sam Advanced Management Journal (Autumn 1990), 26–32.

  • DeGeorge, H.: 1988, 'International Business Ethics: An American Perspective', Paper presented at the Hinskey Center/Vesper Society Seminar, Anaheim, August 6.

  • Donaldson, T.: 1985, 'Multinationals Decision Making: Reconciling Ethical Norms', Journal of Business Ethics 4, 357–366.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson, T.: 1992, 'Can Multinationals Stage a Universal Morality Play?', Business & Society Review (Spring 1992), 51–55.

  • Drake B. and E. Drake: 1988, 'Ethical and Legal Aspects of Managing Corporate Cultures', California Management Review (Winter 1988), 107–123.

  • Ferrell, O., Zey-Ferrell and D. Krugman: 1983, 'A Comparison of Predictors of Ethical and Unethical behavior Among Corporate and Agency Advertising Managers', Journal of Marcomarketing 3, Spring.

  • Frederick, W.: 1991, 'The Moral Authority of Transnational Corporate Codes', Journal of Business Ethics 10, 165–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fritzsche, D.: 1990, 'Emerging Ethical Issues in International Business', Sam Advanced Management Journal (Autumn 1990), 42–46.

  • Gandz, J. and F. Bird: 1989, Designing Ethical Organization, Business Quarterly 54(2), Autumn, 108–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodpastor, K.: 1984, Ethics in Management (Harvard, Boston).

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodpastor, K. and J. Mathews: 1982, "Can a Corporation Have a Conscience", Harvard Business Review 60(1), January–February, 132–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haegg, C.: 1983, 'Sources of International Business Ethics', Management International Review 23(4), 1983.

  • Hoffman, W.: 1991, 'Business and Environmental Ethics', Business Ethics Quarterly 1(2), 169–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, S. and S. Vitell: 1986, 'A General Theory of Marketing Ethics', Journal of Macromarketing 6(1), 5–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kruckenberg, D.: 1984, 'The Need for International Codes of Ethics', Public Relations Review 15(2), Summer 1989, 6–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laczniak, G. and J. Naor: 1985, 'Global Ethics: Wrestling with Corporate Conscience', Business (July), 3–10.

  • Laczniak, G.: 1983, 'Framework for Analysing Marketing Ethics', Journal of Macromarketing 1, 48–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laczniak, G. and P. Murphy.: 1993, Ethical Marketing Decisions: the Higher Road (Allen and Bacon, Boston).

    Google Scholar 

  • Langlois, C. and B. Schlegelmilch: 1990. 'Do Corporate Codes of Ethics Reflect National Character? Evidence from and United States', Journal of International Business Studies (4th Quarter), 519–539.

  • Lippit, G.: 1976. 'Criteria for Evaluating Human Resource Development', Training and Development Journal 31 (1976).

  • Loveland, J. and A. Whatley: 1973. 'The Threat of Social Responsibility', Business and Society 13(2), 15–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miles, G.: 1993, 'In Search of Ethical Profits: Insights From Strategic Management', Journal of Business Ethics 12, 219–225.

    Google Scholar 

  • Naor, J.: 1982, 'A New Approach to Multinational Social Responsibility', Journal of Business Ethics 7, 725–733.

    Google Scholar 

  • Owens, J.: 1983. 'Business Ethics in the College Classroom', Journal of Business Education (April 1983), 593–599.

  • Post, J. and M. Epstein: 1975. 'Information Systems for Social Reporting', Academy of Management Review (April), 81–87.

  • Preston, P.: 1983 'The Future: Prospects and Alternatives for a Business Role', Business and Society 13(2), 5–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robin, D. and R. Reidenbach: 1987, 'Social Responsibility, Ethics and Marketing Strategy: Closing the Gap between Concept and Application', Journal of Marketing, 51 (January), 44–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosario, L.: 1992. 'Multinationals: The Not Always Welcome Guests', Far Estern Economic Review, 155(24), June 18 1992, 55–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenzweig, P. and J. Singh.: 1991, 'Organizational Environments and Multinations', Academy of Management Review 16(2), 340–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, B.: 1977, 'The Social Responsibility of Business: Dissent', Business and Society 17(2), 11–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shrivastava, P.: 1987, Bhopal: Anatomy of a Crisis (Ballinger, Cambridge, Massachusetts).

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, H.: 1957, Administrative Behavior (2nd ed.) (New York Free Press), 1957.

  • Smith, J.: 1990, 'Do the Right Thing: Ethical Principles and Managerial Decision Making', Sam Advance Management Journal (Autumn 1990), 4–7.

  • Stark, A.: 1993, 'What's the Matter With Business Ethics?', Harvard Business Review (May–June).

  • Steiner, J.: 1976, 'The Prospect Of Ethical Advisors for Business Corporations', Business and Society 16(2), Spring 76, 5–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Welch, P.: 1978, 'Social Responsibility, Semantics, And Why We Can't Agree On What We Agree On', Business And Society 18(2), Spring 7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, O. and P. Murphy: 1990, 'The Ethics of Virtue: A Moral Theory for Marketing', Journal of Macromarketing (Spring), 19–29.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fogelman College of Business, University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennesse, 38111, U.S.A

    Ashay B. Desai & Terri Rittenburg

Authors
  1. Ashay B. Desai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Terri Rittenburg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Desai, A.B., Rittenburg, T. Global Ethics: An Integrative Framework For MNEs. Journal of Business Ethics 16, 791–800 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017920610678

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017920610678

Keywords

Search

Navigation