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What Makes a Business Ethicist? A Reflection on the Transition from Applied Philosophy to Critical Thinking

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  • Peter Seele

    (Università della Svizzera italiana (USI))

Abstract

This article discusses the transition that business ethics has undergone since its start essentially as a philosophical sub-discipline of applied ethics. Today, business ethics—as demonstrated by four examples of gatekeepers—is a well-established field in general management, and increasingly business scholars without a “formal” background in philosophy are entering the scene. I take this transition to examine an updated positioning of business ethics and offer a proposal to redefine what makes a business ethicist. I suggest taking critical thinking as the common denominator of all business ethics activities beyond the academic silos of various disciplines. In conclusion, by borrowing from the post-colonial theorist Edward Said, this article offers a definition of what makes a business ethicist in the broadest possible sense. Implications are discussed, including the consequences suggesting that if critical thinking is the common denominator, business ethics-as-business-case logic is not considered a part of business ethics publications (except discussing the ethicality of business ethics-as-business-case), but should be addressed within more instrumental publication outlets of business.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Seele, 2018. "What Makes a Business Ethicist? A Reflection on the Transition from Applied Philosophy to Critical Thinking," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 647-656, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:150:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-016-3177-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-016-3177-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Klein, E. R., 1998. "The One Necessary Condition for a Successful Business Ethics Course: The Teacher Must be a Philosopher," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(3), pages 561-574, July.
    2. Larry Howard & Thomas Tang & M. Jill Austin, 2015. "Teaching Critical Thinking Skills: Ability, Motivation, Intervention, and the Pygmalion Effect," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 128(1), pages 133-147, April.
    3. R. Freeman & Michelle Greenwood, 2016. "Letter from the Incoming Editors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(1), pages 1-3, January.
    4. Chad Albrecht & Jeffery Thompson & Jeffrey Hoopes & Pablo Rodrigo, 2010. "Business Ethics Journal Rankings as Perceived by Business Ethics Scholars," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 95(2), pages 227-237, August.
    5. Bowie, Norman E., 2000. "Business Ethics, Philosophy, and the Next 25 Years," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(1), pages 7-20, January.
    6. Trevino, Linda Klebe & Weaver, Gary R., 1994. "Business ETHICS/BUSINESS ethics: One Field or Two?," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(2), pages 113-128, April.
    7. Patricia Werhane, 2008. "Mental Models, Moral Imagination and System Thinking in the Age of Globalization," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 78(3), pages 463-474, March.
    8. Freeman, R. Edward, 2000. "Business Ethics at the Millennium," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(1), pages 169-180, January.
    9. R. Edward Freeman & Michelle Greenwood, 2016. "Letter from the Incoming Editors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(1), pages 1-3, January.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Joudi Dibsi & Jaeyoung Cho, 2023. "Data Management for Environmentally Sustainable and Profitable Business: Evidence from the Food Retail Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-28, November.

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