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Public Interests and Corporate Obligations: The Challenge from Consequentialism

In: Corporate Social Responsibility

Author

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  • Claus Strue Frederiksen

    (University of Copenhagen)

Abstract

In this chapter, I discuss the division of labour between private enterprises and the state. According to stakeholder theorists, a state should take into account the interests of all of its citizens, whereas a company should focus on the interests of its stakeholders. I focus on a challenge presented by one of the most famous and influential ethical theories, namely consequentialism. According to consequentialism, there is, at least in principle, no such thing as a division of labour between private enterprises and the state since every moral agent (including individuals, states, and corporations) should try to promote the good, seen from an impartial perspective, meaning that everybody’s interest should be taken into account (Kagan 1989). I conclude that stakeholder theorists are unable to meet the challenge presented by consequentialism by traditional means, i.e. by referring to social proximity principles. However, they might be able to defend their position by basing stakeholder theory on a particular kind of consequentialism.

Suggested Citation

  • Claus Strue Frederiksen, 2017. "Public Interests and Corporate Obligations: The Challenge from Consequentialism," CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance, in: Stephen Vertigans & Samuel O. Idowu (ed.), Corporate Social Responsibility, chapter 0, pages 67-82, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:csrchp:978-3-319-35083-7_4
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-35083-7_4
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    Cited by:

    1. Carolin Lehmann & Dorothea Ruziczka & Tamara Pöhlmann & Simone Huck-Sandhu, 2018. "Von Skeptikern, Sympathisanten und Zuschauern: Stakeholder-Typen und ihre Erwartungen an die Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung [Sceptic, sympathizer or spectator? A typology of stakeholders and thei," NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum | Sustainability Management Forum, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 133-144, December.

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