IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v131y2015i1p31-41.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Avoiding the Separation Thesis While Maintaining a Positive/Normative Distinction

Author

Listed:
  • Andrew Abela
  • Ryan Shea

Abstract

While many scholars agree that the “separation thesis” (Freeman in Bus Ethics Quart 4(4):409–421, 1994 )—that business issues and ethical issues can be neatly compartmentalized—is harmful to business ethics scholarship and practice, they also conclude that eliminating it is either inadvisable because of the usefulness of the positive/normative distinction, or actually impossible. Based on an exploration of the fact/value dichotomy and the pragmatist and virtue theoretic responses to it, we develop an approach to eliminating the separation thesis that integrates “business” with “ethics” while still permitting a positive/normative distinction, which we call “ethics from observation.” Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew Abela & Ryan Shea, 2015. "Avoiding the Separation Thesis While Maintaining a Positive/Normative Distinction," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 131(1), pages 31-41, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:131:y:2015:i:1:p:31-41
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-014-2254-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10551-014-2254-0
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-014-2254-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Edwin Hartman, 2008. "Socratic Questions and Aristotelian Answers: A Virtue-Based Approach to Business Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 78(3), pages 313-328, March.
    2. Moore, Geoff, 2005. "Corporate Character: Modern Virtue Ethics and the Virtuous Corporation," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(4), pages 659-685, October.
    3. Hartman, Edwin M., 1998. "The Role of Character in Business Ethics1," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(3), pages 547-559, July.
    4. Edwin Hartman, 2011. "Virtue, Profit, and the Separation Thesis: An Aristotelian View," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 99(1), pages 5-17, March.
    5. Donaldson, Thomas, 1994. "When Integration Fails: The Logic of Prescription and Description in Business Ethics," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(2), pages 157-169, April.
    6. Moore, Geoff, 2008. "Re-Imagining the Morality of Management: A Modern Virtue Ethics Approach," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(4), pages 483-511, October.
    7. Harman, Gilbert, 2003. "No Character or Personality," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(1), pages 87-94, January.
    8. Yuengert, Andrew, 2002. "Why did the economist cross the road? The hierarchical logic of ethical and economic reasoning," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(2), pages 329-349, October.
    9. Koehn, Daryl, 1998. "Virtue Ethics, the Firm, and Moral Psychology1," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(3), pages 497-513, July.
    10. Lauren Purnell & R. Freeman, 2012. "Stakeholder Theory, Fact/Value Dichotomy, and the Normative Core: How Wall Street Stops the Ethics Conversation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(1), pages 109-116, August.
    11. Hume, David, 1740. "A Treatise of Human Nature (III) Of Morals," History of Economic Thought Books, McMaster University Archive for the History of Economic Thought, volume 3, number hume1740.
    12. Moore, Geoff, 2002. "On the Implications of the Practice–Institution Distinction: Macintyre and the Application of Modern Virtue Ethics to Business," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(1), pages 19-32, January.
    13. Koehn, Daryl, 1995. "A Role for Virtue Ethics in the Analysis of Business Practice," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 5(3), pages 533-539, July.
    14. Freeman, R. Edward, 1994. "The Politics of Stakeholder Theory: Some Future Directions1," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(4), pages 409-421, October.
    15. Weaver, Gary R. & Trevino, Linda Klebe, 1994. "Normative And Empirical Business Ethics: Separation, Marriage Of Convenience, Or Marriage Of Necessity?," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(2), pages 129-143, April.
    16. Hartman, Edwin M., 2008. "Reconciliation in Business Ethics: Some Advice from Aristotle," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(2), pages 253-265, April.
    17. Miguel Alzola, 2008. "Character and Environment: The Status of Virtues in Organizations," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 78(3), pages 343-357, March.
    18. Freeman, R. Edward, 2000. "Business Ethics at the Millennium," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(1), pages 169-180, January.
    19. Miguel Alzola, 2011. "The Reconciliation Project: Separation and Integration in Business Ethics Research," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 99(1), pages 19-36, March.
    20. Solomon, Robert C., 1992. "Corporate Roles, Personal Virtues: An Aristotelean Approach to Business Ethics," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(3), pages 317-339, July.
    21. Moore, Geoff, 2005. "Humanizing Business: A Modern Virtue Ethics Approach," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(2), pages 237-255, April.
    22. Sandberg, Joakim, 2008. "The Tide is Turning on the Separation Thesis?: A Response to Commentators," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(4), pages 561-565, October.
    23. Harris, Jared D. & Freeman, R. Edward, 2008. "The Impossibility of the Separation Thesis: A Response to Joakim Sandberg," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(4), pages 541-548, October.
    24. Hume, David, 1739. "A Treatise of Human Nature (I) Of the Understanding," History of Economic Thought Books, McMaster University Archive for the History of Economic Thought, volume 1, number hume1739.
    25. Victor, Bart & Stephens, Carroll Underwood, 1994. "Business Ethics: A Synthesis of Normative Philosophy and Empirical Social Science," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(2), pages 145-155, April.
    26. Koehn, Daryl, 1992. "Toward An Ethic of Exchange," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(3), pages 341-355, July.
    27. Hume, David, 1739. "A Treatise of Human Nature (II) Of the Passions," History of Economic Thought Books, McMaster University Archive for the History of Economic Thought, volume 2, number hume1739a.
    28. Sandberg, Joakim, 2008. "Understanding the Separation Thesis," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(2), pages 213-232, April.
    29. Dienhart, John W., 2008. "The Separation Thesis: Perhaps Nine Lives are Enough," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(4), pages 555-559, October.
    30. Wempe, Ben, 2008. "Understanding the Separation Thesis: Precision after the Decimal Point?: A Response to Joakim Sandberg," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(4), pages 549-553, October.
    31. Solomon, Robert C., 2003. "Victims of Circumstances? A Defense of Virtue Ethics in Business," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(1), pages 43-62, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. McKenzie R. Rees & Ann E. Tenbrunsel & Kristina A. Diekmann, 2022. "“It’s Just Business”: Understanding How Business Frames Differ from Ethical Frames and the Effect on Unethical Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 176(3), pages 429-449, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Marina Balboa & Germán López-Espinosa & Antonio Rubia, 2012. "Non-linear Dynamics in Discretionary Accruals: An Analysis of Bank Loan-Loss Provisions," Faculty Working Papers 07/12, School of Economics and Business Administration, University of Navarra.
    2. Andrew West, 2018. "After Virtue and Accounting Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(1), pages 21-36, March.
    3. Dulce Redín & Reyes Calderón & Ignacio Ferrero, 2014. "Exploring the Ethical Dimension of Hawala," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 124(2), pages 327-337, October.
    4. Domènec Melé, 2009. "Integrating Personalism into Virtue-Based Business Ethics: The Personalist and the Common Good Principles," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(1), pages 227-244, August.
    5. Miguel Alzola, 2011. "The Reconciliation Project: Separation and Integration in Business Ethics Research," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 99(1), pages 19-36, March.
    6. Patricia Grant & Surendra Arjoon & Peter McGhee, 2018. "In Pursuit of Eudaimonia: How Virtue Ethics Captures the Self-Understandings and Roles of Corporate Directors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(2), pages 389-406, December.
    7. Alma Acevedo, 2012. "Personalist Business Ethics and Humanistic Management: Insights from Jacques Maritain," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 105(2), pages 197-219, January.
    8. Miguel Alzola, 2018. "Decent Work: The Moral Status of Labor in Human Resource Management," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(4), pages 835-853, February.
    9. Boudewijn Bruin, 2013. "Epistemic Virtues in Business," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 113(4), pages 583-595, April.
    10. David McPherson, 2013. "Vocational Virtue Ethics: Prospects for a Virtue Ethic Approach to Business," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(2), pages 283-296, August.
    11. Joan Fontrodona & Alejo Sison & Boudewijn Bruin, 2013. "Editorial Introduction: Putting Virtues Into Practice. A Challenge for Business and Organizations," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 113(4), pages 563-565, April.
    12. Edwin Hartman, 2011. "Virtue, Profit, and the Separation Thesis: An Aristotelian View," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 99(1), pages 5-17, March.
    13. Dirk Vriens & Jan Achterbergh & Liesbeth Gulpers, 2018. "Virtuous Structures," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 671-690, July.
    14. Javier Aranzadi, 2013. "The Natural Link Between Virtue Ethics and Political Virtue: The Morality of the Market," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 118(3), pages 487-496, December.
    15. Natàlia Cugueró-Escofet & Marion Fortin, 2014. "One Justice or Two? A Model of Reconciliation of Normative Justice Theories and Empirical Research on Organizational Justice," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 124(3), pages 435-451, October.
    16. Andrea Stevenson Thorpe & Stephen Roper, 2019. "The Ethics of Gamification in a Marketing Context," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(2), pages 597-609, March.
    17. George Gotsis & Zoe Kortezi, 2010. "Ethical Considerations in Organizational Politics: Expanding the Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 93(4), pages 497-517, June.
    18. David Dawson, 2018. "Measuring Individuals’ Virtues in Business," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(4), pages 793-805, February.
    19. Paul Shrivastava & Günter Schumacher & David Wasieleski & Marko Tasic, 2017. "Aesthetic Rationality in Organizations: Toward Developing a Sensibility for Sustainibility," Post-Print hal-01515126, HAL.
    20. David Oliver & Matthew Statler & Johan Roos, 2010. "A Meta-Ethical Perspective on Organizational Identity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 94(3), pages 427-440, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:131:y:2015:i:1:p:31-41. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.