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Virtue ethics and moral foundation theory applied to business ethics education

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Abstract

This research describes and empirically evaluates the application of a business ethics pedagogy informed by neuroscience and evolutionary biology that suggest ethical decisions are made unconsciously and emotionally. Moral Foundation Theory (MFT) provides a framework that considers a range of values individuals rely on for decision-making. This relates to Virtue ethics (VE) that develops intellectual and character virtues, requires emotional development and is thus suitable for guiding business ethics pedagogy. This study focuses on a business ethics course integrating intellectual virtue and character virtue pedagogies, including contemplative and emotional intelligence skills practices. The aim of the course is to develop character, providing future managers the means to enact ethical decision-making through self-awareness of emotions, intrinsic values and translate these into ethical behavior. Pre-Post Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Moral Foundation Questionnaires (MFQ) are used to evaluate the development of students’ character virtues, i.e., increased emotional awareness, emotional regulation and intrinsic values. This paper mainly seeks to understand how to develop ethical behavior, beyond learning didactic definitions of what is ethically right and what is wrong, i.e. focusing on the learning process that can lead to personal ethical judgment and conduct. The related pedagogy integrates transdisciplinary theories and practices, and as such suggests a holistic approach to ethical behavior transformation. The results indicate limited, significant changes in all measures except emotional awareness. This developing field requires more research to identify the contributions of MFT and related pedagogy to students’ ethical development.

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Funding

This project was funded by the Morrison Family Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr W, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada

    Tom E. Culham

  2. Institut de Gestion Sociale - LISPE, 12 Rue Alexandre Parodi, Paris, 75010, France

    Richard J. Major

  3. Extended Learning, University of British Columbia, 5950 University Blvd, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada

    Neha Shivhare

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This project was reviewed and approved by the Simon Fraser University Office of Research Ethics, project number: 2016s0145.

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Appendix 1. Statistics

Appendix 1. Statistics

Table 7 Pre post course EI survey category Pearson correlations 2 tailed significance
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Table 8 Pre post course moral foundation survey correlations 2 tailed significance
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Table 9 Alpha Internal consistency coefficient for total scales and subscales
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Culham, T.E., Major, R.J. & Shivhare, N. Virtue ethics and moral foundation theory applied to business ethics education. International Journal of Ethics Education 9, 139–176 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40889-023-00181-x

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