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Without a Care in the World: The Business Ethics Course and Its Exclusion of a Care Perspective

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Abstract

This article analyzes the impact of the rights-oriented business ethics course on student's ethical orientation. This approach, which is predominant in business schools, excludes the care-oriented approach used by a majority of women as well as some men and minorities. The results of this study showed that although students did not shift significantly in their ethical orientation, a majority of the men and an even greater majority of the women were care-oriented before and after a course in business ethics. If business schools are to address society's increasing diversity then the perspective of women and others who are care-oriented must be assimilated into the curriculum. This can only be done by rethinking how the business ethics course (and the entire business curriculum) are taught to include a care-oriented approach.

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DeMoss, M.A., McCann, G.K. Without a Care in the World: The Business Ethics Course and Its Exclusion of a Care Perspective. Journal of Business Ethics 16, 435–443 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017953126778

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