Theory, Practice, and Education: On the Role of Business Ethics for Management Education at Business Schools or Universities

Management scandals have received much public attention throughout the last years. Opinion polls demonstrate that managers’ reputation has suffered from these events and that an increasing number of people are convinced that company leaders are not trustworthy. Despite this, corporate social responsibility has found its way into the executive suites of many businesses, numerous indexes report on the ethical quality of firms’ decisions, and many managers participate in advanced training programs where they attempt to improve their understanding of the ethical aspects of management decisions and actions.

As the paper aims at precisely working out the consequences of distinctions, it often simplifies where things are complex and interwoven, or it refers to polarizing arguments where history meanwhile displays a rapprochement. The reason for this is purely methodical; it does not mean that the importance of, for example, historical developments that have led to “mixed cases” or scenarios is disputed.