What is business ethics? A reply to peter drucker

Abstract

In his ‘What is “Business Ethics”?’ Peter Drucker accuses business ethics of singling out business unfairly for special ethical treatment, of subordinating ethical to political concerns, and of being, not ‘ethics’ at all, but ‘ethical chic’. We contend that Drucker's denunciation of business ethics rests upon a fundamental misunderstanding of the field. This article is a response to his charges and an effort to clarify the nature, scope and purpose of business ethics.