The Cultural Dimension of Business Ethics 3.0 Ethics & ethical theories How can managers grapple with the different evaluations of the ‘same’ action which are embodied in different languages and cultures and described differently ? Let’s take a look at some ethical dilemmas using several different ethical theories of evaluation concerning the ‘same’ event / action and then look at the interpretation of the ethical dilemma itself from the cultural perspective : Ethics overlaps with culture because it represents the moral dimension of how we should behave in the world. There are several codes of behaviour we pick up along the way either through religious beliefs (10 commandments or other religious scriptures) or social values (courage, integrity, etc.). What we value comes into question when confronting an ethical dilemma. Confronted with moral choice brings the cultural as context of interpretation and the ethical consideration together. It is the place in which the decision responds to the specific context and its method of evaluation. For example, if we have to make a decision either to break a promise and be honest or to keep a promise and be dishonest evaluating this dilemma would be treated differently from the following ethical theories : Deontological Theory – family of ethical theories encompassing
moral rules Utilitarianism – teleological approach "the greatest
happiness for the greatest number" NORM – moral rule set to apply to everyone 1.0 Cultural dimensions of Business Ethics |
![]() – Dialogue – Analytic thinking – Philosophical Schools of Thought : existentialism, phenomenology, Dasein analyze, Greek philosophers, etc. – Certified philosophy practitioner, SCP,U.K. – Founder café philo in English : Paris, London – Socratic Dialogue Facilitator, Oxford U.K. – Lecturer on Business Ethics, Cross-cultural Management and Communication, Philosophy & Business Strategy
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