Overview

Business ethics teaching appears to have had little impact, particularly in the light of continued malpractice and misdemeanour in the form of financial scandals, environmental disasters and adverse consequences for communities. This timely book directly addresses a central question: is it that the existence of an ethical or an unethical climate influences behaviour, or, does the presence or absence of a moral character and personal values have the greatest influence on behaviour at work? Drawing on an empirically derived study and over thirty years of experience in both the public and private sectors, Hemingway proposes four modes of individual moral commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability: the Active Corporate Social Entrepreneur, the Concealed Corporate Social Entrepreneur, the Conformist and the Disassociated. Hemingway posits that the Conformists represent the majority of people in organisations, adhering to the prevailing ethical climate, whatever that might be. However, it is the discovery of the corporate social entrepreneur which offers students and scholars a critical, alternative and optimistic perspective for the future of ethical business.