Joseph Badaracco, a business ethicist at Harvard Business School, discusses the evolution of business ethics education over the past 30 years. He emphasizes a shift from a top-down philosophical approach to a bottom-up analysis that takes into account real-world problems and situations. Badaracco highlights the importance of navigating ethical dilemmas through practical perspectives rather than applying moral theories rigidly. He acknowledges that while high-profile cases of unethical behavior exist, the majority of business leaders strive to make sound ethical decisions despite facing complex challenges.
"When I got started, a lot of business ethics was essentially applied moral philosophy. So, you would teach students the basics of utilitarianism or deontology, and maybe some Aristotle, and then apply that to particular problems."
"I think that approach has faded. Certainly, the philosophical concepts are still important, but this idea of top-down application has faded."
"We focus on the problem, the circumstances, the situation, and then we ask what ethical and practical perspectives are going to be helpful in figuring out what to do."
"Business leaders routinely make sound, ethical, and legal calls for their firms, but they do face challenges, and it takes a solid process to work through the complexities."
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