[What is a cost-benefit analysis?].

This paper reviews and develops the ethical analysis of human resource management (HRM) Initially, the ethical perspective of HRM is differentiated from the "mainstrea" and critical perspectives of HRM To date, the ethical analysis of HRM has taken one of two forms: the application Kantian and utilitarian ethical theories to the gestalt of HRM, and the application of theories of justice and fairness to specific HRM practices This paper is concerned with the former, the ethical analysis of HRM in its entirety It shows that numerous theoretical shortcomings exist, least of which is the disregard of stakeholder theory These deficiencies are explored and, as such, the analysis is advanced It is argued that such ethical analysis is outside the scope of the modern corporation A third way in which ethics may be applied to HRM is suggested Ethical concerns are used as a basis to develop minimum standards against which HRM, in its various guises and practice, may be evaluated Yet, even when judged by these standards, HRM is seriously lacking This begs the question, not of whether HRM is ethical, but of whether HRM can be ethical

Ethics and HRM: A Review and Conceptual Analysis

The results are provided of a small, but reprersentative, questionnaire survey of typical project managers, architects and building contractors concerning their views and experiences on a range of ethical issues surrounding construction industry activities. Most (90%) subscribed to a professional Code of Ethics and many (45%) had an Ethical Code of Conduct in their employing organisations, with the majority (84%) considering good ethical practice to be an important organisational goal. 93% of the respondents agreed that "Business Ethics" should be driven or governed by "Personal Ethics", with 84% of respondents stating that a balance of both the requirements of the client and the impact on the public should be maintained. No respondents were aware of any cases of employers attempting to force their employees to initiate, or participate in, unethical conduct. Despite this, all the respondents had witnessed or experienced some degree of unethical conduct, in the form of unfair conduct (81%), negligence (67%), conflict of interest (48%), collusive tendering (44%), fraud (35%), confidentiality and propriety breach (32%), bribery (26%) and violation of environmental ethics (20%).

Professional ethics in the construction industry

Provides results of a small, but representative, questionnaire survey of typical project managers, architects and building contractors concerning their views and experiences on a range of ethical issues surrounding construction industry activities. Most (90 per cent) subscribed to a professional code of ethics and many (45 per cent) had an ethical code of conduct in their employing organisations, with the majority (84 per cent) considering good ethical practice to be an important organisational goal. It was agreed by 93 per cent of the respondents that “business ethics” should be driven or governed by “personal ethics”, with 84 per cent of respondents stating that a balance of both the requirements of the client and the impact on the public should be maintained. No respondent was aware of any cases of employers attempting to force their employees to initiate, or participate in, unethical conduct. Despite this, all the respondents had witnessed or experienced some degree of unethical conduct, in the form of unfair conduct, negligence, conflict of interest, collusive tendering, fraud, confidentiality and propriety breach, bribery and violation of environmental ethics.

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The stock market crash of 1987 had a profound effect on corporate Australia and the Australian community in general. The fall-out revealed that some of our most respected business figures had not been as ethical, or even as lawful, as we would have hoped. This impropriety produced in Australia an awakening to business ethics. Whilst many companies endeavoured to introduce ethical practices into their corporations, they perceived ethics as a way of minimising damage to the corporation and in some cases as a means of competitive advantage. What was lost was the reason that one should embark on business ethics; and that is to make the society and corporate Australia a more ethical place in which to exist.This paper proposes a model based on 2 factors: commitment and partnerships, as a means of enabling corporate Australia to refocus attention on the main purpose of being inherently ethical in all that we do. This ethical model requires a commitment to partnerships with all stakeholders both internal and external in an attempt to enhance the level of ethical business practices that are contemplated and pursued within corporate Australia. Whilst the research agenda and the information collected is Australian-based, it is hoped that the ideas contained within this paper will have a wider appeal to corporations in similar cultural settings.

A Partnership Model of Corporate Ethics

This book sets out in plain language ethical questions of direct relevance to business today. This new edition expands the range of issues covered and includes a chapter on international business ethics, drawing extensively from Asian examples

Business Ethics: Australian Problems and Cases

Engineers and social responsibility: An obligation to do good

Examines no only what ethics are but also how they relate to common business situations, illustrated by up to date case studies and current examples. It examines the increasingly topical subject of business ethics and how business should operate whil upholding society's increasing demand for ethical responsibility. Auhtors UNSW.

Business Ethics: Problems and Cases

The purpose of this paper is to review and evaluate the way in which Niccolo Machiavelli has been incorporated in the management literature. The process of incorporation dates from the publication in 1967 of Management and Machiavelli by Antony Jay, and so this paper concentrates on that book, while reviewing many of the others that followed it. We also note that specialists in history and political science with proprietary rights to Machiavelli seldom notice this incorporation. The approach of this study is to assemble and examine a long list of books and journal articles that proclaim themselves to be about management and that refer to Machiavelli. We look closely at how the writers in this secondary literature explain their purpose and what they say about Machiavelli. We offer a number of criticisms on each aspect. The principal finding is that two master narratives underlie the incorporation of Machiavelli. Together they equate his Florence to the contemporary world and politics to business. We disput...

Damian Grace

Papers

Business Ethics: Australian Problems and Cases

Engineers and social responsibility: An obligation to do good

Business Ethics: Problems and Cases

Machiavelli's echo in management

Shareholder Democracies?: Corporate Governance in Britain and Ireland before 1850