Advancing Global Business Ethics in China

This chapter presents China's global business outlook within an analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to reduce poverty through human welfare improvement. The chapter examines human rights within China's social, environmental, and economic resources domestically and globally. Although China's economic acceleration has been substantial, its inability to consistently observe and enforce international human rights laws and norms detracts from its economic success. This is not something that China can easily achieve due to challenges of social instability and increasing demographic problems stemming from a large population with diverse needs. The authors suggest ways to enhance human rights conduct according to the UN Guiding Principles in China and in other countries through responsible management education.

Islamic Business Ethics and Bank Competitiveness

Over the recent economic history, the world banking industry has gone through exponential developments. This sectorial growth has been paved with ever-increasing challenges linked to the problematique of business ethics, banking governance, and industry regulation. As global banking operations continue to grow, the need for a global business ethics re-evolution has become a matter of urgency. Within this historical context, the concept of Islamic business ethics and ethical banking has evolved equally capturing the attention of industry professionals and academic scholars. These developments have created a global niche market for Islamic banking, and it became clear that the success of Islamic bank global redeployment in a hyper-competitive banking environments should be embedded on the constant creation of new short-term competitive advantages so as to sustain sustainable competitive advantage.

Business Models Addressing Sustainability Challenges—Towards a New Research Agenda

From just another buzzword a few decades ago, sustainability has become a hot topic on strategists’ agenda—and it is here to stay. The growing pressures on businesses to address the ever-complex sustainability challenges and to (consequently) assess their performance against a variety of sustainability-related goals are imperatively asking for a new paradigm—grounded on a global business ethics perspective and able to support a fundamental change in the traditional ways of doing business; placed at the heart of any company’s way of doing business, business models are instrumental in these transformative changes, both as triggers (in the short run) and backbones (in the medium to long run). Building on existing literature and capitalizing on the opportunities provided by inter- and trans-disciplinary research, this theoretical analysis aims to (re)frame the (research in) search of the most appropriate business models to address sustainability challenges. Thus, the purpose of the study is: (1) To advocate for a complex yet contingent approach at the business level—able to capture the bigger picture (the sustainability imperative) without missing its idiosyncrasies (the best fitted to the business model context)—when searching for strategic performance; (2) to propose an integrative, multi-level conceptual framework (able to provide widespread synergies for companies and their broader environment) as guidance for this kind of approach, and to suggest specific directions with respect to its implementation.

An Explorative Study of Virtues in Ethical Consumption from a Confucian Perspective in an Urban-Rural-Fringe in China

The concept of ethical consumption has garnered considerable attention in recent years. Yet, it remains somewhat ‘mystical’ in the existing Western literature. The present unique cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary study offers clarification on the conception of ethical consumption from three aspects: First, this paper reflects on the nature of the concept of ethical consumption and identifies its relatively large common core as an open-textured, ‘naturalistic’ concept; conceptualizing the ideal of ethical consumption in virtue ethical language. Second, this paper secures a firmer grounding for the concept of ‘ethical consumption’ within virtue ethics by linking it theoretically to a Confucian form of virtue ethics. We support this interpretation with empirical evidence, gleaned through focus-group discussions and individual interviews with consumers, undergoing fast-changing dynamics, from an urban-rural fringe from China: a culture already immersed in lay virtue ethical thinking, inspired by Confucius. Third, the paper brings the data back to theory by eliciting from the data a structural framework of the foci of the underlying virtues making up the virtue of ethical consumption, on our respondents’ understanding, and reflecting upon how this new theoretical understanding may advance the academic discourse on ethical consumption and expand the understandings of ethical consumption from a cross-cultural perspective. We explore notions such as virtue patriotism and filial piety that contribute to the diversity of the conception of ethical consumption. We explain how those virtues play a role in Chinese understandings of ethical consumption, contributing to the global diversity of the concept. This study does not claim to represent the complete truth about Chinese consumers’ views on ethical consumption, considering the geographic constraints and the small number of participants. However, it does offer some salient insights into Chinese consumers’ understanding of ethical consumption, which is grounded in their daily practices and reflects their consumer motivations; hence, enriching the global business ethics discourse on ethical consumption. Keywords: Virtues, The Concept of Ethical Consumption, Ethical Theories and Philosophies, Chinese Consumers, Confucian Virtue Ethics.

Advancing Global Business Ethics in China

This chapter presents China's global business outlook within an analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to reduce poverty through human welfare improvement. The chapter examines human rights within China's social, environmental, and economic resources domestically and globally. Although China's economic acceleration has been substantial, its inability to consistently observe and enforce international human rights laws and norms detracts from its economic success. This is not something that China can easily achieve due to challenges of social instability and increasing demographic problems stemming from a large population with diverse needs. The authors suggest ways to enhance human rights conduct according to the UN Guiding Principles in China and in other countries through responsible management education.