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Thomas Aquinas on Justice as a Global Virtue in Business

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  • Dierksmeier, Claus
  • Celano, Anthony

Abstract

The moral theory of Thomas Aquinas meets the present need for a business ethics that transcends the legal realm by linking the ideas of justice and virtue in an ingenious way. Thomas's virtue theory coordinates private and public activities through a set of context-invariant, justice-oriented norms with conceptual appeal to contemporary questions of global business ethics. In our article, we first sketch how Aquinas's theory can be also of relevance to a non-confessional audience through its appeal to the ‘natural light of reason.’ Then we explain how his theory of ‘natural law’ aligns his ideas of virtue and justice. From this vantage point, we address the tension between cultural diversity and moral uniformity in the economic sphere in general and in today's globalized business world in particular. Throughout the article, we aim to show how Aquinas's conception of virtuous business conduct gains inter-personal and inter-cultural validity that establishes social justice as the global virtue of business.

Suggested Citation

  • Dierksmeier, Claus & Celano, Anthony, 2012. "Thomas Aquinas on Justice as a Global Virtue in Business," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 22(2), pages 247-272, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:buetqu:v:22:y:2012:i:02:p:247-272_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Camille Meyer & Marek Hudon, 2019. "Money and the Commons: An Investigation of Complementary Currencies and Their Ethical Implications," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 160(1), pages 277-292, November.
    2. William J. Mea & Ronald R. Sims, 2019. "Human Dignity-Centered Business Ethics: A Conceptual Framework for Business Leaders," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 160(1), pages 53-69, November.
    3. Jonathan Keir & Bai Zongrang, 2018. "Rationality Meets Ren: beyond Virtue Catalogues for a World Business Ethos," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 187-201, December.
    4. Pierre Januard, 2022. "Probability, prudence, danger: Thomas Aquinas on the building of the lexicon of risk," Working Papers halshs-03787210, HAL.
    5. Domènec Melé & Jaume Armengou, 2016. "Moral Legitimacy in Controversial Projects and Its Relationship with Social License to Operate: A Case Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(4), pages 729-742, July.
    6. André Alves & José Moreira, 2013. "Virtue and Commerce in Domingo de Soto’s Thought: Commercial Practices, Character, and the Common Good," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 113(4), pages 627-638, April.
    7. Claudius Bachmann & André Habisch & Claus Dierksmeier, 2018. "Practical Wisdom: Management’s No Longer Forgotten Virtue," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(1), pages 147-165, November.
    8. Martijn Cremers, 2017. "What Corporate Governance Can Learn from Catholic Social Teaching," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 145(4), pages 711-724, November.
    9. Domènec Melé, 2016. "Re-thinking Capitalism: What We can Learn from Scholasticism?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(2), pages 293-304, January.
    10. Dung Q. Tran & Larry C. Spears, 2020. "Servant-Leadership and Community: Humanistic Perspectives from Pope John XXIII and Robert K. Greenleaf," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 117-131, July.
    11. Claus Dierksmeier, 2016. "What is ‘Humanistic’ About Humanistic Management?," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 9-32, September.
    12. Pierre Januard, 2022. "Licit and illicit risks in Thomas Aquinas's De emptione et venditione ad tempus [Risques licites et illicites dans le De emptione et venditione ad tempus de Thomas d'Aquin]," Working Papers halshs-03559035, HAL.
    13. Lamberto Zollo & Massimiliano Matteo Pellegrini & Cristiano Ciappei, 2017. "What Sparks Ethical Decision Making? The Interplay Between Moral Intuition and Moral Reasoning: Lessons from the Scholastic Doctrine," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 145(4), pages 681-700, November.
    14. Christopher Gohl, 2018. "Weltethos for Business: Building Shared Ground for a Better World," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 161-186, December.
    15. Andrew West, 2016. "Applying Metaethical and Normative Claims of Moral Relativism to (Shareholder and Stakeholder) Models of Corporate Governance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 135(2), pages 199-215, May.
    16. Januard, Pierre, 2024. "Probability, prudence, danger: Thomas Aquinas on the building of the lexicon of risk," SocArXiv n7j9t, Center for Open Science.
    17. Sandrine Frémeaux, 2020. "A Common Good Perspective on Diversity," Post-Print hal-03232779, HAL.
    18. Pierre Januard, 2022. "Licit and illicit risks in Thomas Aquinas's De emptione et venditione ad tempus [Risques licites et illicites dans le De emptione et venditione ad tempus de Thomas d'Aquin]," Post-Print halshs-03559035, HAL.
    19. João Neves & Domènec Melé, 2013. "Managing Ethically Cultural Diversity: Learning from Thomas Aquinas," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(4), pages 769-780, September.

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