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Corporate Moral Personhood and Three Conceptions Of The Corporation

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  • Phillips, Michael J.

Abstract

Despite some exceptions, the business ethics literature on the moral responsibility of corporations does not emphasize a subject critical to that inquiry: the general nature of corporations. This article attempts to lessen the imbalance by describing three conceptions of the corporation that have been prominent in twentieth century legal theorizing, and by sketching their implications for the moral responsibility of corporations. These three conceptions, at least two of which have counterparts in the philosophical and organizational theory literature, are the concession, aggregate, and real entity theories. The article concludes that the real entity theory is the most plausible of the lot. At least under prevailing tests of moral responsibility, it then contends, corporations-as-real-entities are morally responsible for most of their members’ actions.

Suggested Citation

  • Phillips, Michael J., 1992. "Corporate Moral Personhood and Three Conceptions Of The Corporation," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(4), pages 435-459, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:buetqu:v:2:y:1992:i:04:p:435-459_00
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    Cited by:

    1. John Hasnas, 2018. "Should Corporations Have the Right to Vote? A Paradox in the Theory of Corporate Moral Agency," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 657-670, July.
    2. Matthias P. Hühn, 2018. "CSR - the Cuckoo’s Egg in the Business Ethics Nest," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 279-298, December.
    3. Alexandre Rambaud & Jacques Richard, 2015. "Towards a finance that CARES," Post-Print halshs-01260075, HAL.
    4. Samuel Mansell & John Ferguson & David Gindis & Avia Pasternak, 2019. "Rethinking Corporate Agency in Business, Philosophy, and Law," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(4), pages 893-899, February.
    5. Miguel Aizola, 2005. "Responsabilidad Moral Colectiva. El estatus ontológico de las organizaciones y los límites de la comunidad moral," Revista de Economía y Estadística, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Instituto de Economía y Finanzas, vol. 43(1), pages 7-54, Junio.

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