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Perfecting Imperfect Duties: Collective Action to Create Moral Obligations

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  • Buchanan, Allen

Abstract

Ethical problems in business include not only genuine moral dilemmas and compliance problems but also problems arising from the distinctive characteristics of imperfect duties. Collective action by business to perfect imperfect duties can yield significant benefits. Such arrrangements can (1) reduce temptations to moral laxity, (2) achieve greater efficiency by eliminating redundancies and gaps that plague uncoordinated individual efforts, (3) reap economies of scale and achieve success where benefits can be provided only if a certain threshold of resources can be brought to bear on a social problem, (4) solve assurance problems where voluntary compliance by some parties depends upon their perception that competitors are doing their fair share, and (5) produce higher levels of contribution than would occur through independent action in response to imperfect duties, stimulated by the perception that there is a fair distribution of burdens of contribution among all parties involved.

Suggested Citation

  • Buchanan, Allen, 1996. "Perfecting Imperfect Duties: Collective Action to Create Moral Obligations," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 6(1), pages 27-42, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:buetqu:v:6:y:1996:i:01:p:27-42_01
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    Cited by:

    1. Björn Fasterling & Geert Demuijnck, 2013. "Human Rights in the Void? Due Diligence in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(4), pages 799-814, September.
    2. Richard Robinson, 2019. "The Management Nexus of Imperfect Duty: Kantian Views of Virtuous Relations, Reasoned Discourse, and Due Diligence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 157(1), pages 119-136, June.
    3. Eric Brown, 2013. "Vulnerability and the Basis of Business Ethics: From Fiduciary Duties to Professionalism," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 113(3), pages 489-504, March.
    4. Aviva Geva, 2006. "A Typology of Moral Problems in Business: A Framework for Ethical Management," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 69(2), pages 133-147, December.
    5. Brink, Alexander, 2011. "Spezifische Investitionen als Legitimationsgrundlage für Stakeholderansprüche," Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 65(1), pages 50-68.
    6. David Ohreen & Roger Petry, 2012. "Imperfect Duties and Corporate Philanthropy: A Kantian Approach," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 106(3), pages 367-381, March.
    7. Tobey Scharding, 2019. "Individual Actions and Corporate Moral Responsibility: A (Reconstituted) Kantian Approach," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(4), pages 929-942, February.
    8. Gastón Reyes, 2023. "The All-Stakeholders-Considered Case for Corporate Beneficence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 188(1), pages 37-55, November.
    9. Christian Julmi, 2024. "Analysis and Intuition Effectiveness in Moral Problems," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 191(1), pages 179-193, April.

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