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Innovation, rule breaking and the ethics of entrepreneurship

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  • Brenkert, George G.

Abstract

This article examines a feature of the ethics of entrepreneurship that is infrequently directly discussed, viz., rule breaking. Entrepreneurs are widely said to engage in rule breaking. Many examples of this appear in popular and academic literature. But how may this be integrated into an account of the ethics of entrepreneurship? One response would be that when entrepreneurs break legal and moral rules then what they do is wrong and ought to be condemned. There is a great deal to be said for this rule model of entrepreneurial ethics. However, this view is also mistaken. Instead, this article defends a virtue-based account of the ethics of entrepreneurship in which certain instances of rule breaking, even if morally wrong, are nevertheless ethically acceptable and part of the creative destruction that entrepreneurs bring not only to the economy but also to morality.

Suggested Citation

  • Brenkert, George G., 2009. "Innovation, rule breaking and the ethics of entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 448-464, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbvent:v:24:y:2009:i:5:p:448-464
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Freeman, R. Edward, 1994. "The Politics of Stakeholder Theory: Some Future Directions1," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(4), pages 409-421, October.
    2. Michael, Michael L., 2006. "Business Ethics: The Law of Rules," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(4), pages 475-504, October.
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