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A Social Contract for International Business Ethics

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  • Paul Neiman

Abstract

This article begins with a detailed analysis of how the choice situation of a social contract for international business ethics can be constructed and justified. A choice situation is developed by analyzing conceptions of the multinational firm and the domain of international business. The result is a hypothetical negotiation between two fictional characters, J. Duncan Grey and Elizabeth Redd, who respectively represent the interests of businesses and communities seeking to engage in international trade. The negotiators agree on ethical principles governing wages, the environment, and compliance social and cultural norms. These principles are then shown to rest in wide reflective equilibrium with considered moral judgments on international business ethics, which are drawn from international agreements, such as the UN Declaration on Human Rights, and voluntary business initiatives, such as the Global Sullivan Principles and the UN Global Compact. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Neiman, 2013. "A Social Contract for International Business Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(1), pages 75-90, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:114:y:2013:i:1:p:75-90
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-012-1332-4
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    2. Duane Windsor, 2018. "Dynamics for Integrative Social Contracts Theory: Norm Evolution and Individual Mobility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(1), pages 83-95, April.
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    4. Edmund Byrne, 2014. "In Lieu of a Sovereignty Shield, Multinational Corporations Should Be Responsible for the Harm They Cause," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 124(4), pages 609-621, November.
    5. Cristel Antonia Russell & Dale W. Russell & Heather Honea, 2016. "Corporate Social Responsibility Failures: How do Consumers Respond to Corporate Violations of Implied Social Contracts?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(4), pages 759-773, July.

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