Business Ethics

Packed with examples, this book offers a clear and engaging overview of ethical issues in business.

It begins with a discussion of foundational issues, including the objectivity of ethics, the content of ethical theories, and the debate between capitalism and socialism, making it suitable for the beginning student. It then examines ethical issues in business in three broad areas. The first is the market, where it examines what can be sold (the limits of markets) and how it can be sold (ethics in marketing). The second is work. Topics in this area are health and safety, meaningful work, pay, hiring and firing, privacy, artificial intelligence, and whistleblowing. The third area is business and society. Here readers explore corporate social responsibility, business and politics, environmental ethics, and international business. Issues are introduced through real-world examples that underscore their importance and make them come alive. Arguments for opposing positions are given fair hearings and students are encouraged to develop their own views.

Major changes to the Second Edition include a new chapter on businesses’ environmental obligations, extended discussion of the ethics of artificial intelligence, and expanded treatment of marketing ethics and shareholder primacy. To aid in teaching, learning, and accessibility, each chapter now provides a summary and list of learning objectives. Examples are updated throughout, and a new a list of cases alongside a glossary of key terms are featured at the end of the book.

Key updates to the Second Edition

• Includes a new chapter on business, the environment, and climate change.
• Adds features to make the text easier to navigate, including a more detailed table of contents, a glossary of key terms, and a list of cases and examples used in the book.
• Each chapter now begins with a summary and list of learning objectives, helping students to read more actively.
• Includes more focused study questions at the end of each chapter, encouraging more engagement with the text.
• A heavily revised, more nuanced third chapter on ethical theories.
• Provides additional coverage of AI ethics throughout the book, focusing specifically on issues of bias, transparency, privacy, and safety.