Abstract
What is the raison d’être of the business corporation? My reaction to this central question is to think that its answer depends on who is asking it: the manager, the employee, the consumer, the share-holder, society or government. There are many possible points of view from which to look at the purpose of the business corporation. From the ethical point of view I should like to begin by applying a phrase of the American psychologist Gordon Allport in a different context and describe the corporation as desirably “a community of reflection”.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bellah, R.N. et al.: 1985, Habits of the Heart. Individualism and Commitment in American Life, New York: Doubleday.
Handy, C.: 1989, The Age of Unreason, London: Century Hutchinson.
Macmurray, J.: 1961, Persons in Relation, London: Faber.
Tönnies, F.: 1887, Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft, English translation 1957.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mahoney, J. (1990). Spheres and Limits of Ethical Responsibilities in and of the Corporation. In: Enderle, G., Almond, B., Argandoña, A. (eds) People in Corporations. Issues in Business Ethics, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2083-5_28
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2083-5_28
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7435-3
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-2083-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive