Business and Religion
A Clash of Civilizations
Published on 1. August 2005
Book
Hardback
442 pages
978-0-9764041-0-1 (ISBN)
Description
Since the late 1960s American culture has been involved in a struggle to articulate an effective business ethics. The scandals of Enron and WorldCom constitute egregious examples of the absence or deficiency of ethical decision-making in matters of commerce. The purpose of this volume is to inaugurate a dialogue on the common elements of all three Abrahamic traditions - Christianity, Islam, and Judaism - that touch on ethical issues in business. With more than 40 scholars, religious and business leaders joining the debate, this anthology is the beginning of a reconstruction of the understanding of the relationship between religion and commerce. The following questions are addressed: Is a purely secular business ethics irremediably deficient? Does a substantive business ethic require a religious and spiritual framework? To what extent does current business practice reflect a spiritual dimension? What are the various religious traditions' perspectives on the ethics of commerce? Can the various religious traditions generate a non-adversarial, consistent, and coherent business ethic? Is there a role for religion and spirituality in a global and post-modern business world?
Readership: this title is suitable for business ethicists, business leaders, religious leaders, theologians, moral philosophers, political scientists, and readers with an interest in organisations and culture.
Since the late 1960s American culture has been involved in a struggle to articulate an effective business ethics. The scandals of Enron and WorldCom constitute egregious examples of the absence or deficiency of ethical decision-making in matters of commerce. The purpose of this volume is to inaugurate a dialogue on the common elements of all three Abrahamic traditions - Christianity, Islam, and Judaism - that touch on ethical issues in business. With more than 40 scholars, religious and business leaders joining the debate, this anthology is the beginning of a reconstruction of the understanding of the relationship between religion and commerce. The following questions are addressed: Is a purely secular business ethics irremediably deficient? Does a substantive business ethic require a religious and spiritual framework? To what extent does current business practice reflect a spiritual dimension? What are the various religious traditions' perspectives on the ethics of commerce? Can the various religious traditions generate a non-adversarial, consistent, and coherent business ethic? Is there a role for religion and spirituality in a global and post-modern business world?
Readership: this title is suitable for business ethicists, business leaders, religious leaders, theologians, moral philosophers, political scientists, and readers with an interest in organisations and culture.
Readership: this title is suitable for business ethicists, business leaders, religious leaders, theologians, moral philosophers, political scientists, and readers with an interest in organisations and culture.
Since the late 1960s American culture has been involved in a struggle to articulate an effective business ethics. The scandals of Enron and WorldCom constitute egregious examples of the absence or deficiency of ethical decision-making in matters of commerce. The purpose of this volume is to inaugurate a dialogue on the common elements of all three Abrahamic traditions - Christianity, Islam, and Judaism - that touch on ethical issues in business. With more than 40 scholars, religious and business leaders joining the debate, this anthology is the beginning of a reconstruction of the understanding of the relationship between religion and commerce. The following questions are addressed: Is a purely secular business ethics irremediably deficient? Does a substantive business ethic require a religious and spiritual framework? To what extent does current business practice reflect a spiritual dimension? What are the various religious traditions' perspectives on the ethics of commerce? Can the various religious traditions generate a non-adversarial, consistent, and coherent business ethic? Is there a role for religion and spirituality in a global and post-modern business world?
Readership: this title is suitable for business ethicists, business leaders, religious leaders, theologians, moral philosophers, political scientists, and readers with an interest in organisations and culture.
Reviews / Votes
"Business and religion have existed side-by-side for millennia. As these essays demonstrate, the co-existence has not always been harmonious. Yet this book also suggests that the two, understood properly, can be mutually beneficial. It is a welcome contribution to a growing body of scholarship that seeks to appreciate more fully the connection between our relationship with God and our work in the market." Fr. Robert A. Sirico, President, The acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty""Business and religion have existed side-by-side for millennia. As these essays demonstrate, the co-existence has not always been harmonious. Yet this book also suggests that the two, understood properly, can be mutually beneficial. It is a welcome contribution to a growing body of scholarship that seeks to appreciate more fully the connection between our relationship with God and our work in the market." Fr. Robert A. Sirico, President, The acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty"
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Salem
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 160 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-9764041-0-1 (9780976404101)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Nicholas Capaldi is the Legendre-Soule Distinguished Chair of Business Ethics at Loyola University in New Orleans, where he also serves as Director of the Loyola Institute for Ethics and Spirituality in Business. Professor Capaldi is the author of 7 books, over 60 articles, and editor of six anthologies. He is an internationally recognized scholar and a domestic public policy specialist on such issues as higher business ethics, education, bioethics, affirmative action, and immigration.
Nicholas Capaldi is the Legendre-Soule Distinguished Chair of Business Ethics at Loyola University in New Orleans, where he also serves as Director of the Loyola Institute for Ethics and Spirituality in Business. Professor Capaldi is the author of 7 books, over 60 articles, and editor of six anthologies. He is an internationally recognized scholar and a domestic public policy specialist on such issues as higher business ethics, education, bioethics, affirmative action, and immigration.
Nicholas Capaldi is the Legendre-Soule Distinguished Chair of Business Ethics at Loyola University in New Orleans, where he also serves as Director of the Loyola Institute for Ethics and Spirituality in Business. Professor Capaldi is the author of 7 books, over 60 articles, and editor of six anthologies. He is an internationally recognized scholar and a domestic public policy specialist on such issues as higher business ethics, education, bioethics, affirmative action, and immigration.
Content
INTRODUCTION. PART I -- ORIGINS AND NATURE OF THE CLASH: Can Commerce Inspire?; The Virtues of a Commercial Republic; Ships Passing in the Night -- The Conceptual Disconnects Between American Christianity and Capitalism; 'Disconnected at the Roots' -- How Gaps in Catholic Social Doctrine Impede Dialogue and Action on Economic Justice; The Market's Benevolent Tendencies; The Jews and Capitalism -- A Love-Hate Relationship; Doing 'Secular Theology' -- Business Ethics in Economic and Environmental Religion; Why is There a Conflict Between Business and Religion? A Historical Perspective. PART II -- REGAINING HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: The Metaphysical Foundations of the Ethics of Commerce; The Deutronomic Double Standard -- Human Nature and the Nature of Markets; What Does America Owe to Florence?; Property in Roman Religion and Early Christian Fathers; Perestroika in Christendom -- The Scholastics Develop a Commerce-Friendly Moral Code; The Concern of the Church and the Unconcern of the Free Market; The 'Conflict' Between Business and Religion -- Where Does It Come From?; Capitalism Beyond the 'End of History'. PART III -- THREE BRIDGES: An Explanation for Jewish Business Success; The Virtue of Commerce in the Catholic Tradition; Islam, Commerce, and Business Ethics. PART IV -- APPLICATIONS -- A CHRISTIAN (CATHOLIC) BUSINESS ETHICS: Can Theology Help Us in Applied Ethics?; The Sources and Spiritual Basis of Catholic Business Ethics; Calling, Character, Community -- Spirituality for Business People; 'Mankind was my Business' -- An Examination of a Christian Business Ethic and Its Applications to Various Ethical Challenges; A Corporate Governance; Corporate Corruption -- How the Theories of Reinhold Niebuhr and the Ethical Practices of Joseph Badaracco May Help Understand and Limit Corporate Corruption; Corporate Social Responsibility -- A Traditional Catholic Perspective; Natural Law and the Fiduciary Duties of Business Managers; The Common Good of the Firm as the Fiduciary Duty of the Manager; Subsidiarity as Business Model; The Hindu Executive and His Dharma. PART V -- GLOBALIZATION: Spirituality and Entrepreneurship; Business, Religious Spirituality and the East European Experience; American Free Enterprise as an Enterprise in Freedom Abroad; Islam and Capitalism -- A Non-Rodinsonian Approach; The Role of Hinduism in Global India and Her Business Ethics; The African Traditional Religion's Business Ethics -- A Paradigm for Spirituality in the Global Business Ethical Standard; Faith-Correlated Responses to Rural Assistance in a Globalizing Brazil; The Worldly Failures of Liberation Theology; Globalization -- Insights from Catholic Social Teaching. CONCLUSION: The Archbishop of Canterbury -- On the Facts and Values of Religion and Globalization. INDICES.