The Ethics of Business

Reviews / Votes

This concise introduction to applied business ethics is refreshingly unlike most business ethics textbooks. While others focus primarily on negative examples of moral failure at the C-level (Enron) or blockbuster financial disasters (Bernie Madoff), Gini and Marcoux (both, Loyola Univ. Chicago) speak to the common activities of ordinary businesspeople. Their work addresses the question of what it means to be a person of character and integrity while engaged in entrepreneurial activity: buying, selling, and interacting with others. Traditional ethical philosophies (Mills's utilitarianism, Kant's duty-based and Aristotle's virtue-based ethics) are presented in a practical, nontechnical manner. The essential components of business activities are evaluated in discussions on the ethics of trust, truth, competition, loyalty, leadership, and the global marketplace. The excellent chapter titled "Work-Life Balance" raises the philosophical question of what our work is doing to us. "Even though work gives us our identity, and even if we love our jobs ... we also need an antidote to work in order to work well," it suggests. Extensive quotes and examples add clarity. Useful as primary or supplemental reading for business ethics courses. Summing Up: Recommended. * Choice Reviews * The Ethics of Business, by Al Gini and Alexei Marcoux (hereafter, Gini/Marcoux), is . . . spirited and insightful. * Reason Papers * For business majors planning to enter the real world, this is the most useful business ethics textbook available. -- Nicholas Capaldi, Chair in Business Ethics, Loyola University of New Orleans Gini and Marcoux have written a great short introduction to the ethics of business. By focusing on the elements of business ethics, such as rationality, exchange, trust, competition, impartiality, loyalty, and leadership to name a few, they have given us a book that can be useful from solo practitioners all the way up to CEOs of large corporations. They use plenty of example and quotes to make their case. This book can serve as a foundation for a business ethics course when supplemented by cases and other material. -- John W. Dienhart, The Frank Shrontz Chair for Professional Ethics, Seattle University This is an unusually clearly-written introduction. Gini and Marcoux are sensitive to the wide range of business ethics opinion. Especially good are their inclusion of entrepreneurial business rather than a preoccupation with large corporations and their emphasis upon achieving the good rather than bemoaning the bad. -- Stephen Hicks, Chair, Philosophy Department, Rockford College Gini and Marcoux have written an eminently readable and practical book that strikes the perfect balance of philosophical depth with accessibility to the nonphilosopher. The book demonstrates for both students and business practitioners how philosophical concepts have significant real-life implications across a wide range of everyday business situations and practices. -- Joseph Desjardins, College of St. Benedict, St. John's University