This book explores the underlying causes of the pervasive dominance of 'unethics' in contemporary affairs in economics, business, and society. It is argued that the state of unethics is related to the overexpansion of market and market values in all spheres of social life and human activities. A correlate of this development is the emergence of an extremely individualistic, materialistic and narcissistic mind-set that dictates the decisions and behavior of people and organizations. The author argues that art can help to overcome the dominant market metaphysics of our age, as genuine art creates models of 'poetic dwelling,' which can generate non-linear, progressive change that opens up a larger playing field for ethics. Aesthetics and ethics go hand in hand. Ethical action is not just right for its own sake, but makes the world a richer, livable and more beautiful place. Ethics, Meaning, and Market Society will be of interest to students at an advanced level, academics, researchers and professionals. It addresses the topics with regard to ethics in economics, business, and society in a contemporary context.

"What should I do?," "How should I deal with this?," "How should I behave?," "How should I act?" we ask ourselves daily. But, this is only the first part of the sentence, while the full sentence is "What should I do ... to achieve such and such?", for example to complete an assigned task, to do well before my boss or a client, to be pleased with myself, to carry out my plans, to make money in the stock market, to pass an exam, to complete an application, etc. These and similar questions that people ask, consciously or not, openly or not, are decisions. What skills must we master, especially when there is a need to make not only elementary decisions, but also decisions that affect the existence, health, and even lives of people? First, Laszlo Zsolnai writes that we should acquire the skill of gaining knowledge. Only then will we stand a chance of reacting to things that are improbable today, but could become a fact tomorrow. Also essential is the skill of designing, i.e., preparing actions conceptually in order to make decisions before irreversible changes occur. Finally, it is essential to master the skill of multidimensional judgment within the space defined by effectiveness, efficiency, and ethics. This is Zsolnai's attempt to build a model of making ethical decisions both effectively and efficiently. Therefore, the model is much broader than purely an analytical framework would be. It must tell us how to act rather than limit us to reflection on actions already performed; it must combine decision and praxiological analysis of human conduct. The proposed model enlarges the scope of the debate and suggests new avenues of both rational and responsible decision making. This is an original statement of the crossover of policy and morality.

"What should I do?," "How should I deal with this?," "How should I behave?," "How should I act?" we ask ourselves daily. But, this is only the first part of the sentence, while the full sentence is "What should I do ... to achieve such and such?," for example to complete an assigned task, to do well before my boss or a client, to be pleased with myself, to carry out my plans, to make money in the stock market, to pass an exam, to complete an application, etc. These and similar questions that people ask, consciously or not, openly or not, are decisions.

What skills must we master, especially when there is a need to make not only elementary decisions, but also decisions that affect the existence, health, and even lives of people? First, Laszlo Zsolnai writes that we should acquire the skill of gaining knowledge. Only then will we stand a chance of reacting to things that are improbable today, but could become a fact tomorrow. Also essential is the skill of designing, i.e., preparing actions conceptually in order to make decisions before irreversible changes occur. Finally, it is essential to master the skill of multidimensional judgment within the space defined by effectiveness, efficiency, and ethics.

This is Zsolnai's attempt to build a model of making ethical decisions both effectively and efficiently. Therefore, the model is much broader than purely an analytical framework would be. It must tell us how to act rather than limit us to reflection on actions already performed; it must combine decision and praxiological analysis of human conduct. The proposed model enlarges the scope of the debate and suggests new avenues of both rational and responsible decision making. This is an original statement of the crossover of policy and morality.

This book explores the underlying causes of the pervasive dominance of 'unethics' in contemporary affairs in economics, business, and society. It is argued that the state of unethics is related to the overexpansion of market and market values in all spheres of social life and human activities. A correlate of this development is the emergence of an extremely individualistic, materialistic and narcissistic mind-set that dictates the decisions and behavior of people and organizations. The author argues that art can help to overcome the dominant market metaphysics of our age, as genuine art creates models of 'poetic dwelling,' which can generate non-linear, progressive change that opens up a larger playing field for ethics. Aesthetics and ethics go hand in hand. Ethical action is not just right for its own sake, but makes the world a richer, livable and more beautiful place. Ethics, Meaning, and Market Society will be of interest to students at an advanced level, academics, researchers and professionals. It addresses the topics with regard to ethics in economics, business, and society in a contemporary context.

Increasingly, it is being recognized that spirituality, defined here as "a multiform search for a transcendent meaning of life that connects them to all living beings and brings them in touch with God or 'Ultimate Reality,'" is an aspect of almost every sphere and aspect of social life. It appears in humanity's dealings with nature, home and community, healing, economics and business, knowledge, and education. The Routledge International Handbook of Spirituality in Society and the Professions is a stimulating collection that summarizes the most important issues, frameworks, discussions, and problems relating to spiritually inspired activities in different fields of social life. The contributors explore how spirituality is a part of existence and present approaches and models for professionals working in diverse areas. Presented in seven parts, the book provides a full overview of current research and practice. Part II, "Facets of spirituality," explores topics including philosophy, psychology, theology, and culture. Part III, "Nature," looks at ecology, agriculture, cities, and tourism. Part IV, "Home and community," presents chapters on various life stages, disability, gender, and culture. Part V, "Healing," examines medicine, mental and physical health, and ill-health. In Part VI, "Economy, politics, and law," contributors discuss business, leadership and the workplace, peace, and policing. Part VII, "Knowledge and education," includes chapters on science, design, fashion, literature, and the arts. In the final part, "Way forward," the editors look to the future with a chapter on inter-spirituality and the renewal of social practices. Driven by contemporary research and new developments, this Handbook is an innovative and interdisciplinary collection that provides an essential overview of contemporary spirituality and society from an international selection of contributors. The Routledge International Handbook of Spirituality in Society and the Professions offers accessible, diverse, and engaging international research, and its scope will appeal to academics and students of a wide range of subjects, including aging and addiction, psychology, theology, religious studies, sociology, business studies, and philosophy. It will also be an important work for professionals in medical and social services, the clergy, education, business, the arts, religious communities, and politics, and members of organizations looking at the links between spirituality, religion, and society.

This open access book examines from a variety of perspectives the disappearance of moral content and ethical judgment from the models employed in the formulation of modern economic theory, and some of the papers contain important proposals about how moral judgment could be reintroduced in economic theory. The chapters collected in this volume result from the favorable reception of the first volume of the Virtues in Economics series and represent further contributions to the themes set out in that volume: (i) examining the philosophical and methodological fallacies of this turn in modern economic theory that the removal of the moral motivation of economic agents from modern economic theory has entailed; and (ii) proposing a return descriptive economics as the means with which the moral content of economic life could be restored in economic theory. This book is of interest to researchers and students of the methodology of economics, ethics, philosophers concerned with agency and economists who build economic models that rest in the intention of the agent.

This open access book provides an exploration of the consequences of the ontological differences between natural and social objects (sometimes described as objects of nature and objects of thought) in the workings of causal and agency relationships. One of its important and possibly original conclusions is that causal and agency relationships do not encompass all of the dependent relationships encountered in social life. The idea that social reality is contingent has been known (and largely undisputed) at least since Wittgenstein's "On Certainty", but social science, and most notably economics has continued to operate on the basis of causal and agency theories borrowed or adapted from the natural sciences. This volume contains essays that retain and justify the partial or qualified use of this approach and essays that totally reject any use of causal and agency theory built on determined facts (closed systems).The rejection is based on the possibly original claim that, whereas causation in the objects of the natural sciences reside in their properties, human action is a matter of intentionality. It engages with critical realist theory and re-examines the role of free will in theories of human action in general and economic theory in particular.

This book gathers original, empirical and conceptual papers that address the complex challenges of conducting responsible research in the business and management professions. It includes contributions related to, and reflecting on, the vision of the Responsible Research in Business and Management (RRBM) network, which proposes that business can help provide a better world if it is informed by responsible research. The responsible research agenda requires new methods of scholarly assessment that include criteria for measuring impact, systemic solutions and practitioner relevance. Theories greatly influence business and management practices, and as the late Sumantra Ghoshal warned, bad management theories are destroying good management practices. The authors of this book believe that good management theories can help to create new and better business practices.

The book is reclaiming economics as a moral science. It argues that ethics is a relevant and inseparable aspect of all levels of economic activity, from individual and organizational to societal and global. Taking ethical considerations into account is needed in explaining and predicting the behavior of economic agents as well as in evaluating and designing economic policies and mechanisms. The unique feature of the book is that it not only analyzes ethics and economics on an abstract level, but puts behavioral, institutional and systemic issues together for a robust and human view of economic functioning. It sees economic "facts" as interwoven with human intentionality and ethical content, a domain where utility calculations and moral considerations co-determine the behavior of economic agents and the outcomes of their activities. The book employs the personalist approach that sees human persons - endowed with free will and conscience - as the basic agents of economic life and defines human flourishing as the final end of economic activities. The book demonstrates that economics can gain a lot in meaning and also in analytical power by reuniting itself with ethics.

This book presents and analyses exemplary cases of progressive business, understood as ecologically sustainable, future-respecting and pro-social enterprise. The authors present a number of companies following progressive business practices from a range of industries including ethical and sustainable banking, artisan coffee production and distribution, pharmaceutical products, clean technology, governance in retailing, responsible hospitality and consumer goods. With case studies from around Europe such as Tridos Bank in The Netherlands, Beres Co. in Hungary, Novo Nordisk in Denmark, Lumituuli in Finland, John Lewis in the UK and Illy Cafe from Italy, these progressive companies have global reach and an international impact. The collected cases aim to show the best to be expected from business in the 21st century in a structured accessible way, suitable for any readers interested in innovative ways of creating forward-looking sustainable business.

This book presents and analyses exemplary cases of progressive business, understood as ecologically sustainable, future-respecting and pro-social enterprise. The authors present a number of companies following progressive business practices from a range of industries including ethical and sustainable banking, artisan coffee production and distribution, pharmaceutical products, clean technology, governance in retailing, responsible hospitality and consumer goods. With case studies from around Europe such as Tridos Bank in The Netherlands, Beres Co. in Hungary, Novo Nordisk in Denmark, Lumituuli in Finland, John Lewis in the UK and Illy Cafe from Italy, these progressive companies have global reach and an international impact. The collected cases aim to show the best to be expected from business in the 21st century in a structured accessible way, suitable for any readers interested in innovative ways of creating forward-looking sustainable business.

The book is reclaiming economics as a moral science. It argues that ethics is a relevant and inseparable aspect of all levels of economic activity, from individual and organizational to societal and global. Taking ethical considerations into account is needed in explaining and predicting the behavior of economic agents as well as in evaluating and designing economic policies and mechanisms. The unique feature of the book is that it not only analyzes ethics and economics on an abstract level, but puts behavioral, institutional and systemic issues together for a robust and human view of economic functioning. It sees economic "facts" as interwoven with human intentionality and ethical content, a domain where utility calculations and moral considerations co-determine the behavior of economic agents and the outcomes of their activities. The book employs the personalist approach that sees human persons - endowed with free will and conscience - as the basic agents of economic life and defines human flourishing as the final end of economic activities. The book demonstrates that economics can gain a lot in meaning and also in analytical power by reuniting itself with ethics.

This book discloses the spiritual dimension in business ethics and sustainability management. Spirituality is understood as a multiform search for meaning which connects people with all living beings and God or Ultimate Reality. In this sense, spirituality is a vital source in social and economic life. The volume examines the spiritual orientations to nature and business in different cultural traditions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Sufism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. It studies how spirituality and ecology can contribute to transforming contemporary management theory and praxis. It discusses new leadership roles and business models that emerge for sustainability in business and shows how entrepreneurship can be inspired by nature and spirituality in a meaningful way.

Post-Materialist Business presents a spiritual-based approach to business and management. It uses pluralistic view of spirituality and provides a number of inspiring cases of alternative organizations which go beyond the materialistic mindset of business and serve the common good of society, nature, and future generations.

This book discloses the spiritual dimension in business ethics and sustainability management. Spirituality is understood as a multiform search for meaning which connects people with all living beings and God or Ultimate Reality. In this sense, spirituality is a vital source in social and economic life. The volume examines the spiritual orientations to nature and business in different cultural traditions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Sufism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. It studies how spirituality and ecology can contribute to transforming contemporary management theory and praxis. It discusses new leadership roles and business models that emerge for sustainability in business and shows how entrepreneurship can be inspired by nature and spirituality in a meaningful way.

Buddhism points out that emphasizing individuality and promoting the greatest fulfillment of the desires of the individual conjointly lead to destruction. The book promotes the basic value-choices of Buddhism, namely happiness, peace and permanence.

Happiness research convincingly shows that not material wealth but the richness of personal relationships determines happiness. Not things, but people make people happy. Western economics tries to provide people with happiness by supplying enormous quantities of things and today's dominating business models are based on and cultivates narrow self-centeredness.But what people need are caring relationships and generosity. Buddhist economics makes these values accessible by direct provision. Peace can be achieved in nonviolent ways. Wanting less can substantially contribute to this endeavor and make it happen more easily. Permanence, or ecological sustainability, requires a drastic cutback in the present level of consumption and production globally. This reduction should not be an inconvenient exercise of self-sacrifice. In the noble ethos of reducing suffering it can be a positive development path for humanity.

The book - which was originally published by Kluwer in 2004 - is a collection of scholarly papers focusing on the role of spirituality and ethics in renewing the contemporary management praxis. The basic argument is that a more inclusive, holistic and peaceful approach to management is needed if business and political leaders are to uplift the environmentally degrading and socially disintegrating world of our age. The book uses diverse value-perspectives (Hindu, Catholic, Buddhist, and Humanist) and a variety of disciplines (philosophy, ethics, management studies, psychology, and organizational sciences) to extend traditional reflections on corporate purpose and focuses on
a self-referential organizational-existential search for meaning, identity and success.

The book aims to present the business ethics visions, programs and experiences of member universities of the Community of European Management Schools (CEMS). Since the authors are leading professors of business ethics in different European countries, the book can serve as a special guide to the European business ethics movement. The Community of European Management Schools was founded in 1988 as an association of top-level schools in management education throughout Europe. In 1998 member universities are as follows: Budapest University of Economic Sciences, Copenhagen Business School, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, ESADE Barcelona, HEC Paris, London School of Economics, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, Stockholm School of Economics, Universitti Bocconi Milan, Universitiit St. Gallen, Universitiit zu Koln, Universite catholique de Louvain, and Wirtschajtsuniversitiit Wien. The University of Economics in Prague and the University of Economics in Warsaw are candidate members in CEMS. Over thirty international companies joined CEMS as corporate members. Sponsoring corporations includes ABB, Athur Andersen, Banca Commerciale Italiana, Banque Bruxelles Lambert, Banque Paribas, Cariplo, Central Hispano, Coats Crafts Europe, Coopers &- Lybrand, Dresder Bank, Dunaferr, Elektrowatt, Ericson, Goldman Sachs, Grouppo ENI, Henkel Industries, Henkel Industries, Hi/ti Corporation, F. Hoffman-la-Roche, ISS, J.P. Morgan, KPMG DTG, Norsk Hydro, Petrojina, Procter &- Gamble, Schindler Management, Schneider, Shell International, Siemens, SmithKline Beecham, Statoil, Swiss Bank Corporation, Tetra Laval, Trygg Hansa, Winterthur, and Zurich Insurance.

Buddhism points out that emphasizing individuality and promoting the greatest fulfillment of the desires of the individual conjointly lead to destruction. The book promotes the basic value-choices of Buddhism, namely happiness, peace and permanence.

Happiness research convincingly shows that not material wealth but the richness of personal relationships determines happiness. Not things, but people make people happy. Western economics tries to provide people with happiness by supplying enormous quantities of things and today's dominating business models are based on and cultivates narrow self-centeredness.But what people need are caring relationships and generosity. Buddhist economics makes these values accessible by direct provision. Peace can be achieved in nonviolent ways. Wanting less can substantially contribute to this endeavor and make it happen more easily. Permanence, or ecological sustainability, requires a drastic cutback in the present level of consumption and production globally. This reduction should not be an inconvenient exercise of self-sacrifice. In the noble ethos of reducing suffering it can be a positive development path for humanity.

The book - which was originally published by Kluwer in 2004 - is a collection of scholarly papers focusing on the role of spirituality and ethics in renewing the contemporary management praxis. The basic argument is that a more inclusive, holistic and peaceful approach to management is needed if business and political leaders are to uplift the environmentally degrading and socially disintegrating world of our age. The book uses diverse value-perspectives (Hindu, Catholic, Buddhist, and Humanist) and a variety of disciplines (philosophy, ethics, management studies, psychology, and organizational sciences) to extend traditional reflections on corporate purpose and focuses on
a self-referential organizational-existential search for meaning, identity and success.

The signi? cance of "spirituality in management" is acquiring considerable international recognition. It is one of the "hottest" emerging ? elds in management. A number of recent events underscore this development. In February 2000 the Indian Institute of Management organized a "Corporate Reputation for Competitive Advantage" workshop in Calcutta, which focused on spirituality, ethics and leadership. The conference "Business, Religion and Spirituality" was held at the University of Notre Dame in April th 2000. In April 2001 the International Academy of Business Disciplines held its 13 annual meeting in Orlando, Florida and had a track on Spirituality in Organizations. In April 2002 a world conference was organized in New York entitled "Spirit in Business: Ethics, Mindfulness and the Bottom Line. " These and other important scienti? c events clearly show that spirituality is no longer considered to be purely a matter of individual search, and is becoming more and more recognized in management and business ethics circles. Our "Spirituality in Management" workshop was held in July 1-3, 2001 in Szeged, Hungary. It was jointly organized by the Business Ethics Center of the Budapest University of Economic Sciences, the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration and the Department for the Study of Religion of the University of Szeged. Scholars and practitioners from 13 countries represented disciplines as diverse as economics, business, management studies, philosophy, theology, sociology, and medical anthropology. Participants included PETER PRUZAN, Copenhagen Business School (Denmark); S. K.

Ethical Prospects: Economy, Society, and Environment aims to present and summarize new perspectives and leading-edge results in ethics reflecting on interconnected economic, social and environmental issues. The yearbook reports on innovative practices and policy reforms and provides a forum for discussion about groundbreaking theories. The main function of the yearbook is to present ideas and initiatives that lead toward responsible business practices, policies for the common good and ecological sustainability. It seeks to form a value-community of scholars, practitioners and policymakers engaged in genuine ethics in business, environmental management, and public policy.

Ethical Prospects: Economy, Society, and Environment aims to present and summarize new perspectives and leading-edge results in ethics reflecting on interconnected economic, social and environmental issues. The yearbook reports on innovative practices and policy reforms and provides a forum for discussion about groundbreaking theories. The main function of the yearbook is to present ideas and initiatives that lead toward responsible business practices, policies for the common good and ecological sustainability. It seeks to form a value-community of scholars, practitioners and policymakers engaged in genuine ethics in business, environmental management, and public policy.

The book aims to present the business ethics visions, programs and experiences of member universities of the Community of European Management Schools (CEMS). Since the authors are leading professors of business ethics in different European countries, the book can serve as a special guide to the European business ethics movement. The Community of European Management Schools was founded in 1988 as an association of top-level schools in management education throughout Europe. In 1998 member universities are as follows: Budapest University of Economic Sciences, Copenhagen Business School, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, ESADE Barcelona, HEC Paris, London School of Economics, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, Stockholm School of Economics, Universitti Bocconi Milan, Universitiit St. Gallen, Universitiit zu Koln, Universite catholique de Louvain, and Wirtschajtsuniversitiit Wien. The University of Economics in Prague and the University of Economics in Warsaw are candidate members in CEMS. Over thirty international companies joined CEMS as corporate members. Sponsoring corporations includes ABB, Athur Andersen, Banca Commerciale Italiana, Banque Bruxelles Lambert, Banque Paribas, Cariplo, Central Hispano, Coats Crafts Europe, Coopers &- Lybrand, Dresder Bank, Dunaferr, Elektrowatt, Ericson, Goldman Sachs, Grouppo ENI, Henkel Industries, Henkel Industries, Hi/ti Corporation, F. Hoffman-la-Roche, ISS, J.P. Morgan, KPMG DTG, Norsk Hydro, Petrojina, Procter &- Gamble, Schindler Management, Schneider, Shell International, Siemens, SmithKline Beecham, Statoil, Swiss Bank Corporation, Tetra Laval, Trygg Hansa, Winterthur, and Zurich Insurance.

The ecological, social and technological challenges of the Anthropocene require developing and implementing new economic, business, and financial models to create sustainable value for a wide range of stakeholders including nature, society, and future generations. This book defines ‘sustainable value creation’ as bringing forth products, services, organizational forms, processes, actions, and policies which satisfy real social needs and contribute to the ecological regeneration of nature. The book collects and analyzes innovative economic, business, and social models of sustainable value creation globally. It critically examines the existing mainstream models of business and financial value creation. In reviewing both traditional and sustainability-oriented models, it focuses on both the challenges and opportunities inherent in a possible shift from models based on single-stakeholder wealth creation to models that propagate multidimensional value creation. Part of the Palgrave Studies in Sustainable Business in Association with Future Earth series, this book aims to engage academics, and business and civil society practitioners to discuss innovative value creation models for a sustainable world. Interdisciplinary and intercultural exchange will be facilitated to inspire and cross-fertilize different knowledge and action fields as well as to promote intergenerational dialogue about the prospects of the human-earth system.