Business Morality: Some Unanswered (and Perhaps Unanswerable) Questions

Abstract

Answers to questions about the ethical posture of American business require reference to the corporate, as dis tinguished from individualistic, nature of business. The tone of business is largely set by the corporate giants which domi nate the American economy. Corporate officials doubtless are normally the embodiment of rectitude in their personal life, but the several "publics" with which a corporation must deal pose difficult problems of accommodation, as yet unanswered. These problems will remain unanswered unless and until an adequate politico-economic theory of the corporation is pro duced. In the meantime, a rough analogy may be drawn be tween the corporation within the nation-state and the nation- state itself in its external affairs; corporate managers and national leaders, to some extent, have similar problems of accommodating competing interests. This accommodation is made more difficult because of the lack of clear external stand ards, from either law or the ethical leaders, through which pro posed decisions may be evaluated.