Personal Values as a Catalyst for Corporate Social Entrepreneurship.
Author(s)
Hemingway, Christine A
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The literature acknowledges a distinction between immoral, amoral and moral management. This paper makes a case for the employee (at any level) as a moral agent, even though the paper begins by highlighting a body of evidence which suggests that individual moral agency is sacrificed at work and is compromised in deference to other pressures. This leads to a discussion about the notion of discretion and an examination of a separate, contrary body of literature which indicates that some individuals in corporations may use their discretion to behave in a socially entrepreneurial manner. My underlying assumption is that CSR isn’t solely driven by economics and that it may also be championed as a result of a personal morality, inspired by employees’ own socially oriented personal values. A conceptual framework is put forward and it is suggested that individuals may be categorized as Active or Frustrated Corporate Social Entrepreneurs; Conformists or Apathetics, distinguished by their individualistic or collectivist personal values. In a discussion of the nature of values, this paper highlights how values may act as drivers of our behavior and pays particular attention to the values of the entrepreneur, thereby linking the existing debate on moral agency with the field of corporate social responsibility.
Date Issued
2005-09-01
Date Acceptance
2005-09-01
Citation
Journal of Business Ethics, 2005, 60 (3), pp.233-249
ISSN
0167-4544
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Start Page
233
End Page
249
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Business Ethics
Volume
60
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
© Springer 2005. he final publication is available at Springer via https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10551-005-0132-5
Subjects
1503 Business and Management
2201 Applied Ethics
1505 Marketing
Applied Ethics
Publication Status
Published