The role of existentialism in ethical business decision-making

Date
2000
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wiley Online Library
Abstract
This paper presents an integrated model of ethical decision-making in business that incorporates teleological, deontological and existential theory. Existentialism has been curiously overlooked by many scholars in the field despite the fact that it is so fundamentally a theory of choice. We argue that it is possible to seek good organisational ends (teleology), through the use of right means (deontology), and enable the decision-maker to do so authentically (existentialism). More specifically, we provide a framework that will enable the decision-maker to integrate the various ethical schools of thought available to them and to apply this framework in the ethical decision-making process. The model presented makes explicit the existential position of choice and takes into account other contextual moderating factors. Negative Option Marketing is used as a running application to illustrate the role of existentialism in the decision-making process.
Description
Postprint uploaded 01/12/2015 link to publishers version http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-8608.00185/abstract
Keywords
Decision making, Business ethics
Citation
Agarwal, J. and Cruise Malloy, D. (2000), The role of existentialism in ethical business decision-making. Business Ethics: A European Review, 9: 143–154. doi: 10.1111/1467-8608.00185