We should remember, for instance, that for a long time slavery was acceptable even for the best Romans, and in certain countries or places corruption was so extensive that it would have been very difficult to find a virtuous person abstaining from corrupting practices. At the other extreme we find those who defend acting in accordance with one’s home cultural values and norms, which often merits the accusation of “cultural imperialism.” Others, to avoid both cultural relativism and imperialism, prefer to say “when in Rome do as the best Romans do.” This improves the former by introducing a sense of discernment, but no-one can be sure that even the best Romans always acted in accordance with high standards of morality. This saying does not offer ethical difficulties if you apply it with regard to certain customs, but it is problematic if you apply it to ethical matters-then it leads to moral relativism. Some may defend that the old chestnut, “when in Rome do as Romans do,” still has currency. One is that there are differences on moral perceptions and moral judgments among cultures, and consequently a tension appears between moral universalism (universal ethical principles or standards) and moral cultural relativism (local or cultural ethical norms as the exclusive source for ethical standards) (Donaldson 1996 Jhingran 2001 Frederick 2002 Vendemiati 2008 among others). Beyond cultural diversity, management is about people and so it entails ethical dimension.Ĭultural diversity entails an ethical challenge, for different reasons. It involves human and ethical considerations, as does every other aspect of management (Melé 2012).
Cross-cultural management is not only a question of techniques. The last few decades have witnessed the development of cross-cultural management, which focuses on cultural differences and their effect on organizational and managerial decision-making. Organizing corporations so that people from different cultures live and work together peacefully is a challenge for management that we cannot ignore. It is, of course, relevant for business ethics, too. Cultural diversity not only matters to business management, but also to policy makers and international organizations. The last topic is about human rights, as a practical proposal for introducing universal standards in business.ĭifferences in race, sex, language, ethnicity, values systems, religion, and local practices are important aspects of the business environment in both domestic and international business. Fourth, we consider the traditional natural moral law approach in the context of a global world. The third topic deals with convectional universalistic ethical theories in a global world and the problems they present. The second focuses on the possibility of finding shared values and virtues worldwide.
The first is whether moral diversity in different cultures is a plausible argument for moral relativism.
We highlight five topics, which intertwine the eight papers of this issue. This article is the introduction to a special issue of the Journal of Business Ethics regarding these problems. Simultaneously, the current globalization and the existence of an increasingly interconnected world seem to require a common ground to promote dialog, peace, and a more humane world. Cultural diversity and globalization bring about a tension between universal ethics and local values and norms.
0 kommentar(er)
