Towards Business Ethics as an Academic Discipline
本文指出当前西方社会对商业伦理存在深刻分歧，强调需要将其建设为一门学科，并提出一个自下而上、问题与行动导向的概念框架，主张以阿马蒂亚·森的目标-权利-系统方法作为规范伦理基础。
Recalling several profound disagreements about business ethics as it is currently discussed in Western societies, I emphasize the need for business ethics as an academic discipline that constitutes the “backbone” for both teaching business ethics and improving business practice (section 1). Then I outline a conceptual framework of business ethics that promotes a “bottom-up” approach (section 2). This “problem-and action-oriented” conception appears to be fruitful in terms of both practical relevance and theoretical understanding. Finally, I argue for (section 3) the relevance of discussing goals at all levels of human action (i.e., individuals, organizations, systems) as well as the indispensability of human rights, and propose Amartya Sen's “goal-rights-system” approach as a normative-ethical framework for business ethics that integrates these two fundamental aspects.