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4 - Responsibility

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 December 2022

Kevin Gibson
Affiliation:
Marquette University, Wisconsin
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Summary

Responsibility is a key moral concept but it is often used ambiguously, such as a firm being considered a responsible part of the community, having corporate social responsibility, or being responsible for harms. This chapter provides a clear framework that distinguishes between the different ways the term is used and shows how it can be applied in practical terms. It starts with an exposition of the Volkswagen diesel scandal to illustrate the various meanings of the term, contrasting notions of legal liability from moral wrongs. The relationship of cause, blame, and fault to moral responsibility is evaluated. It is noted that people may adopt institutional values when working in a role, and whether that approach remains valid even when someone else takes responsibility. The nature of company and institutional codes and compliance issues are discussed, and positive acts are contrasted to deliberate avoidance. The doctrine of double effect is evaluated, where an outcome is foreseeable but unintended. The concluding case deals with the tragic loss of Boeing 737 MAX airplanes and the attempt to shift blame from the company to individuals, especially foreign pilots.

Type
Chapter
Information
Ethics and Business
An Introduction
, pp. 98 - 135
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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  • Responsibility
  • Kevin Gibson, Marquette University, Wisconsin
  • Book: Ethics and Business
  • Online publication: 22 December 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009099127.005
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  • Responsibility
  • Kevin Gibson, Marquette University, Wisconsin
  • Book: Ethics and Business
  • Online publication: 22 December 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009099127.005
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Responsibility
  • Kevin Gibson, Marquette University, Wisconsin
  • Book: Ethics and Business
  • Online publication: 22 December 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009099127.005
Available formats
×