The first time I heard the term “corporate compliance,” I must confess it didn’t sit well with me. The term seemed to transform social responsibility – or worse yet, ethics – into mere compliance with policy, norms and rules as dictated by law and regulation or corporate self-regulation. (An example of the latter would be […]
The ‘Moral Factor’: Learning from a Management Classic
Today many recognize the importance of ethics in management, and particularly in leadership, although some others remain unconvinced. This post presents some insights from Chester I. Barnard (1886-1961), one of the pioneers of management thinking. He wrote The Functions of the Executive (Boston: Harvard University Press, 1938), a book which for decades was widely read […]
“Markets”: The Usual Suspects (I). Discussing Michael Sandel’s What Money Can’t Buy?
Uruguay has been chosen by …
Ethics and Restructuring: Promising match or marriage of convenience?
A few weeks ago I found myself at the AESE headquarters in Lisbon to participate in a continuous education session on ethical aspects of the recession. I was invited to speak specifically on “Ethics and Restructurings.” What sprang to mind were the countless processes of divestment, mergers and acquisitions that I have had to orchestrate […]
