On Moralizing in Business Ethics

Abstract

"Es kann einer Person offentsichtlich erscheinen, dass Selbst reflexion sie in eine panische emotionale Verfassung bringen w?rde. Gerade dies kann ein bewusster oder unbewusster Grund sein, auf Selbstreflexion zu verzichten" (L?w-Beer. s. 14). (Reflecting on yourself can bring you into emotional panic. This can be a conscious or unconscious reason to avoid self reflection.) Business ethics, as an academic field, seeks to elucidate and critique the moral dimensions of business. We examine "moralizing" as a term for moral critique in business ethics. Textbooks on business ethics usually do not deal with the phenomenon of moralizing, even though it is a widespread phenomenon that should be clarified and cautioned against. The same is true of inappropriate charges of moralizing. With the aim of furthering responsible communication in business, this paper presents a critique of both moralizing and inappropriate charges of moralizing.