Surveyed
publications : 1980-2001 :
Arendt, Hannah (1958).
The human condition, Chicago, Ill., The University of Chicago Press.
Qual. : 5; Book., Theo., Engl., French, Span. Namer-Euro, Gen. ; Econ.
, Soc. and Ecolo. ethics.
Hector Code : ...
French translation : Condition de l'homme moderne, Paris, Calmann-Lévy,
1961 ; Spanish translation : .... .... ....
We view this book as an indispensable reference for better understanding
the present human condition in relation to work and organizations. For
us Hanna Arendt is one of the most important witness and philosopher of
the XXth century, especially in relation to the issue of work. Jewish,
journalist, existential philosopher, engaged activist, Hannah Arendt has
been a student in Germany of Martin Heidegger and Karl Jasper and a colleague
of Hans Jonas and Karl Löwith. In this book, considered her landmark
work with The origins of totalitarianism published in 1951, she defines
differently the notions of "labor", "work" and "action".
For her, the activity of "labor" is linked to the necessity
of preserving life, extracting from nature goods and services which would
only last until they are consumed. "Work" is differently defined
as producing something beyond nature that will last for some time and
which cannot be "consumed". Lastly, the notion of "action"
is defined as the disclosure of the person through communication with
others, the network of these actions giving birth to the political "citizen",
which can potentially last forever in the mind of generations. This thesis
of the "laborer", "worker" and "citizen"
places the industrial, scientific, artistic and political activities in
a temporal order, some activities being destroyed as soon they are consumed,
some being potentially eternal in the human mind. This existential view
allows Hanna Arendt to propose a financial ethics, a social ethics and
an ecological ethics (but not a spiritual one) and to affirm that the
major pitfall of modernity is its emphasis upon consumerism which leads
to the triumph of death, as each act of consumption brings an act of destruction.
Carlson, Richard (1998). Don't wor ry make money.
Spiritual and practical ways to create abundance and more fun in your
life, New York, Hyperion.
Qual.: 1; Book., Popu., Practi. ; NAmer., Gen.
Hector's code : Not purchased
A short and popular book by the author of the New York Times bestseller
Don't sweat the small stuff which mixes quotations from the most inspiring
spiritual figures with some of the most questionable new age writers and
with dubious advise. For example, while the author agrees with Mother
Teresa that "we cannot do great things on this earth, we can only
do small things with great love" (cited p. 3), the author advises
his readers that to become more "effective" they should "sell
the sizzle, not the steak", i.e. to sell the dream behind a product
or service as opposed to the characteristics of its most probable use
(see p. 153-155). As an example, he proposes to sell exercise equipment
to potential consumers, therefore diminishing their (perhaps tight) income,
by overemphasizing the image of great bodies, knowing perfectly however
that 90 % of these customers will stop using the equipment 10 days after
having purchased it !
Goodpaster, Kenneth E. (1991). Business ethics
and stakeholder analysis, Business Ethics Quarterly, January, Vol. ..,
Issue... p. 53-73.
Qual.: 2; Scien Arti., Theo., Engl.; NAmer., Gen., Soc. ethics.
Fimes' code : Goodp1000.
A theoretical article in which the author argues that "ethical management
[...] is management that includes careful attention [...] to stakeholders
[...] in the decision-making process" (p. 53). The author provides
a short case analysis and distinguishes between a stockholder and a stakeholder
- a broader notion which includes any group or individual who has a stake,
financial or not, in the organization's activities or who is affected
by these activities. The reader stays however on his appetite on how to
conduct a stakeholder analysis or how to integrate the stakeholders' views
in the organizational decision-making process.
Van Wensveen Siker, Louke (1989). Christ and
business : A typology for Christian business ethics, Journal of Busines
Ethics, Vol. 8., p. 883-888.
Qual.: 3; Scien Arti., Theo, Engl. ; NAmer., Priv., Spirit. ethics, Christ.
affiliation.
Fimes'code : Vanwe 1000
This short article suggests a five types typology for classifying different
Christian business ethics, based on the work of the Harvard philosopher
H. Richard Niebuhr who offered a comparison between Christian culture
and societal culture (H.R. Niebuhr, Christ and culture, New York, Harper
and Row, 1951). Type 1 "Christ against business", advocated
by radical Christians, strictly opposes the Christian doctrine to the
evil culture of business and wishes for the destruction of business. Type
2 "The Christ of business", encouraged by cultural Christians,
proposes that overcoming the corruption of business is relatively easy
and advocates that top-managers lead ethical change by stressing that
"good ethics is good business". Type 3 "Christ above business",
encouraged by synthetic Christians, proposes that business activities
need to be elevated by the means of authoritative and external guidelines
as well as by rationally developed norms. Type 4 "Christ the transformer
of business", advocated by conversionist Christian, suggests that
a social transformation start first with an inner transformation of the
individual human spirit. And Type 5 "Christ and business in paradox",
advocated by dualist Christians, proposes that ethical change in business
will rise from the recognition of tensions and paradoxes.
