Proposal for a framework for ethical evaluation of corporate scandals based on organizational virtue

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12944
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 01010:Philosophy and ethics-related
• Research Institution: Keio University (2021-2023); Osaka University of Economics (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: SUGIMOTO Shunsuke 慶應義塾大学, 商学部(日吉), 准教授 (80755819)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 倫理学 / ビジネス倫理 / 企業不祥事 / 徳 / 組織 / 徳倫理学 / 経営理念 / 懐徳堂

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this research is to propose a framework for ethical evaluation of corporate scandals based on organizational virtue; in FY 2019, I attempted to elucidate the character traits of corporate organizations; in FY 2020, I examined the conditions for being virtuous; In FY2021, I constructed a framework for ethical evaluation based on organizational virtues and examined its validity as a proposal for a framework for ethical evaluation of corporate scandals. The above results were submitted to the Journal of the Japan Society for Business Ethics as "Organizational Virtue Ethics: A Framework for Ethical Evaluation of Organizational Scandals," which was published after peer review and received the 2nd Mizutani Masakazu Award for Excellence Paper. In FY2022, I conducted a clarification of organizational virtues. In FY2023, I explored the possibility of Japanese virtue ethics.

Free Research Field

倫理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、企業組織の性格特性として徳を捉え直すことが可能であることを示し、組織的徳に基づいた企業不祥事の倫理的評価枠組みを提案した。その学術的意義として、企業不祥事の新しい倫理的評価枠組みを提示したことが挙げられる。実際に、その枠組みのもと、かんぽ生命保険の不適正募集問題に対して倫理的評価を下すことが可能であることを示した。また、従来の徳倫理学の個人的で西洋的な側面を批判し、それに代わる組織的で東洋的な理論を展開することに成功した。これにより、企業不祥事の不正を倫理学の理論的根拠をもって説明でき、また企業不祥事の従来の評価が妥当なものだったかを検討できるようにした社会的意義は大きい。