Abstract
Research in business ethics is vital for the expansion and credibility of this fairly recent academic field. This article argues that there are three factors that are crucially important for research in business ethics. They are (a) the ontological assumptions that research in this field is premised upon, (b) the choice of research strategies and methodologies and (c) the role of theory in research practice. Each of these three factors is explored and pitfalls relating to each of them are identified. The article also suggests guidelines for dealing with each of these factors in business ethics research.
Highlights
There are at least three reasons why research in the field of business ethics is vital for the further development of the field. Firstly, research should extend the theoretical basis of business ethics
The credibility of business ethics as an academic endeavour depends largely on whether research can provide the intellectual tools for practitioners to understand and manage the ethical dimensions of economic activity
Research needs to provide the evidence that the ethical dimensions of business are important and that something can be done about it in order to gain and maintain the support of the actors who deal with the ethical dimension of economic activity
Summary
There are at least three reasons why research in the field of business ethics is vital for the further development of the field. Research needs to provide the evidence that the ethical dimensions of business are important and that something can be done about it in order to gain and maintain the support of the actors who deal with the ethical dimension of economic activity (cf Brigley, 1995a:221). Without such a conviction among the end-users of business ethics the current surge in interest in business ethics is destined to wane. Each of these three aspects will be explored in this article in order to develop frameworks and guidelines regarding them
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