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Product Description This comprehensive and balanced book gives a thorough treatment of the most prominent issues of business ethics and the major positions and arguments on these issues. An abundance of case studies help illustrate topics such as: whistle-blowing, discrimination and affirmative action, occupational health and safety, ethics in finance, and ethics in international business. For professionals in the field who want an up-to-date discussion of the most prominent issues of business ethics. Review "The text is great-it is interesting to read and has a great blend of theory and practice...I think the foundation supporting research on the various theories was particularly well done. Whistle blowing chapter was a gem and so on target"--Thomas E. Griffin, Indiana Wesleyan University "The cases in the textbook are excellent in all of the chapters. They are current and there is a nice variety of issues/subjects/parties involved in the cases."--Peter L. Stone, Spartanburg Technical College Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. The field of business ethics has grown in recent years into an interdisciplinary area of study that has found a secure niche in both the liberal arts and business education. Credit for this development belongs to many individuals—both philosophers and business scholars—who have succeeded in relating ethical theory to the various problems of ethics that arise in business. They have shown not only that business is a fruitful subject for philosophical exploration, but also that practicing managers in the world of business can benefit from the results. Ethics and the Conduct of Business, fourth edition, is a comprehensive and up-to-date discussion of the most prominent issues in the field of business ethics and the major positions and arguments on these issues. It is intended to be used as a text in a philosophical business ethics course or one taught in a school of business, on either the undergraduate or M.B.A. level. The substantial number of cases included provides ample opportunity for a case study approach or a combined lecture-discussion format. There has been no attempt to develop a distinctive ethical system or to argue for specific conclusions. The field of business ethics is marked by reasonable disagreement that should be reflected in any good textbook. The focus of Ethics and the Conduct of Business is primarily on ethical issues that corporate decision makers face in developing policies about employees, customers, and the general public. The positions on these issues and the arguments for them are taken from a wide variety of sources, including economics and the law. The study of ethical issues in business is not confined to a single academic discipline or to the academic world. The issues selected for discussion are widely debated by legislators, judges, government regulators, business leaders, journalists, and, indeed, virtually everyone with an interest in business. An underlying assumption of this book is that ethical theory is essential for a full understanding of the positions and arguments offered on the main issues in business ethics. Fortunately, the amount of theory needed is relatively small, and much of the discussion of these issues can be understood apart from the theoretical foundation provided here. The book also contains a substantial amount of legal material, not only because the law addresses many ethical issues, but also because management decision making must take account of the relevant law. Many examples are used throughout the book in order to explain points and show the relevance of the discussion to real-life business practice. Preparing the fourth edition of Ethics and the Conduct of Business provides an opportunity to incorporate new developments and increase its value in the classroom. The most significant changes are the addition of a new chapter on ethics in finance and an overhaul of the chapter on interna