Studies in TransAtlantic Business Ethics series

Over the past several decades the importance of ethical issues in business has become widely acknowledged. Business scandals, globalization, the Internet, outsourcing of production, environmental concerns, a growing appreciation for business responsibilities for human rights, and numerous other developments have raised the level of attention paid to business ethics and corporate social responsibility. At the same time, it has become apparent that there is a pressing need for more refined studies of business ethics as informed by an international perspective. Though American and European business ethics have developed differently, many problems are similar on both sides of the Atlantic. Having this insight we established the Transatlantic Business Ethics Conferences (TABEC) in 2000 for promoting exchange and collaboration between American and European scholars and practitioners.

The First TABEC was held in Budapest in 2000 at the Budapest University of Economic Sciences. The second one was organized in Washington D.C. in 2002 at Georgetown University. Subsequent conferences have been held at such prominent locations as the ESADE Business School (Barcelona), the Wharton School (Philadelphia), and the SDA Bocconi School of Management (Milan). The intention in each case was to bring together a group of distinguished business ethicists from Europe and North America to address current and central problems of business ethics.

The purpose of the Studies in Transatlantic Business Ethics series is to publish some of the best thinking on business ethics that is currently available on either side of the Atlantic. Though the main engine behind the series is TABEC, the series is not limited to papers presented at one of the TABEC conferences. Other contributions from prominent business ethicists are welcome too. It is our hope that our series can catalyze fresh and innovative thinking and practices in America, Europe and beyond.