A financial crisis of 2008 showed a global meaning of ethical dimension of the credit institution because lack of financial subjects’ responsibility is regarded as one of the causes of the world breakdown. The author attempts to reconstruct the role of credit in the society and economy, especially an evolution of its ethical aspects is analysed. It is aimed to catch and understand the phenomenon of responsibility for the effects of this institution activity which proved dramatic more and more often (...) both for individuals and for the whole society. (shrink)

The paper examines the moral choices of consumers from the perspective of virtue ethics. The paper starts with an outline of consumption ethics in the context of a critique of consumerism assuming a lack of consumer autonomy. I dispute the latter assumption, which leads me to consider the consumer as a moral agent and focus on the role that specific dispositions of character can play in consumer choices. The question of subjective or situational conditioning of consumer choices is answered by (...) acknowledging the basic freedom of decision, albeit limited, concerning not individual acts but the possibility of choosing the style of consumption. The next step is an attempt to build a model of consumer excellence. It is constituted by the virtues of prudence, activity, and environmental responsibility. In the last part of the paper, the structure of these virtues is analyzed and their in-depth interpretation offered. (shrink)

Self-regulation initiatives are undertaken by many lobbing circles in various countries. The key element of those initiatives are codes of ethics including a postulated model of lobbying activities, a specific pattern of ethical standards of lobbying. The aim of the article is a reconstruction of this pattern on the basis of the analysis of eight codes representing American, Polish, British, European and German lobbying. The analysis leads to the following conclusions. An axiological base of the lobbyist profession is created by (...) such values as honesty, reliability, integrity, trust, professionalism, civil responsibility, openness, transparency, loyalty, respect, courtesy. Norms included in the codes are concentrated on the following issues: legality, transparency of actions, care of reputation and dignity of profession, avoiding corruption, conflict o f interest, customer relationship, duties toward society, public relations. A weak element of lobbying self-regulation is a system of norm execution. (shrink)

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the ethical side of whistleblowing and to identify the main dilemmas generated by its practice. In the first part, the social dimension of whistleblowing has been outlined, and the defining features of reporting misconduct internally have been identified through contrasting them with those of external whistleblowing. This is followed by an attempt at an ethical evaluation of whistleblowing. The second part of this paper has been devoted to the analysis of two important (...) questions raised by the consideration of whistleblowing as a managerial instrument. Should whistleblowing be rewarded financially? Is whistleblowing not only an employee’s right, but also duty? (shrink)

The idea of Corporate Social Responsibility is a priority for the European economy because CSR is promoted by the European Commission as an instrument of European strategy for sustainable development. The paper presents the basic assumptions of this strategy. Although the debate on the European shape of CSR was initiated almost ten years ago some important questions are still under discussion. The paper considers some of them.

The aim of this article is to discern the crux of SME sector social responsibility in developing countries. An attempt is made to identify, empirically, the ethical standards subscribed to by small firms in Poland and to compare them with the standards of small firms in the UK. The methodology of empirical analysis of the ethical standards of Polish entrepreneurs running small businesses was modelled on Laura Spence’s research on the priorities, practices and ethics of small firms in the UK. (...) This analysis has revealed certain similarities and significant differences in the way CSR is perceived by Polish and British entrepreneurs. British entrepreneurs manifest a higher degree of awareness with regard to the issue of social responsibility and are more strongly motivated by their external environment to take up social responsibility issues than Polish ones. (shrink)