Global Codes of Conduct

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Edited by Oliver F. Williams, C.S.C.

John W. Houck Notre Dame Series in Business Ethics

We are living in an exciting and challenging era, characterized by what many are calling globalization—the integration of economic activity on an international scale. It involves unparalleled movements not only of capital but also of goods, services, technologies, and people.

Globalization is perceived as both a promise and a threat. The promise is seen in the rising prosperity experienced by many in rich and poor countries alike in the aftermath of international linkages. The threat is the growing perception, by nations and individuals, that we can no longer control our way of life. Whether it be corporate downsizing, takeovers, bankruptcies, human rights abuses, or the loss of jobs, the pace of change and the disruption of communities are troubling to many.

Therefore throughout the international business community proposals for a new global code of conduct are emerging, including principles for the promotion and protection of human rights in developing countries. To further this discussion of global codes of conduct, the University of Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Religious Values in Business presents the reflections of a group of distinguished leaders from business, the academy, and other sectors of civil society. They ask important questions for us to consider in the rush toward globalization: What is the next phase in this process? Is a single global code of conduct necessary? What current accountability structures are effective and what additional structures are needed?

Global Codes of Conduct: An Idea Whose Time Has Come will be of value to all readers interested in the emerging global economy. It will be particularly useful as a textbook for courses in business ethics.

Oliver F. Williams, C.S.C., is Associate Professor of Management in the College of Business Administration and Academic Director of the Center for Ethics and Religious Values in Business at the University of Notre Dame. He is the co-editor of Is the Good Corporation Dead? Social Responsibility in a Global Economy (1996) and The Moral Imagination: How Literature and Films Can Stimulate Ethical Reflection in the Business World (Notre Dame Press, 1998).

We are living in an exciting and challenging era, characterized by what many are calling globalization—the integration of economic activity on an international scale. It involves unparalleled movements not only of capital but also of goods, services, technologies, and people.

Global Codes of Conduct: An Idea Whose Time Has Come will be of value to all readers interested in the emerging global economy. It will be particularly useful as a textbook for courses in business ethics.

Oliver F. Williams, C.S.C., is Associate Professor of Management in the College of Business Administration and Academic Director of the Center for Ethics and Religious Values in Business at the University of Notre Dame. He is the co-editor of Is the Good Corporation Dead? Social Responsibility in a Global Economy( 1996), and The Moral Imagination: How Literature and Films Can Stimulate Ethical Reflection in the Business World (Notre Dame Press, 1998).