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Article
Feminist Ethics as Moral Grounding for Stakeholder Theory
Business Ethics Quarterly (1996)
  • Brian K. Burton, Western Washington University
  • Craig P. Dunn, Western Washington University
Abstract
Stakeholder theory, as a method of management based on morals and behavior, must be grounded by a theory of ethics. However, traditional ethics of justice and rights cannot completely ground the theory. Following and expanding on the work of Wicks, Gilbert, and Freeman (1994), we believe that feminist ethics, invoking principles of caring, provides the missing element that allows moral theory to ground the stakeholder approach to management. Examples are given to support the suggested general principle for making business decisions under feminist moral theory.
Keywords
  • Stakeholders,
  • Morality,
  • Feminist theory,
  • Feminist ethics,
  • Parent child relations,
  • Shareholders,
  • Decision theory,
  • Ethical epistemology
Publication Date
April, 1996
DOI
10.2307/3857619
Publisher Statement

Citation Information
Burton, B.K., & Dunn, C.P. 1996. Feminist ethics as moral grounding for stakeholder theory. Business Ethics Quarterly, 6: 133-147.