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Journal of Business Ethics

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30-06-2018 | Original Paper

Stakeholder Theory Through the Lenses of Catholic Social Thought

Authors: Jose Luis Retolaza, Ricardo Aguado, Leire Alcaniz

Published in: Journal of Business Ethics | Issue 4/2019

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Abstract

Beyond different starting points, stakeholder theory (ST) and Catholic Social Thought (CST) share many compatible perspectives when analyzing the role of the firm in economic activity, especially regarding the attention of the firm to different social and economic actors. Additionally, ST bears limitations regarding its ethical and anthropological foundation, and also about the legitimation of the different stakeholders’ interests. Therefore, ST lacks clear criteria to solve possible conflicts of interest between stakeholders. This paper analyzes the potentiality of ST, widely accepted in corporate management, to integrate CST principles in order to solve those conflicts. At the same time, the paper studies the possibility of finding in the principles of CST an anthropological and ethical foundation for ST. This foundation could be the source of criteria to discuss the levels of legitimation and prioritization between stakeholders´ interests, especially when those interests collide.

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Title: Stakeholder Theory Through the Lenses of Catholic Social Thought
Authors: Jose Luis Retolaza
Ricardo Aguado
Leire Alcaniz
Publication date: 30-06-2018
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Journal of Business Ethics / Issue 4/2019
Print ISSN: 0167-4544
Electronic ISSN: 1573-0697
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-3963-6

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