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International codes of conduct: An analysis of ethical reasoning

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Abstract

Four international codes of conduct (those of the International Chamber of Commerce, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the International Labor Organization, and the United Nations Commission on Transnational Corporations) are analyzed to determine the ethical bases of the behaviors they prescribe for multinational enterprises (MNEs). Although the four codes emphasize different aspects of business behavior, there is substantial agreement regarding many of the moral duties of MNEs. It is suggested that MNEs are morally bound to recognize the codes and to take them into account when engaging in international business.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh, 247 Mervis Hall, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Kathleen A. Getz

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  1. Kathleen A. Getz
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Kathleen A. Getz is a doctoral candidate at the Katz Graduate School of Business of the University of Pittsburgh.

For another interpretation, see William C. Frederick's current paper, Multilateral Compacts as a Source of Normative Corporate Guidelines: The Emergence of a Transcultural Corporate Ethic.

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Getz, K.A. International codes of conduct: An analysis of ethical reasoning. J Bus Ethics 9, 567–577 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00383212

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