Philosophical Economics Magazine Agora 42 (in German)

The Freedom - Responsibility Nexus

This contribution to the magazine Agora 42 is based on Claus Dierksmeier's article titled The Freedom-Responsibility Nexus in Management Philosophy and Business Ethics which was published in the Journal for Business Ethics. It pursues the question whether and inasmuch theories of corporate responsibility are dependent on conceptions of managerial freedom. He argues that neglect of the idea of freedom in economic theory has led to an inadequate conceptualization of the ethical responsibilities of corporations within management theory.

In a critical review of the history of economic ideas, this article investigates why and how the idea of freedom was gradually removed from the canon of economics. This reconstruction aims at a deconstruction of certain axioms of neoclassical economics that hamper contemporary efforts in integrating ethics firmly into management education.

The Article shows by these deconstructive endeavors that a constructive use of the idea of responsible freedom could correct and complement the current quantitative focus in business theory through qualitative orientations. It argues that with the help of qualitative success criteria, the strategic integration of the tenets of both business ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility into business practice can be further advanced.

Please follow the link to download the article (available in German): Freiheit und Verantwortung in Agora 42

You can also find the article from the Journal for Business Ethics under the following link: The Freedom-Responsibility Nexus in Management Philosophy and Business Ethics

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