Research and Ideas

Timely research on business ethics, corporate responsibility, and the role of business in society from the Center for Business Ethics' Director, Fellows, and affiliated 魔都资源网 faculty.

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Sponsored Research

The Center's Director, Fellows, and affiliated faculty from 魔都资源网 are actively engaged in timely research examining business ethics, corporate responsibility, and the role of business in society. Some of their most recent work is outlined below.

Caitlin Ring Carlson, Faculty Fellow and Associate Professor of Communication & Media, 魔都资源网

This discussion brings the most recent research regarding corporate social responsibility to bear on the most pressing questions about digital content moderation. The discussion begins with an overview of the content moderation process and then makes a case for why corporate social responsibility can and should be used to offer fresh insights into these complex questions. It then undertakes a thought exercise, which uses the four major theories of modern corporate social responsibility, to determine what guidance these approaches can provide social media companies.

The end result of this analysis is a set of recommendations and potential directions for social media organizations to consider in their decision-making around content moderation. Any firm wrestling can utilize the process itself with complex ethical questions regarding the impact of its business practices.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Content Moderation

Onur Bakiner, Faculty Fellow and Associate Professor of Political Science, 魔都资源网

This discussion identifies major risks of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, introduces the reader to the terms of today’s debates on the ethical uses of AI, defined as attempts to understand, criticize, reform and transform AI systems for social good, and then examines proposed solutions to mitigate or eliminate these risks. It pays specific attention to the interaction of business- and industry-level solutions with government regulation and draws upon the latest academic research on AI ethics as well as news coverage of the topic.

Regulation and Artificial Intelligence Ethics: The State of Play

Marc Cohen, Faculty Fellow and Professor of Management and Philosophy, 魔都资源网

This paper explores how to build a culture of trust in organizations. The experimental research shows that a culture of trust is created when leaders treat employees and other business partners as if they are reliable, even when there is little information to be had about their reliability. The research also suggests that attempts to monitor and control the actions of employees and partners can backfire, creating less trustworthy behavior. Finally, there are ongoing positive effects of trusting behavior, economically and psychologically, which reduces opportunistic behavior within and between organizations.

The Crisis of Trust and Trustworthiness in Organizations

Valentina Zamora, Faculty Fellow and Associate Professor of Accounting, 魔都资源网

This paper highlights some key insights from academic research on corporate social responsibility disclosures (CSRD) and their perceived credibility. Research suggests that companies need to provide credibility cues regarding the knowledge, veracity, and intent standing behind their CSRD. Accordingly, different stakeholders, including investors, consumers, and employees, judge CSRD as more credible when the disclosures are: assured by third parties users deem as reliable; mapped to an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) measurement framework users view as relevant; and aligned with actions reflective of the company’s authentic commitment to corporate social responsibility.

Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure Credibility

Faculty Publications

Faculty from the Albers School of Business and Economics have published widely in areas related to business ethics, corporate responsibility, and the role of business and society. Review their work across different disciplines below.

  • Applegate, D. (2019).  Strategic Finance
  • Gerety, M., Lehn, K. (1997). Managerial and Decision Economics 18(7): 587-599.
  • Hayes, D., Hurtt, K., Bee, S. (2006). . Journal of College Teaching Learning 3(2). 

  • Kimbro, M. (2011). Journal of Forensic & Investigative Accounting 3(3): 166-193.

  • Kimbro, M. (2002). Journal of Accounting, Auditing & Finance 17(4): 325-350.

  • Le, Q., Rishi, M. (2006).  International Economic Journal 20(4): 523-540.

  • Adut, D., Holder, A., Robin, A. (2013).  Journal of Accounting and Public Policy&苍产蝉辫;32(3):126鈥�146.
  • Adut, D., Cready, W., Lopez, T. (2003).  The Accounting Review 78(1): 169鈥�192.
  • Chipalkatti, N. (2007).  Business and Society Review 112(2).
  • Diavatopoulos, D. & Fodor, A. (2016).  Journal of Accounting and Finance 16(5): 39-59.
  • Emm, E., Gay, G., Lin, C. (2007). Journal of Applied Corporate Finance 19(4): 82-93.
  • Gold, D. & Dienhart, J. (2007).  Business and Society Review 112(2): 163-170.
  • Kaplan, S. & Zamora, V. (2018).  Journal of Business Ethics 153(2): 407-425.
  • Kimbro, M. & Xu, D. (2016).  Journal of Accounting & Public Policy 35(1): 19-42.
 

  • Ashrafi, M., Adams, M., Walker, T., Magnan, G. (2018). How corporate social responsibility can be integrated into corporate sustainability: a theoretical review of their relationships. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology 25(8): 672-682.

  • Brown-Liburd, H., Cohen, J., Zamora, V. (2018). Journal of Business Ethics 152(1): 275-289.

  • Brown-Liburd, H., Zamora, V. (2015). Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory 34(1): 75-96.

  • Cotten M. & Lasprogata, G. (2012). Journal of Law, Business and Ethics. 18.

  • Goel, G. & Rishi, M. (2012).  International Journal of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation. 1: 361-372.

  • Lasprogata, G. & Cotten, M. (2003). American Business Law Journal Volume 41(1): 67-114.

  • Ludescher, J., Mahsud, R., Prussia, G. (2012). . Business and Society Review 117(1): 55-88.

  • Ludescher, J. & Mahsud, R. (2010). The Independent Review: A Journal of Political Economy 15(1):123-131.

  • Obermiller, C., Burke, C., Talbott, E., Green, G. (2009). Corporate Reputation Review 12(2): 159-176.

  • Smith, J. (2019).  Business and Society Review 124(2): 183-199.

  • Hanold, M. (2011). . Advancing Women in Leadership Journal 31: 160-165.

  • Marrone, J., Ferraro, H., Huston, T. (2018). . Group and Organization Management 43(5): 825-856.

  • Jensen, G., Johnson, R., Phillips, J. (1993). Socially responsible investing: using human resource policy as a selection criterion. Journal of Business and Economic Studies 2(1):9-22.

  • Jensen, G., Johnson, R., Phillips, J. (1994). Catholic social teaching and human resource policy: implications for equity investors. On the Condition of Labor and the Social Question One Hundred Years Later, edited by Thomas O. Nitsch, Joseph M. Phillips and Edward Fitzsimmons, Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 1994.

  • Cohen, J., Manzon, G., Zamora, V. (2015). . Journal of Business Ethics 126(4): 631-647.

  • Smith, J. (2002).  Southern Journal of Philosophy 40(2): 269-294.

  • Smith, J. (2006).  The Journal of Value Inquiry 40(4): 393-411.

  • Smith, J. & Dubbink, W. (2011). . Business Ethics Quarterly 21(2): 205-231.

  • Soule, E., Hedahl, M., Dienhart, J. (2009).  Business Ethics Quarterly 19(4): 529-552.

  • Wildermuth, C., Mello-e-Souza, C., Kozitza, T. (2017).  Journal of Business Ethics 140(1) 17-42.

  • Arneson, D & Weis, W. (2008). Saving American business: changing the culture of corporate leadership beyond the next quarter’s profits. Journal of Business Leadership 13(2):1.

  • Hassan, S., Mahsud, R., Yukl, G., Prussia, G. (2013). . Journal of Managerial Psychology 28(2): 133-146.

  • Mahsud, R., Yukl, G., Prussia, G. (2010). . Journal of Managerial Psychology 25(6): 561-577.

  • Nielsen, R., Marrone, J., Ferraro, H. (2013). New York: Routledge.

  • Rothausen, T.J. (2017).  Journal of Business Ethics 145(4), 811-829.

  • Rothausen, T.J. (2007). . Leadership Review 7, 93-110.

  • Tyler, T., Dienhart, J., Thomas, T. (2008). California Management Review 50(2): 31-51.

  • Yukl, G., Mahsud, R., Hassan, S., Prussia, G. (2013). Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies 20(1): 38-48.

 

  • Carrithers, D. & Peterson, D. (2011).  A Journal of Inquiry and Practice 13(4) 415-436.

  • Carrithers, D. & Peterson, D. (2006). Journal of Business Ethics 69(4): 373-387.

  • Cohen, M. (2012). Journal of Business Ethics Education 9: 359-376.

  • Lasprogata, G. (2014).  Journal of Law, Business and Ethics. Volume 20: 135-139.

  • Arnesen, D. & Blizinsky, M. (1995).  American Business Law Journal 32(4): 627-650.

  • Barnes, J. (2016).  Business Express Press.

  • King, N., Pillay, S., Lasprogata, G. (2006). . American Business Law Journal. Volume 43: 79-171

  • Lasprogata, G., King, N., Pillay, S. (2004). Regulation of electronic employee monitoring: identifying fundamental principles of employee privacy through a comparative study of data privacy legislation in the European Union, United States and Canada. Stanford Technology Law Review 4: 1-76.
  • Cohen, M. (2018).  Ethical Theory and Moral Practice 21(3): 585-598.
  • Cohen, M. & Peterson, D. (2017). Journal of Business Ethics 159(1): 75-88.
  • Cohen, M. & Dienhart, J. (2013).  Journal of Business Ethics 112(1): 1-13.
  • Cohen, M. (2010).  The Journal of Business Ethics 97(4): 563-579.
  • Dienhart, J. (2008).  Business Ethics Quarterly 18(4): 555-559.
  • Dubbink, G. & Smith, J. (2011).  Ethical Theory and Moral Practice 14(2): 223-246.
  • Smith, J. (2019).  Business Ethics Quarterly 29(1): 127-141.
  • Smith, J. (2018).  Journal of Business Ethics 150(3): 603-618.
  • Smith, J. (2008).  (New York: Rowman & Littlefield).
  • Smith, J. (2005).  Journal of Business Ethics 61(2): 129-141.
  • Smith, J. (2005).  Business Ethics Quarterly 15(4): 711-721.
  • Smith, J. (2004).  Business Ethics: A European Review 13(4): 317-331.
 
  • Chan, K., Fung, H., Yau, J. (2016).  Journal of Business Ethics 136(3): 557-573.
  • Chan, K., Fung, H., Yau, J. (2013). Predominant sources and contributors of influential business ethics research: evidence and implications from a threshold citation analysis. Business Ethics: European Review 22(3):263-276.
  • Chan, K., Fung, H., Yau, J. (2010). Journal of Business Ethics 95(1): 39-53.
  • Ajemian, C. & Reid, D. (2010). . Business & Society 115(4): 417-436.
  • Colaner, N., Imanaka, J., Prussia, G. (2018).  Business and Society Review 123(3): 529-564.
  • Imanaka, J., Prussia, G., & Alexis, S. (2017). . The Journal of Management for Global Sustainability 5(1): 22-44.
  • Imanaka, J. (2011). . Environmental Ethics 33(2):197-218.
  • Kimbro, M., Abraham, A., Lambe, C., Jones, V. (2018). . Journal of Management for Global Sustainability 6(1): 129-151.
  • McCullough, B. & Melton, N. (2017). The benefits of becoming a green company: a corporate marketing approach. Journal of Contemporary Athletics 11(1): 31-46.
  • McCullough, B., Trendafilova, S., Picariello, M. (2016). Sport & Entertainment Review 2(3): 77-83.
  • Obermiller, C., Atwood, A., Burke, C. (2008).  Innovative Marketing 4(3): 20-27.
  • Obermiller, C. & Atwood, A. (2014).  Journal of Jesuit Business Education 5(1):105-128.
  • Sartore-Baldwin, M. & McCullough, B. (2018).  Sport Management Review 21(4): 391-402.
  • Sartore-Baldwin, M., McCullough, B., Quatman-Yates, C. (2017). Quest 69(7): 366-383.
  • Smith, J. (2005).  Business and Professional Ethics Journal 24(2): 131-140.