Journal of Business Ethics· 2026Q1
Whither Conservative Business Ethics? Addressing the Puzzling Absence of Conservative Thought in Business Ethics
- 0citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Conservative thought, particularly from figures like Burke, Oakeshott, and Scruton, is largely absent from business ethics scholarship, despite potential affinities with libertarianism, market failures, and virtue ethics.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Conservative thought is significantly underrepresented in business ethics scholarship.
- Key conservative thinkers discussed include Burke, Oakeshott, and Scruton.
- Potential dialogue exists between conservative thought and libertarianism, market failures, and virtue ethics scholarship.
- A research agenda for conservative business ethics is proposed, covering critiques of capitalism, sustainability, and family businesses.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract Despite business ethics drawing on a wide range of philosophical perspectives, conservative thought remains strikingly underrepresented in the field. This paper addresses that absence by bringing the conservative philosophical tradition into conversation with business ethics. It first provides an overview of conservative thought, focussing in particular on Burke, Oakeshott, and Scruton. It then examines three strands of business ethics scholarship that appear to have affinities with conservative thought, namely libertarianism, the market failures approach, and virtue ethics, in order to identify possible points of dialogue with existing debates. Finally, the paper outlines a research agenda for conservative business ethics, highlighting issues such as conservative critiques of capitalism, environmental sustainability, and family business.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Journal of Business Ethics, 2026 · DOI ↗
The rest is in the Pofolia app
Takeaways and questions to the paper; new summaries every day for your field. Free.
Sign in on the web to openInformation Systems and ManagementDecision Sciences