Moral Virtues and Ethical Decisions

Virtue ethics is an ancient subject primarily established by Aristotle and the Stoics. The ancients considered that development of personal virtue was necessary to achieve a life of “contentment,” and this is certainly relevant for the lives of modern managers and their business interactions. This chapter uses the Rawlsian criteria to distinguish between the virtues of “competent moral managers” and “considered managerial decisions.” In this context, it examines the question, “Might virtuous managers still make unethical decisions?” Kant’s view of the “disposition to pursue duty” and the ancient view of virtue ethics is reviewed and reconciled.