| Business
schools talk about ethical dilemmas often these days,
but usually they are in the context of case studies
and occur outside the walls of the institutions themselves.
B-schools and Ethics
Recently though, the University of Texas at Austin business
school decided to stop taking money from tobacco companies
for research and student activities – including career
fairs. According to the school, students generally supported
the decision.
Imposing an ethical test for company activities is an
intriguing but controversial move for a business school.
While the health dangers of tobacco are well-known,
there are many other businesses that engage in activities
that raise serious ethical questions in some people,
such as firms that manufacturer products in substandard
factories or companies that make weapons. And what about
companies that make alcohol, which contributes to highway
deaths due to drunk driving? It's very hard to come
to general agreement on which industries deserve to
be boycotted.
In an essay written for BusinessWeek, ("Saying No to
Tobacco Money, http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/
content/feb2008/bs20080210_095845.htm)
Texas' McCombs Business School Dean George Gau makes
a strong argument for the tobacco money ban, but even
he notes that there were arguments against the decision.
As one BusinessWeek reader points out in a comment posted
to the essay, since consumers aren't forced to smoke,
why are the profits of a tobacco company essentially
any different than those of any other company?
There is a concern – as the dean admits – that banning
tobacco money begins a difficult-to-control process
where schools and other public institutions seek to
impose ethical tests on companies. And the ban could
impose real hardships on researchers who may have to
find substitute sources of funding for their projects,
and students who may see sources of funds for student
activities dry up. Those hardships have to be weighed
against the less clear-cut benefits to society of cutting
off the activities of tobacco companies on business
school campuses.
Still, the bottom line is that the business community
is constantly calling on business schools to do a better
job of teaching ethics in their undergrad and MBA programs.
What better lesson can there be than an ethical dilemma
that takes place right on the school campus?
Phil Mintz is the B-Schools Channel Editor for BusinessWeek.com
in New York. He can be reached at phil_mintz@businessweek.com
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