Management Ethics and Talmudic Dialectics : Navigating Corporate Dilemmas with the Indivisible Hand

Nathan Lee Kaplan develops a talmudic perspective on management ethics. By analyzing the central ethical dilemmas of corporate managers in light of applicable traditions from the Oral Torah, this book offers a critical bridge between the contemporary business corporation and rabbinic Judaism's foundational tradition. The issues studied thereby include organizational culture, fraud and corruption, whistle-blowing, investor and employment relations, executive compensation, corporate social responsibility, and environmental sustainability. Contents The Talmudic Work Ethic and the Yeshivah Culture Fraud, Corruption, and Whistle-Blowing in the Talmud Talmudic Investor and Employment Relations A Talmudic Perspective on Wealth and Philanthropy Target Groups Researchers and students in the fields of business ethics, Jewish studies (esp. Talmud), and management Corporate directors and executives, managers and employees, particularly in the areas of ethics and compliance as well as CSR; ethics consultants, entrepreneurs, rabbis, and business journalists The Author Dr. Nathan Lee Kaplan completed his Ph. D. at the Hochschule für Jüdische Studien Heidelberg (Heidelberg School of Jewish Studies). He consults management on digital strategy and organizational transformation Acknowledgments and Dedication 5 Table of Contents 8 Vorwort 10 1 Introduction 14 1.1 Theoretical Background 14 1.2 Research Questions and Methodology 21 2 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 1: Philosophy and Spirit 31 2.1 Issue 1: Corporate Mission, Vision, and Values 31 2.1.1. The Philosophy of a Corporation and that of its Leaders 31 2.1.2. The Discovery of Faithful and Graceful Business 34 2.1.3. From the Court and Cave to the Boardroom 49 2.2 Issue 2: Corporate Culture Quality 53 2.2.1. Shared Identities, Clashing Cultures 53 2.2.2. The Talmudic Work Ethic and the Yeshivah Culture 55 2.2.3. Implications for the Management of Corporate Culture 75 3 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 2: Regulation and Compliance 79 3.1 Issue 3: Fraud and Corruption 79 3.1.1. Deceitful and Abusive Gain’s Potential to Pain 79 3.1.2. Ensuring the Outside Corresponds to the Inside 81 3.1.3. Implications for Managing Corporate Fraud and Corruption Risk 102 3.2 Issue 4: Whistle-Blowing 109 3.2.1. Dissenting to Causes of Harm and Preventing Harm Caused by Dissent 109 3.2.2. To Protest and to Protect 111 3.2.3. Implications for Corporate Whistle-Blowing 126 4 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 3: Governance 129 4.1 Issue 5: Investor Relations 129 4.1.1. The Dependency and Separation between Managers and Investors 129 4.1.2. The Emergence and Nature of Talmudic Investor Relations 132 4.1.3. Seven Talmudic Principles of Investor Relations Governance 143 4.2 Issue 6: Executive Compensation 150 4.2.1. How Much to Take for What One Has Given, Relative to What Others Get 150 4.2.2. Mediating Pay and Approaching Prosperity 152 4.2.3. Implications for the Compensation of Corporate Executives 162 5 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 4: Society 166 5.1 Issue 7: Societal Expectations 166 5.1.1. Corporate Liberty and Social Responsibility 166 5.1.2. Talmudic Responsibility towards State, Economy, and Civil Society 169 5.1.3. Implications for the Management of Societal Expectations 188 5.2 Issue 8: Corporate Philanthropy 196 5.2.1. Philanthropy between Charity and Thievery 196 5.2.2. A Talmudic Perspective on Philanthropy 199 5.2.3. Implications for the Management of Corporate Philanthropy 208 6 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 5: Environment 217 6.1 Issues 9 and 10: Resource Efficiency and Pollution 217 6.1.1. The Mutual Dependency of the Corporation and the Environment 217 6.1.2. Humanity as both Ruler and Guardian of Nature 221 6.1.3. Implications for Environmental Management 243 7 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 6: Value Chain 249 7.1 Issues 11 and 12: Employment Rights and Labor Practices 249 7.1.1. The Inescapable Dilemma of Human Resource Management 249 7.1.2. The Mutual Rights and Responsibilities of Talmudic Employment Ethics 255 7.1.3. Implications for Managing Employment Relations 305 8 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 7: Product and Brand 313 8.1 Issues 13 and 14: Product & Service Impact and Reputation Management 313 8.1.1. The Ethical Augmentation of Products, Services, and Their Brands 313 8.1.2. The Principles of Reciprocity, Honesty, Reputability, and Society 317 8.1.3. Implications for Product Development and Reputation Management 335 9 Conclusion and Implications 349 Bibliography 355 Appendix 373 Illustrations 373 Illustration 1: The various components of corporate ethics programs 373 Illustration 2: Business risks of unethical conduct 374 Illustration 3: Examples of how the seven dimensions of the business ethics taxonomy impact performance 375 Illustration 4: The Ethics Radar, enabling supervision and management of corporate ethical dilemmas 376 Illustration 5: A theoretical-methodological framework to assess the degree of legitimacy in applying talmudic sources to corporate practice 377 Illustration 6: The methodology of this thesis 378 Illustration 7: The fused elements of the Talmudic Work Ethic and Yeshivah Culture 379 Illustration 8: The talmudic whistle-blowing dilemma 380 Illustration 9: Analysis of the השוכר את האומנין-Sugya (mBM 6,1; bBM 76a) 381 Illustration 10: The talmudic stance towards material wealth 382 List of Abbreviations 383 2 Nathan Lee Kaplan develops a talmudic perspective on management ethics. By analyzing the central ethical dilemmas of corporate managers in light of applicable traditions from the Oral Torah, this book offers a critical bridge between the contemporary business corporation and rabbinic Judaism's foundational tradition. The issues studied thereby include organizational culture, fraud and corruption, whistle-blowing, investor and employment relations, executive compensation, corporate social responsibility, and environmental sustainability. Contents The Talmudic Work Ethic and the Yeshivah Culture Fraud, Corruption, and Whistle-Blowing in the Talmud Talmudic Investor and Employment Relations A Talmudic Perspective on Wealth and Philanthropy Target Groups Researchers and students in the fields of business ethics, Jewish studies (esp. Talmud), and management Corporate directors and executives, managers and employees, particularly in the areas of ethics and compliance as well as CSR; ethics consultants, entrepreneurs, rabbis, and business journalists The Author Dr. Nathan Lee Kaplan completed his Ph. D. at the Hochschule für Jüdische Studien Heidelberg (Heidelberg School of Jewish Studies). He consults management on digital strategy and organizational transformation Front Matter....Pages 1-14 Introduction....Pages 15-31 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 1: Philosophy and Spirit....Pages 33-80 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 2: Regulation and Compliance....Pages 81-130 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 3: Governance....Pages 131-167 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 4: Society....Pages 169-219 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 5: Environment....Pages 221-252 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 6: Value Chain....Pages 253-316 Ethics Taxonomy Dimension 7: Product and Brand....Pages 317-352 Conclusion and Implications....Pages 353-358 Back Matter....Pages 359-391