Abstract
A serious attempt to integrate ethics in management was done by Professor Juan Antonio Pérez López (1934–1996). His thought represents a break with current scholarly thinking on these subjects. The purpose of this article is to explain some of the most significant aspects of his theories, relating basically to his recourse to ethics as what defines the characteristic behavior of human beings, considered as individuals and as members of organizations. Pérez López used the anthropological conception underlying the ethics of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas to build a solid base for that ethics, starting from the decision-making process. He then used that ethical base to point to the kind of action theory and organization theory that could most effectively assist the human development of people and organizations.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Akerlof, G. A. (1970) The Market for ‚Lemons’: Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism Quarterly Journal of Economics 84:3.
Argandoña, A.: 2000, ‹Las Opciones Sobre Acciones y la Remuneración de Directivos’, Harvard-Deusto Business Review 96, May-June.
Argandoña, A.: 2003, ‚Preferencias y aprendizajes’, in De Computis et Scripturis. Estudios en homenaje a Mario Pifarré Riera (Real Academia de Ciencias Económicas y Financieras, Barcelona).
Argandoña, A.: 2004, ‚Unidad y éxito en las empresas’, Occasional Paper, IESE, 05/3, September.
Argandoña, A. (2005). La teoría de la acción y la teoría económica In: Rubio de Urquía R., E. M. Ureña, F. F. Muñoz Pérez (eds.), Estudios de Teoría Económica y Antropología Unión Editorial, Madrid
Frey, B. S. (1999) Economics as a Science of Human Behaviour. Towards a New Social Science Paradigm 2nd ed. Kluwer, Dordrecht
Pérez López, J. A.: (undated-g), Untitled Document Beginning ‚Querido amigo’.
Pérez López, J. A.: (undated-b), ‚Ethical Behavior and Individual Development’.
Pérez López, J. A.: (undated-f), Untitled Document Beginning ‚Querido colega’.
Pérez López, J. A.: (undated-d), ‚Antropología Analítica’
Pérez López, J. A.: (undated-e), Untitled Document Beginning ‚Me parece que Weber...’.
Pérez López, J. A.: 1977a, ‚Moral, ética y negocios’, Technical note, IESE, FHN-113, January.
Pérez López, J. A.: 1977b, ‚Libertad y economía’, Technical note, IESE, FHN-117, December, Reproduced in Pérez López (1998), Chapter 5.
Pérez López, J. A.: 1981a, ‚Dimensiones de la Responsabilidad Social en la Empresa’, Research Paper, IESE, no. 49, January. Reproduced under the title ‚Dimensiones de la Empresa’, in Pérez López (1997), Chapter 1, and as ‚Dimensiones de la Responsabilidad Social de la Empresa’, in Pérez López (1998), Chapter 2.
Pérez López, J. A.: 1981b, ‚Management and Leadership’, Research Paper, IESE, 56, May.
Pérez López, J. A.: 1986, ‚Should Businessmen Behave Ethically?’, Technical note, IESE, FHN-188-E, December. Reproduced under the title ‚Deben los empresarios y directivos comportarse éticamente?’, in Pérez López (1998), Chapter 7.
Pérez López, J. A.: 1987, ‚El desarrollo de la calidad ética de las personas y su influencia en los logros económicos de la Empresa’, May.
Pérez López, J. A.: 1989, ‚La filosofía y el mundo de los negocios’, Torre de Lujanes. Boletín de la Real Sociedad Matritense de Amigos del País, April 12.
Pérez López, J. A.: 1990a, ‚Beneficio, ética y dirección de empresas’, Technical note, IESE, FHN-207. Reproduced in varios authors (1997).
Pérez López, J. A.: 1990b, ‚I am the Boss. Why should I be Ethical?’, in G. Enderle, B. Almond and A. Argandoña (eds.), People in Corporations. Ethical Responsibilities and Corporate Effectiveness (Kluwer, Dordrecht).
Pérez López, J. A.: 1991a, Teoría de la acción humana en las organizaciones. La acción personal. (Rialp, Madrid).
Pérez López, J. A.: 1991b, ‚El logro de la eficacia social a través de la libre iniciativa individual’, November, in A. Pastor, J. A. Pérez López and D. Melé (eds.), La aportación de la empresa a la sociedad (Folio, Barcelona) Chapter 2.
Pérez López, J. A.: 1991c, ‚ética y empresa’ in Pérez López (1998), Chapter 1.
Pérez López, J. A.: 1991d, ‚El poder... para qué?’, Technical note, IESE, TDN-85. Reproduced in various authors (1997) (quotes are taken from this source) and, under the title ‚Naturaleza y desarrollo del liderazgo’, in Pérez López (1997), Chapter 2.
Pérez López, J. A.: 1993a, ‚ética y dirección de empresas’, Technical note, IESE, FHN-111, January.
Pérez López, J. A.: 1993b, ‚Summary of Concepts for Ethical Analysis’.
Pérez López, J. A. (1993c) Fundamentos de la Dirección de Empresas. Rialp, Madrid
Pérez López, J. A.: 1995, ‚Proyecto de Investigación sobre Metodología de las Ciencias Humanas’
Pérez López, J. A.: 1997, Liderazgo (Folio, Barcelona).
Pérez López, J. A. (1998) Liderazgo y ética en la Dirección de Empresas. Deusto, Bilbao
Various authors: 1997, Acto Académico in Memoriam del Profesor Juan Antonio Pérez. (IESE, Barcelona)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Antonio Argandoña is Professor of Economics and “la Caixa” Chair of Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance at IESE Business School, University of Navarra. A member of the Royal Academy of Economics and Finance, he has been the Honorary Treasurer of the European Business Ethics Network (EBEN), and founder and Secretary General of Etica, Economia y Direccion, the Spanish branch of EBEN. Author and editor of many books and articles on economic and business ethics, like People in Corporations: Ethical Responsibilities and Corporate Responsiveness (co-edited with Georges Enderle and Brenda Almond), La etica en la empresa and The Ethical Dimension of Financial Institutions and Markets.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Argandoña, A. Integrating Ethics into Action Theory and Organizational Theory. J Bus Ethics 78, 435–446 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9340-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9340-x