Managing Business Ethics in a Global Environment: The Impact of Cultural Diversities

The aim of this chapter is to explore the how international players, acting at global level, may overcome a “moral gap” when it arises. In doing this, the linkage between culture and Business Ethics was examined in order to highlight the way values and believes differently affect a) the assumption about what is right or wrong, b) the individual/organizational moral reasoning, and c) the consistency between individual/ organizational behaviour and the moral standards that prevail in a given context. Relevant issues were investigated referring to all the levels – individual, corporate and systemic – within which a “moral gap” may arise. Accordingly, “Bridging” diversities was identified as a good solution to solve a “moral gap” at all the mentioned levels. Cross-cultural sensitivity and cross-cultural negotiation were finally claimed as necessary to look for a trade-off between universal norms and local particularism, as well as to finally identify new common standards respectful of the opposite positions.