The composition of interest: The judaic prohibition

An interest charge is made up of an award for waiting known as the real rate of interest, a premium for risk and compensation for transaction costs. Where inflation exists the lender seeks further compensation. In order to understand the composition and evolution of different versions of the usury prohibition it is necessary to ask which components of an interest charge are prohibited by each version. The Judaic prohibition has two aspects which are of particular interest to business historians and students of usury. First, the general rule is that a reward for waiting is prohibited. This focuses on the time-based part of interest charge. Second, interest is prohibited because it amounts to placing a stumbling block before the blind. This focuses on the typical gullibility of the borrower confronted by a more expert, better funded lender. Economics confirms and enriches our understanding of these important aspects of the prohibition. They achieve this by increasing our understanding of two facts: first, that the borrower is a gullible individual subject to irrational and inconsistent behaviour; and, second, that this behaviour relates to the waiting aspect of interest which is proscribed in the prohibition. How far these insights apply to other civilisations' prohibition, particularly those which derive from the Judaic prohibition, merits further study; so also do the ethical lessons of the Mosaic rules for a globalised society based on capitalism.     

Whistle-Blowing for Profit: An Ethical Analysis of the Federal False Claims Act

This paper focuses on the 1986 Amendments to the False Claims Act of 1863, which offers whistle-blowers financial rewards for disclosing fraud committed against the U.S. government. This law provides an opportunity to examine underlying assumptions about the morality of whistle-blowing and to consider the merits of increased reliance on whistle-blowing to protect the public interest. The law seems open to a number of moral objections, most notably that it exerts a morally corrupting influence on whistle-blowers. We answer these objections and argue that the law is not objectionable on these grounds. Since there are no compelling moral objections to the law, it is appropriate and acceptable to judge the law in terms of its economic costs and benefits. We assess the most salient of these and conclude that the benefits outweigh the costs. We suggest that a mechanism similar to the Act should be considered for protecting stockholders’ interests in the private sector. We conclude by making several proposals for improving the existing legislation. The authors' names are listed in alphabetical order. An earlier version of this paper was presented to the Society for Business Ethics August 2004.     

Out of the Mouths of Babes: Business Ethics and Youths in Asia

A model of corporate ethics and social responsibility (CESR) was developed and empirically tested among Chinese business undergraduates in Hong Kong and Singapore. As predicted, it was found that CESR beliefs were negatively related to Machiavellianism and two Confucian concepts, guanxi (interpersonal connections) and mianzi (face). CESR beliefs were also lower among Hong Kong than Singaporean youths. The negative effects of guanxi, mianzi, and Machiavellianism were more pronounced for the Hong Kong than Singapore sample. Implications of these findings are discussed and directions for future research suggested.     

人力资本与大学生就业——基于2010年对北京18所高校毕业生的调查

综合素质作为人力资本的核心体现,总体上不能提高就业概率,就业意愿和就业行为有助于展示人力资本价值,可提高就业率。与2008年相比,2010年综合素质和就业行为对大学生就业的作用减弱,就业意愿的作用增强,在一定程度上支持了读书无用论的观点,这会打击人力资本投资的热情,导致弃考、弃学现象,并最终影响国民素质的提高和经济的可持续发展。因此,要高度重视大学生就业问题。首先,要完善大学生就业机制,促进高素质人才顺利就业。打破体制性分割,建立全国统一的劳动力市场体系,提高社会保障的统筹层次,并加强就业服务与指导,减少交易成本,促进双方匹配。其次,要加强市场监管,规范信息发布、面试、录用等环节,确保透明、公开、公平,让拥有真才实学的优秀大学生脱颖而出。再次,要从创业教育、创业指导、创业资金等方面扶持更多的大学生创业,开辟一条增量型就业之路。     

生态伦理：从生态理想到生态文明

人与自然的和谐是一种生态理想,生态文明是生态理想的现实化,生态理想的现实化有赖于制度变革和制度安排,制度安排应当遵循生态伦理的基本原则。     

隔裂，还是融合？——阿马蒂亚·森论伦理学与经济学的关系

阿马蒂亚·森在其《伦理学与经济学》一书中提出并强调了经济学和伦理学应相互贯通、相互融合的思想。他认为,经济学和伦理学长期分离的历史事实对这两门学科的发展危害严重,在此基础上他提出了重新贯通经济学和伦理学之内在联系的观点。这一思想不仅具有特别重要的理论意义,而且有着不可忽视的现实价值。     

亚当·斯密的＂问题＂对当代社会经济伦理的影响

亚当斯密问题＂即《道德情操论》中＂道德人＂和《国富论》中＂经济人＂关系的问题。＂道德人＂和＂经济人＂看似相互矛盾、根本对立,但两者有着内在联系。因此,深入了解两者之间的关系来解析当代社会的经济伦理问题对我国当今社会主义市场经济具有借鉴意义。     

独立学院教师组织承诺水平提升对策

组织承诺水平的高低直接决定了其工作绩效以及教师队伍的稳定性,但其受到诸多方面因素的影响,如教师个体因素、组织因素等。因而,应通过营造良好的校园文化,明确教师的职业生涯发展方向,建立以人为本的管理方式以及公平合理的绩效考核体系和薪酬制度等措施,提升独立学院教师的组织承诺水平。     

私利与公益的协调是可能的吗——斯蒂芬·杨“道德资本主义”经济伦理观解析

经济伦理学要追求私利与公益的和谐的、协调的统一。斯蒂芬.杨提出以道德资本主义的经济伦理观来有效协调两者的关系,对人们颇有启发。道德资本主义提倡将私利投入公益,践行者要有＂考虑整体的自我利益＂的意识。现实经济生活中有效地结合了私利与公益的成功企业,对于终结贫困的重大价值,道德资本主义本身所具有的最佳结合了超越性之理想与现实性之欲念的特点等为道德资本主义提供了可能性。考克斯原则是目前全球范围内践行道德资本主义的范例。但是,道德资本主义要真正落到实处还必须大力培养有原则的商业领导。