Business Ethics Department

Head: Joan Fontrodona

Business is not merely a realm for profit maximizing; it is also a human reality. As such, human excellence can manifest itself in the decisions and conduct of individuals and organizations.

Our Department of Business Ethics is committed to highlighting ethics as essential to and at the core of business activity and decision-making. The complexities of a global and dynamic business world, where non-economic and economic concerns coexist, give ethics a vital role in guiding human action, always with the potential for human excellence in mind.

Founded within the framework of IESE’s mission to serve society, especially the business world, the department is committed to training future managers to consider business ethics in their analysis of business problems.

Coursework includes Leading Organizations: Systems, Values and Ethics, Christian Anthropology, Christian Humanism and Business Culture, and Social and Political Ideas for Business.

Through their research, the department’s faculty is bringing the most recent and influential ideas in business ethics to the academic and business community. Some of their findings have been published in books and prestigious journals such as The Journal of Business Ethics and Business and Society Review.

Areas of expertise

  • Ethical foundations of management
  • The role of business in society
  • Corporate social responsibility
  • Ethics and decision-making
  • Humanism in organizational cultures
  • Corporate corruption and fraud

We have pioneered the organization of conferences and forums in the field such as The International Symposium on Business, Ethics and Society, with more than 15 editions, and the recent Humanizing the Firm and the Management Profession workshop.

In addition, faculty members regularly participate in the following conferences:

  • European Business Ethics Network (EBEN)
  • Society for Business Ethics (SBE)
  • International Society of Business, Economics and Ethics (ISBEE)
  • International Symposia on Catholic Social Thought and Management Education
  • Corporate government regulation
  • Performance appraisal systems & incentive systems
  • Pricing policies and product profitability: activity-based costing
  • 19th International Symposium on Ethics, Business and Society, Barcelona, July 4-5, 2016
  • The 1st Iese-Luiss Conference on Responsibility, Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship, Rome, April 18-19, 2017

Head

Joan Fontrodona

Joan Fontrodona

Professor

Business Ethics and Analysis of Business Problems

Full Time

Ricardo Calleja

Ricardo Calleja

Lecturer

Business Ethics
Antonino Vaccaro

Antonino Vaccaro

Professor

Business Ethics and Negotiation Teaching Unit

Emeritus

Antonio Argandoña

Antonio Argandoña

Emeritus Professor

Economics and Business Ethics
Domènec Melé

Domènec Melé

Emeritus Professor

Business Ethics
José Ramón Pin Arboledas

José Ramón Pin Arboledas

Emeritus Professor

Managing People in Organizations and Business Ethics
Juan Carlos Vázquez-Dodero

Juan Carlos Vázquez-Dodero

Emeritus Professor

Accounting and Control and Business Ethics

External Collaborators

Oscar González-Peralta

Oscar González-Peralta

Senior Lecturer

Business Ethics
José Luis Illueca

José Luis Illueca

Senior Lecturer

Business Ethics and Analysis of Business Problems
Jorge Mitsuru

Jorge Mitsuru

Senior Lecturer

Managing People in Organizations and Business Ethics

Former Collaborators

Maximilian B. Torres

Maximilian B. Torres

Former Collaborator

Managing People in Organizations and Business Ethics

Publications

Journal Articles (refereed)

CAVOTTA, V., PALAZZO, G., VACCARO, A. (2023). Mobilizing after corporate environmental irresponsibility in a community of place. A Framing microprocess perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 182 (4), 1155-1169. doi:10.1007/s10551-021-04983-1. VIVES, J., VAN DER MERWE, H. (2023). Remedy and Accountability a Decade after the Marikana Massacre. Business and Human Rights Journal, 8 (1), 115-119. doi:10.1017/bhj.2023.2. FONTRODONA, J., MELÉ, D. (2022). Thinking about the future of work. Promoting dignity and human flourishing. Humanistic Management Journal, 7 (2), 181-188. doi:10.1007/s41463-022-00136-2. JIMÉNEZ-YÁÑEZ, R.-M., FONTRODONA, J. (2022). The impact of the SDGs on non-financial corporate communications. An analysis of CaixaBank reports (2013-2019). Iberica (43), 235-259. doi:10.17398/2340-2784.43.235. DOMINGO, VIANNEY, V., MELÉ, D. (2022). Re-thinking management: insights from western classical humanism. Humanistic management: what can we learn from classical humanism? Humanistic Management Journal, 7 (1), 1-21. doi:10.1007/s41463-021-00115-z. MELÉ, D. (2021). Ethics at the workplace in the fourth industrial revolution. A Catholic social teaching perspective. Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, 30 (4), 72 -783. doi:10.1111/beer.12368. ROSZKOWSKA, P., MELÉ, D. (2021). Organizational factors in the individual ethical behaviour. The Notion of the "Organizational Moral Structure". Humanistic Management Journal, 6, 187-209. doi:10.1007/s41463-020-00080-z. ARGANDOÑA, A. (2021). La responsabilidad social de la propiedad. Empresa y Humanismo, 24 (1), 7-26. doi:10.15581/015.XXIV.1.7-26. MELÉ, D., SCHLAG, M. (2020). Building institutions for the common good. The practice and purpose of business in an inclusive economy. Humanistic Management Journal, 5 (1). doi:10.1007/s41463-020-00092-9. ARGANDOÑA, A. (2020). La responsabilidad social de la empresa según el pensamiento de Leonardo Polo. Studia Poliana (22), 101 - 118. doi:10.15581/013.22.101-118.

Working Papers

ARGANDOÑA, A. (2019). ¿Es la paciencia una virtud apropiada para un directivo? (WP-1227). Barcelona: IESE. ARGANDOÑA, A. (2018). Oeconomicae et Pecuniariae Quaestiones: una reflexión desde la economía (WP-1208). Barcelona: IESE. ARGANDOÑA, A. (2017). El hogar: próposito, función, trabajo y cuidado (WP-1182). Barcelona: IESE. ARGANDOÑA, A. (2017). Work in the Firm: Collective Action and Common Good (WP-1186-E). Barcelona: IESE. ARGANDOÑA, A. (2017). The Home: Purpose, Function, Work and Care (WP-1182-E). Barcelona: IESE.

Proceedings

MONGELLI, L., RULLANI, F., VACCARO, A., VERSARI, P. (2020). Social business hybrids' diversification. Effects on socioeconomic combined performance. Academy of Management Proceedings. ARGANDOÑA, A. (2019). La Educación Financiera y la función social de las instituciones financieras. En José M. Domínguez Martínez (Ed.), Educación Financiera: Realidades y retos (pp. 152 - 154). MELÉ, D. (2018). Meanings of Work in Catholic Social Teaching- Dialogue with "Meaningful Work" in Organizational Studies. In Antonio Argandoña Rámiz & Francisco Javier Insa Gómez (a cura di) (Ed.), Work in a Human Economy: Business and Common Good in a Changing Society. Atti del Convegno "The Heart of Work" Pontificia Università della Santa Croce. Roma, 19-20 ottobre 2017, Volume IV/5 (pp. 95 - 113). Edizioni Santa Croce. MELÉ, D. (2016). Beyond Business with a Human Face: Business Oriented toward the Person. Proceedings of the II Research Workshop: Missions, Leadership and Sustainability (pp. 7 - 18). Universitat Internacional de Catalunya. CAVOTTA, V., RAMUS, T., VACCARO, A. (2015). How Multiple Embeddedness Can Facilitate the Implementation of Institutional Change. Academy of Management Proceedings.

FALDETTA, G., VACCARO, A., MONGELLI, L. (2022). Nuovi modelli e nuove prospettive per l'imprenditorialità (sociale) nel sud. Nuovi modelli e nuove prospettive per l'imprenditorialità (sociale) nel sud. Enna: Università degli Studi di Enna “Kore”. VACCARO, A. (2022). Social innovation trends in the agriculture cooperative sector. VACCARO, A. (2020). Artificial intelligence and social entrepreneurship. Exploring intersections for societal impact. VACCARO, A. (2020). Integrity management for the common good. VACCARO, A. (2020). Social innovation and social enterprise. Bridging through fixing business and society. 36th EGOS Colloquium 2020, Hamburg.

Articles in other publications

MELÉ, D. (2023). La interacción entre personas en la empresa ¿pueden complementarse mutuamente los enfoques de Pérez López y Wojtyla? Empresa y Humanismo, 26 (1), 121-152. doi:10.15581/015.XXVI.1.121-152. CALIGIURI, M., VACCARO, A. (2020). Responsabilità e disfattismo, cosa dobbiamo all’Italia. Formiche (162). IESE INSIGHT, (2019). Cuenta atrás para 2030. ¿Está preparada tu empresa para cumplir los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible? IESE Business School Insight (154), pp. 6 - 31. BEUNZA, D. (2019). Cómo encajar la ética y los modelos financieros. IESE Business School Insight (154), pp. 56 - 63. IESE INSIGHT, (2019). Countdown to 2030: Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. Are you ready? IESE Business School Insight (154), pp. 6 - 31.

Books

VACCARO, A. (2022). Compliance beyond compliance. Managing organizations with integrity. Madrid: Mc-Graw Hill. MELÉ, D. (2022). Ética Profesional. Ediciones UC - Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. MELÉ, D. (2020). El valor humano y cristiano del trabajo. Enseñanzas de S. Juan Pablo II. Barañáin: EUNSA. Ediciones Universidad de Navarra. VACCARO, A. (2020). Lo Spionaggio aziendale. Soveria Mannelli (Italia): Rubbettino Editore. MELÉ, D. (2019). Business Ethics in Action. Managing Human Excellence in Organizations. Red Globe Press.

Edited books

VACCARO, A., RAMUS, T. (2022). Social innovation and social enterprises. Toward a holistic perspective. Cham: Springer International Publishing. SCHLAG, M., MELÉ, D. (2019). A Catholic Spirituality for Business: The Logic of Gift. Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press. MELÉ, D., SCHLAG, M. (2015). Humanism in Economics and Business. Perspectives of the Catholic Social Tradition. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. MELÉ, D., DIERKSMEIER, C. (2012). Human Development in Business. Values and Humanistic Management in the Encyclical 'Caritas in Veritate'. Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan. MELÉ, D., CASTELLÀ, J. M. (2010). El desarrollo humano integral. comentarios interdisciplinares a la Encíclica "Caritas in veritate" de Benedicto XVI. Barcelona: Iter.

Book Chapters

MELÉ, D. (2023). Profesor y referente entrañable. En Fernández, Fernando & Andrés-Gallego, José (Eds.), Sobre José Luis Illanes, persona y obra. Madrid: Ideas y Libros Ediciones. BURGOS, J. M., MELÉ, D. (2023). Personalism. In Poff, D. ; Michalos, A. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Business and Professional Ethics. Cham: Springer International Publishing. VACCARO, A., RAMUS, T. (2022). Social innovation and social enterprises. Acknowledging ethical roots to boost positive societal change. In Vaccaro, A.; Ramus, T. (Eds.), Social innovation and social enterprises (pp. 1-13). Cham: Springer International Publishing. VACCARO, A., RAMUS, T. (2022). Select conclusive thoughts and perspectives to guide further research. In Vaccaro, A. ; Ramus, T. (Eds.), Social Innovation and Social Enterprises (pp. 243-250). Cham: Springer International Publishing. MELÉ, D. (2022). Catholic social teaching as a foundation for business ethics. In Faldetta, Guglielmo; Mollona, Edoardo; Pellegrini, Massimiliano Matteo (Eds.), Philosophy and business ethics organizations: organizations, CSR and moral practice (pp. 169-196). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Studies

MARTÍNEZ, B., FONTRODONA, J. (2023). Sostenibilidad y Formación Profesional Dual. Una oportunidad para la implicación de las empresas. Cuaderno no 55. IESE. PARDO TORREGROSA, J., FONTRODONA, J. (2023). Los criterios ESG en las pymes. Integrando la sostenibilidad en las pymes. IESE. PARDO TORREGROSA, J., FONTRODONA, J. (2022). Ética y criptomonedas. Hacia un modelo ético y sostenible de monedas digitales - Cuaderno no 54. IESE. PARDO TORREGROSA, J., FONTRODONA, J. (2022). La empresa ante la despoblación. Cuaderno 53: La responsabilidad de la empresa en la dinamización de zonas rurales. IESE. PARDO TORREGROSA, J., FONTRODONA, J. (2022). Turismo sostenible. Cuaderno 52: Bases para la recuperación del sector turístico desde la cultura de la sostenibilidad. IESE.

Cases

VACCARO, A. (2023). A letter to my former professor. IESE, BE-219-E. MELÉ, D. (2022). El dilema de Ute: tensión entre la empresa y la vida familiar. IESE, BE-216. MENA, M., CALLEJA, R. (2022). ClusterGen, el negocio detrás de los datos genéticos (A). IESE, BE-214. MENA, M., CALLEJA, R. (2022). ClusterGen, el negocio detrás de los datos genéticos (B). IESE, BE-215. ISAZA ARISTIZABAL, C., ACHA-ORBEA, C., TOFFOLI NAVARRO, L., CALLEJA, R. (2021). BOP: Drilling the Dirt (A). IESE, BE-211-E.

Technical Notes

CALLEJA, R. (2022). Cómo ser un reformista. Actitudes básicas. IESE, BEN-145. PILKIS, T., CALLEJA, R. (2021). Am I Messing It Up?. Frequent Ethical Issues in Business. IESE, BEN-144-E. CALLEJA, R. (2019). What Are Companies Responsible For? Whom Should Executives Serve? IESE, BEN-143-E. CALLEJA, R. (2019). ¿De qué son responsables las empresas? ¿A quién deben servir los directivos? IESE, BEN-143. MARÍN, S., CALLEJA, R. (2019). ¿Es bueno trabajar? IESE, BEN-140.