wfn.org | Taiwan Christian Scholars Call For Business Ethics Education

["Char and David Alexander" <alexa@macatawa.org>]

Title:Taiwan Scholars Call for Emphasis on Business Ethics

Taiwan Church News 2685, August 11-17 , 2003

Reported by Ku Hao-jan , Translated and rewritten by David Alexander

"Christians are not necessarily more ethical in their commercial behavior
than
others in this society, so it is important to teach business ethics based
upon
Christian values."

Christian scholars pointed some directions towards that goal at an August 5th
seminar hosted by the Shi-nian Business Ethics Education Foundation.

Foundation director Su Yi-shiung contrasted cultural foundations underlying
Oriental and Occidental economics and enterprises. He said that unethical
practices are often found in both cultural contexts. He observed that
Oriental
people lay emphasis on successful results rather than on process. In the
West,
where there has been a Christian influence on society, there is more openness
to reflection and suggestion.

Professor Chou Yi-heng from National Chung Shan University in Kaohsiung,
talked about introducing and teaching a course in business ethics. The main
foci of business education have traditionally been: maximization of profits,
reduction of costs, management of competition and recognition of trends.
Social responsibility was not seen as "sustainable". The university's
reaction
to his suggestion of a course in business ethics was not welcoming. Only an
elective course was allowed.

Professor Li Chun-wang from Tunghai, a church-related private university,
also
reported on the business ethics elective course available there. Nonetheless,
he sees the subject as an important matter for exploration. He urges Taiwan's
business schools to require students to pass an ethics course.

At the end of the seminar a panel of experts addressed a statement currently
in vogue at business schools, "Ethics finds no place in the human heart."
Professor Li called for Christians to demonstrate the values of their faith
through ethical business behavior. Mr Su called for the commercial sector to
offer case histories to the foundation. These will be used in the design of
curricula for church related colleges and universities which have business
schools. He called on the schools to make business ethics a required course
for their graduates.

For more information: Tunghai University: www.thu.edu.tw

Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.

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