Business Ethics in Africa, Volume I Values, Profits and Responsibility

There is a false assumption that the systemic corruption that exists in significant parts of sub-Saharan Africa is crippling enough to dominate any discussion of business ethics in the region. However, African companies that engage in positive ethical practices are more successful at creating value for society and remaining socially relevant in the long run, which improves their economic outlook. This edited two-volume collection contributes to the growing discussion of business ethics and doing business in Africa. It offers invaluable insights into practical ways of integrating ethics with business operations to enhance corporate values, responsibility, and profitability.

This first volume interrogates the intricate relationship between business success, ethics, and stakeholders’ well-being within the nuances and evolving shifts that underpin business in Africa. It restates the significance of business ethics in Africa by providing necessary contexts to the global conversation on integrating business performance with ethical obligations, social responsibilities and sustainability principles. The ideas espoused in the chapters and recommendations offered therein aim to guide academics and practitioners towards finding solutions to the ethical challenges they face in their fields of practice or daily interactions in and out of the workplace. Illuminating key concepts and theories with the help of detailed case studies, this collection will be of great use to scholars and students of business ethics, as well as practitioners and policymakers interested in or working in Africa.   

Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: Business Ethics: Human Values and Business Management.- Chapter 3: The Ethics of Responsibility in Business: Responsibility to Internal Stakeholders.- Chapter 4: The Firm and its External Stakeholders.- Chapter 5: Ethical Issues in Business.- Chapter 6: Navigating Typical Complexities in Business: Questionable Payments, Nepotism and Unethical Financial Reporting.- Chapter 7: The Role of Management in Business: The Virtuous Manager.- Chapter 8: Human Quality Treatment: The Ethics of Respect and Team Growth.- Chapter 9: Creating Shared Value for Stakeholders: A Strategic Approach to Building Sustainable Businesses in Africa.- Chapter 10: Corporate Culture in Africa: Doing Business the Right Way.- Chapter 11: Towards Rekindling Business Ethics and Values in Africa.

Silk Ugwu Ogbu is an Associate Professor of Communication and Relationship Management at Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, Nigeria. His research areas include management communication, political communication, conflict resolution, negotiations, marketing strategies, leadership strategies, public communication, development communication, branding and brand management, stakeholder engagement, and relationship management. Before joining academia, he was the Managing Director and CEO of five companies across Nigeria’s private and public sectors. He has over 25 years of managerial experience and continues to consult in marketing communications.

Rose Ogbechie is a Senior Lecturer at the Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, Nigeria. Her research focuses on business ethics, sustainability, and women’s leadership. She runs an NGO, which equips women and young girls with skills to help get them out of poverty and she is also a board member for several public and private sector organisations. She is a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Bankers, Nigeria, and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, UK, and the Association of Professional Women Bankers, Nigeria.