ABSTRACT
In international business, ethics – the set of moral principles governing behaviour and decision-making processes – relates to the definition and transfer of value systems across borders. Relativism is a serious complication in all of international business – particularly where perceptions of ethical conduct are concerned. A watershed moment for business ethics came in the early 20th century when the rise of large, multi-divisional firms caused owners and managers’ roles to separate, with the latter often being considered more ethical because they were assumed to have greater interest in how their actions affected the local community. Neo-liberal think tanks, for instance, have in the past accused corporate social responsibility supporters of not giving firms sufficient credit for the taxes and wages they pay. non-governmental organisations public exposure of multinational enterprises behaviour is intended to attract the attention of politicians and legislators as well as consumers.
