Abstract
This paper projects the decision making dilemma faced by managers when assessing moral consequences associated with planning proposals. A case is made for viewing the results of moral behavior as a capital asset. Accepting the idea that moral business behavior proportionally influences the firm's goodwill value, the author advances the recommendation that current U.S. accounting practices become involved with determining the moral wellness of the firm. The suggestion is made that stocks and flows are useful concepts in the development of a financial information system that incorporates benefits associated with morally accepted behavior. As a necessary part of the going concern operational strategy, a case is made for the preservation and advancement of the firm's moral capital. Overall, the intent of this paper is to offer a proposal which links moral behavior with financial decision making.
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John R. Swanda, Jr. is Professor of Management in the School of Business and Economics at Indiana University at South Bend. He is author of several books, papers and reviews in the areas of ethical perceptions, black capitalism, human capital theory, organization behavior and listening theory.
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Swanda, J.R. Goodwill, going concern, stocks and flows: A prescription for moral analysis. J Bus Ethics 9, 751–759 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00386358
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00386358