Business and the public affairs of slavery: A discursive approach of an ethical public issue

Journal of Business Ethics

Volumn 92, Issue 2, 2010, Pages 227-249

  Dahan, Nicolas M ^a,b   Gittens, Milton ^c  

^a LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b NEOMA BUSINESS SCHOOL   (France)

^c RAMAPO COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY   (United States)

Author keywords

Discursive strategies; Ethical public issue; Issue framing; Labor; Public affairs; Slavery

Indexed keywords

EID: 77949917226     PISSN: 01674544     EISSN: 15730697     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1007/s10551-009-0151-8     Document Type: Article

References (75)

1. Aaronson, S. A.: 2005, "'Minding Our Business': What the United States Government Has Done and Can Do to Ensure that U. S. Multinationals Act Responsibly in Foreign Markets", Journal of Business Ethics59, 175-198.
2. Anti-Slavery International: 2004, The Cocoa Industry in West Africa: A History of Exploitation, Public report, 70 pp.
3. Anti-Slavery International: 2009, 'Background: Cocoa and Chocolate; Forced Labour in the Cocoa Industry', http://www. antislavery. org/english/campaigns/take_action/cocoa_and_chocolate_background. aspx.
4. Aristotle: 1984 (transl.), Rhetoric, in The Complete Works of Aristotle, vol. 2, bk. 1, chap. 2 (Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ).
5. Arrington, C. B. and R. N. Sawaya: 1984, 'Managing Public Affairs: Issues Management in an Uncertain Environment', California Management Review26(4), 148-160.
6. Benford, R. D.: 1993, 'You Could be the Hundredth Monkey': Collective Action Frames and Vocabularies of Motive Within the Nuclear Disarmament Movement', Sociological Quarterly34, 195-216.
7. Benford, R. D. and D. A. Snow: 2000, 'Framing Processes and Social Movements: An Overview and Assessment', Annual Review of Sociology26, 611-639.
8. Brunsson, N.: 1989, The Organization of Hypocrisy (John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY).
9. Chocolate Manufacturers Association: 2005, 'Industry Firmly Committed to "Protocol": Will Meet Deadlines', Press Release, February 14.
10. Chocolate Manufacturers Association: 2005, 'Industry Firmly Committed to "Protocol": Will Meet Deadlines', Press Release, February 14.
11. Cobb, R. W. and C. D. Elder: 1972, Participation in American Politics. The Dynamics of Agenda Building (Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD).
12. Cowell, A.: 2002, 'War Inflates Cocoa Prices but Leaves Africans Poor', The New York Times Oct 31, C1.
13. Creed, W. E., J. E. Langstraat and M. A. Scully: 2002, 'A Picture of the Frame: Frame Analysis as Technique and as Politics', Organizational Research Methods5(1), 34-55.
14. Dahan, N. M., J. P. Doh and T. Guay: 2006, 'The Role of Multinational Corporations in Transnational Institution Building: A Policy Network Perspective', Human Relations59(11), 1571-1600.
15. Davies, I. and A. Crane: 2003, 'Ethical Decision Making in Fair Trade Companies', Journal of Business Ethics45(1), 79-92.
16. Dutton, J. E., L. Fahey and V. K. Narayanan: 1983, 'Toward Understanding Strategic Issue Diagnosis', Strategic Management Journal4(4), 307-323.
17. Everett, J., D. Neu and A. S. Rahaman: 2006, 'The Global Fight against Corruption: A Foucaultian, Virtues-Ethics Framing', Journal of Business Ethics65(1), 1-12.
18. Eyestone, R.: 1978, From Social Issue to Public Policy (Wiley, New York).
19. Feree, M. M. and F. D. Miller: 1985, 'Mobilization and Meaning: Toward an Integration of Social Psychological and Resource Perspectives on Social Movements', Sociological Inquiry55(1), 38-61.
20. Fiss, P. C. and P. M. Hirsch: 2005, 'The Discourse of Globalization: Framing and Sensemaking of an Emerging Concept', American Sociological Review70(1), 29-52.
21. Freeman, R. E.: 1984, Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Perspective (Pitman, Boston, MA).
22. Frooman, J.: 1999, 'Stakeholder Influence Strategies', Academy of Management Review24(2), 191-205.
23. Gamson, W. A., B. Fireman and S. Rytina: 1982, Encounter with Unjust Authority (Dorsey, Homewood, IL).
24. Gamson, W. A. and K. E. Lasch: 1983, 'The Political Culture of Social Welfare Policy', in S. E. Spiro and E. Yuchtman-Yaar (eds.), Evaluating the Welfare State: Social and Political Perspectives (Academic Press, New York), pp. 397-415.
25. Global Exchange: 2002, 'Response Letter to Ms. Machut, Mars Masterfoods', August 5.
26. Global Exchange: 2005, 'The News on Chocolate is Bittersweet: No Progress on Child Labor, But Fair Trade Chocolate is on The Rise', Public report, 8 pp.
27. Global Exchange: 2007, 'The Chocolate Industry: Abusive Child Labor and Poverty Behind the Sweetness', www. globalexchange. org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/background. html.
28. Goffman, E.: 1974, Frame Analysis: An Essay on the Organization of the Experience (Harper Colophon, New York).
29. Hare, R. M.: 1952, The Language of Morals (Clarendon - Oxford University Press, Oxford).
30. Harkin, T.: 2006a, 'Statement by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) on the Release of ILO Report on Child Labor', Press Release, May 4.
31. Harkin, T.: 2006b, 'Harkin Announces Initiative to End Child Labor in Cocoa Industry', Press Release, November 17.
32. Harkin, T., E. Engel and NCA: 2008, 'Joint Statement from U. S. Senator Tom Harkin, Representative Eliot Engel and the Chocolate and Cocoa Industry on the Implementation of the Harkin-Engel Protocol', Press Release, June 16, 2008.
33. Heath, R. L.: 1993, Strategic Issues Management: Organizations and Public Policy Challenges (Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA).
34. Hilgartner, S. and C. L. Bosk: 1988, 'The Rise and Fall of Social Problems: A Public Arenas Model', American Journal of Sociology94(1): 53-78.
35. Ibarra-Colada, E., S. R. Clegg, C. Rhodes and M. Kornberger: 2006, 'The Ethics of Managerial Subjectivity', Journal of Business Ethics64(1), 45-55.
36. International Labor Rights Fund: 2005, 'Human Rights Watchdog and Civil Rights Firm Sue Nestle, ADM, Cargill, for Using Forced Child Labor', Press Release, July 14.
37. International Labor Rights Fund: 2006, 'Report on Cocoa and Forced Child Labor', Public report, October, 16 pp.
38. International Labor Rights Fund: 2008a, 'Commitment to Ethical Cocoa Sourcing', Joint Statement, February 18, 3 pp.
39. International Labor Rights Fund: 2008b, 'The Cocoa Protocol: Success or Failure?', Public report, June 30, 18 pp.
40. Isern, J.: 2006, 'Bittersweet Chocolate: The Legality and Ethics of Child Labor in Cocoa Production in Côte d'Ivoire', Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship11(1), 115-132.
41. Jones, T. M.: 1991, 'Ethical Decision Making by Individuals in Organizations: An Issue Contingency Model', Academy of Management Review16, 366-395.
42. Keck, M. E. and K. Sikkink: 1998, Activists Beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY).
43. Kingdon, J. W.: 1984, Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies (Little, Brown, Boston, MA).
44. Kraft Foods Inc.: 2007, 'Agricultural Supply Base: Cocoa - Advancing Responsible Farming Practices', http://kraft. com/responsibility/agriculture_cocoafarming. aspx.
45. Loe, T. W., L. Ferrell and P. Mansfield: 2000, 'A Review of Empirical Studies Assessing Ethical Decision Making in Business', Journal of Business Ethics25(3), 185-204.
46. Machut, M. M.: 2002, 'Letter to Global Exchange', Mars Masterfoods, April 18.
47. MacLean, T. L.: 2008, 'Framing and Organizational Misconduct: A Symbolic Interactionist Study', Journal of Business Ethics78(1), 3-16.
48. Maguire, S. and C. Hardy: 2006, 'The Emergence of New Global Institutions: A Discursive Perspective', Organization Studies27(1), 7-29.
49. Mahon, J. F.: 1989, 'Corporate Political Strategy', Business in the Contemporary World, Autumn, 50-61.
50. Mahon, J. F. and R. A. McGowan: 1996, Industry as a Player in the Political and Social Arena (Quorum, Westport, CONN).
51. Mahoney, P.: 2002, 'Chocolate: Slave Trade or Fair Trade', Connections, Winter issue.
52. Maloni, M. J. and M. E. Brown: 2006, 'Corporate Social Responsibility in the Supply Chain: An Application in the Food Industry', Journal of Business Ethics68, 35-52.
53. Mamic, I.: 2005, 'Managing Global Supply Chain: The Sports Footwear, Apparel and Retail Sectors', Journal of Business Ethics59, 81-100.
54. Mark-Ungericht, B. and R. Weiskopf: 2007, 'Filling the Empty Shell. The Public Debate on CSR in Austria as a Paradigmatic Example of a Political Discourse', Journal of Business Ethics70, 285-297.
55. Mars Masterfoods: 2002, 'Letter Responding to Consumer Request for Fair Trade Chocolate', November 26.
56. McAdam, D., J. D. McCarthy and M. N. Zald: 1996, 'Introduction' in D. McAdam, J. D. McCarthy and M. N. Zald (eds.), Comparative Perspectives on Social Movements: Political Opportunities, Mobilizing Structures, and Cultural Framings (Cambridge University Press, New York).
57. McDonagh, P.: 2002, 'Communicative Campaigns to Effect Anti-Slavery and Fair Trade: The Case of Rugmark and Cafédirect', European Journal of Marketing36(5/6), 642-666.
58. McGrath, C.: 2007, 'Framing Lobbying Messages: Defining and Communicating Political Issues Persuasively', Journal of Public Affairs7(3), 269-280.
59. Montgomery, D.: 2002, 'Coalition Aims to Abolish Use of Child Slaves in Cocoa Fields', Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, May 2, p. 1.
60. Post, J. E.: 1978, Corporate Behavior and Social Change (Reston, Reston VA).
61. Radin, T. J. and M. Calkins: 2006, 'The Struggle Against Sweatshops: Moving Toward Responsible Global Business', Journal of Business Ethics66, 261-272.
62. Raghavan, S. and S. Chatterjee: 2001, 'A Taste of Slavery', Knight Ridder Newspapers, June 24.
63. Renfro, W. L.: 1993, Issues Management in Strategic Planning (Quorum, Westport CT).
64. Roberts, S.: 2003, 'Supply Chain Specific? Understanding the Patchy Success of Ethical Sourcing Initiatives', Journal of Business Ethics45(2/3), 159-170.
65. Rodgers, W. and S. Gago: 2005, 'Stakeholder Influence on Corporate Strategies Over Time', Journal of Business Ethics52, 349-363.
66. Roman, S.: 2007, 'The Ethics of Online Retailing: A Scale Development and Validation from the Consumers' Perspective', Journal of Business Ethics 72(2), 121-148.
67. Satre, L.: 2005, Chocolate on Trial: Slavery, Politics, and the Ethics of Business (Ohio University Press, Athens OH).
68. Sillince, J. A.: 1999, 'The Organizational Setting, Use and Institutionalization of Argumentation Repertoire', Journal of Management Studies36(6), 795-830.
69. Snow, D. A. and R. D. Benford: 1988, 'Ideology, Frame Resonance, and Participant Mobilization', International Social Movement Research1, 197-218.
70. Snow, D. A., E. B. Rochford, S. K. Worden and R. D. Benford: 1986, 'Frame Alignment Processes, Micromobilization, and Movement Participation', American Sociological Review51(4), 464-481.
71. Vogel, D.: 2005, The Market For Virtue: The Potential And Limits Of Corporate Social Responsibility (Brookings Institute Press, Washington DC).
72. Wartick, S. L. and J. F. Mahon: 1994, 'Toward a Substantive Definition of the Corporate Issue Construct', Business and Society33(3), 293-311.
73. Wartick, S. L. and R. E. Rude: 1986, 'Issues Management: Corporate Fad or Corporate Function?', California Management Review24(1), 124-140.
74. Watkins, M., M. Edwards and U. Thakar: 2001, Winning the Influence Game (Wiley, New York).
75. World Cocoa Foundation: 2007, 'Ghana Cocoa Certification Report to Guide Efforts to Help Children on Cocoa Farms', Press Release, April 20, http://www. worldcocoafoundation. org/commitments/ghana. asp.