on Climate Change

Abstract

ABSTRACT. We present a model of rational behavior by which we characterize business ethical dilemmas as trade-offs between processes and consequences. As an illustration, we formulate the oil industry’s business ethical dilemma as a trade-off between a socially detri-mental process (emitting greenhouse gases, hence inducing a risk of climate change) and a self-inter-ested consequence (profits). The proposed framework allows us to specify two types of strategies, differing by whether priority is given to the consequences or to the processes. We analyze and illustrate these strate-gies at both the behavioral and the discursive levels. In particular, communication strategies raise questions about good faith in business argumentation, in the sense that business discourse may or may not be con-sistent with actual assumptions and/or actual behav-iors. We conclude on possible drivers of more ethical business behavior.