“It is a rare pleasure to find a business ethics book that takes the wider social context into account when exploring issues of ethical decision making in the workplace. Richard Kyte’s Ethical Business: Cultivating the Good in Organizational Culture is an invaluable book that takes seriously the societal setting of business practices by using virtue approaches to engage business ethics. Kyte’s analysis is rich theoretically and captures vitally important new developments not only in ethics but also in moral psychology. Furthermore, he provides practical and concrete insights into how to create ethical corporate cultures and how to empower virtuous dispositions within employees. Throughout the book, Kyte uses illuminating examples from real-world business leaders and companies, as well as from the news, literature, and films. His wise treatment of the roles of power, trust, and meaning will be especially useful for those who seek to reflect more deeply on how to create healthier working environments. This excellent book is for anyone or any group that wants to seriously consider how business specifically—and ethics more generally—can promote the kind of human fulfillment Aristotle had in mind when he encouraged the pursuit of eudaimonia as our human telos. I highly recommend this outstanding book for use in classrooms, board rooms, offices, and homes. If we follow Kyte’s prudent advice, more and more businesses will focus on creating good lives and communities rather than merely focusing on profits.”

“‘Do the right thing’ is a business catch phrase with a catch: Do the right thing for whom? for shareholders? for customers? for employees? And what should one do when those interests conflict? A valuable resource for classrooms and boardrooms, Richard Kyte’s Ethical Business makes a strong business case that the answer doesn’t lie in adopting stricter codes of ethics but in developing virtuous ethical cultures. Applying both current case studies and classical philosophy, Kyte elevates business ethics from a process of rules-based problem solving to the practice of character-based relationship building. The author argues, successfully, that ethical business leaders derive their power from trust, not coercion. The benefits extend far beyond avoiding negative consequences; the ethical businesses that Kyte describes reap the rewards of attracting more productive employees, more loyal customers, and more committed investors. As such, Kyte delivers more than a guide for ‘cultivating the good in organizational culture’; he provides a blueprint for building companies and brands in sync with today’s increasingly socially conscious consumers.”

“In Ethical Business, Richard Kyte has provided readers with an approach that departs significantly from most business ethics textbooks. Rather than following the usual focus on how to build the ethical organization by building static systems such as codes of ethics, rules, and so on, Dr. Kyte develops a real-world approach centered on the importance of ethical culture. Using vivid real-life examples, Dr. Kyte highlights the many critical aspects of an organization that contribute to an ethical culture. The reader learns about ethical leadership, the key elements of an ethical culture such as trust, and the approaches to making decisions with ethical implications. The book culminates in crucial practical exercises on how to practice moral imagination. I am convinced that Dr. Kyte has written the first important business ethics work that is centered on the importance of ethical culture, and the many examples he provides bring his concepts to life. The book is well written and is useful for both the student of business ethics and the practicing manager.”