Dear Members and Friends,
It is difficult to believe that the 2016 ISBEE Congress in Shanghai is only two years away. In October I went to Shanghai for a meeting at the primary host institution, The Shanghai Academy of the Social Sciences (SASS). LI Yihai, Director of the Office of International Cooperation at SASS and LU Xiaohe, Director of the Center for Business Ethics Studies at SASS convened the meeting. We were very fortunate to have with us ISBEE co- founder, Georges Enderle and two of our board members, Daryl Keohn and ZUCHENG Zhou, who is from the other host institution, Jiaotong University.
The meeting was quite productive and we were also able to enjoy the gracious hospitality of our hosts, which included several meals showcasing Shanghai’s superb cuisine.
The 6th ISBEE Congress will take place from July 13 – 16, 2016 in the new SASS building on Zhong Shan Xi Road 1610. This is an excellent venue for the Congress. The SASS building has a whole floor of state-of-the-art conference rooms and it also has a hotel across from it. The organizers will also arrange for other hotels in the area that suit everyone’s budget requirements. SASS has extensive experience with organizing international conferences.
The theme for the 2016 Congress is Ethics, Innovation, and Well-Being in Business and the Economy. This theme lends itself to a variety of research topics concerning the relationship between innovation in products, services, organizations, businesses, and economic perspectives and how they might contribute to the well-being of people at home and abroad. The theme also provides an opportunity to think creatively about the concept of well-being. Our board members have suggested a number of sub-themes for the Congress and we will be open to submissions of papers and panels on other topics that fall under the general theme (see below).
As many of you know, we like to call the ISBEE Congress the “Olympics of Business Ethics” because it is international and it meets every four years. We take the idea of being international very seriously. The 2012 Congress had participants from 40 countries. We aim to substantially increase that number in 2016. However, to be a truly international organization, we must make sure that people from every corner of the world can attend if their papers are accepted. For this to happen, we must be able to extend financial aid to scholars from countries where universities are unable to pay for their travel to Shanghai. Georges, Xiaohe, and our Secretary General, Christopher Michaelson, will seek sponsors and raise money to support travel expenses. We will also call on our members to give what they can to the ISBEE fund, which enables academics and Ph.D. students from developing economies and economies in transition to attend the Congress.
While I was in Shanghai, Georges, Daryl, and I participated in The Thirteenth International Forum on Business Ethics, sponsored by the SASS Centre for Business Ethics Studies. The photo is of the conference participants in the hall where the ISBEE Congress will be held.
I also enjoyed getting to know a bit about Shanghai. It is a vibrant city with a number of interesting historical and cultural places to visit, and its extensive subway system makes traveling around easy and inexpensive. As with other ISBEE Congresses, our hosts will organize some post-Congress tours.
Over the next year, we will send you more information about member dues, the Congress, and the formal call for papers. Information on how to apply for financial support will be available after we have selected the Congress papers. Until then, mark down the dates for the 2016 ISBEE Congress and start thinking about how your research might contribute to its theme.
I ask you to please spread the word about the Congress to friends and colleagues at home and everywhere that you travel. ISBEE welcomes scholars from all over the world and we will do our best to ensure that anyone whose paper is accepted can come.
Thank you for your support of ISBEE,
Prof. Joanne B. Ciulla
President
Some Suggested Sub-themes for the 6th ISBEE Congress: Ethics, Innovation, and Well-Being in Business and the Economy:
- Concepts and metrics of “ethical innovation
- Motivational drivers of “ethical innovation
- Barriers or impediments to “ethical innovation
- Ethical innovation” in the workplace
- Ethical innovation” of products and services
- Ethical innovation” in dealing with resources
- Globalization challenging “ethical innovation: leading to failure or success?
- Types of business engaging in “ethical innovation” – what distinguishes these industries and/or firms from less ethical ones?
- New economic or production systems, managerial systems/structures, and/or legal corporate structures, which might prove to be most ethically innovative
- New economic/cultural/business movements which qualify as ethically innovative
- Role of the humanities and religions to make innovation more ethical – if so, how exactly?
- Innovation in business ethics research
- Innovative business ethics teaching formats and methods
- New directions in the philosophy of well-being and their implications for business
- Human rights and well-being: conflicting demands/responsibilities for business?
- Balancing present well-being with justice for future generations
- Innovation in global poverty alleviation
- Innovation in viable (or profitable) environmental sustainability
- Ecological sustainability and business innovation
