Review for Ministers-at-Work by Rob Fox January 2005

The accompanying information about Clive is modest about his credentials to write about applying Christian virtues to the world of business, but impressive they are: Chairman of MODEM and of The Christian Association of Business Executives, 30 years experience as a senior manager in the oil and chemical industries. He is also clearly someone of considerable reading and intellect, as his easy command of history, philosophy and theology in this work clearly demonstrate. So what have we got?

The central theme of the book is to use virtue ethics, especially that of Alasdair MacIntyre, to map out an ethical framework in which business can be both managed and conducted. Clive points out that the cultural context that has shaped the modern business world is inherently Christian and in turn the way in which Christianity has developed has been influenced by the growth of western free-market capitalism. Over the past century or so there has been a growing divorce between the two, neither understanding the other in the ‘old’ way, yet there is a clear need for a continuing Christian understanding of and perspective on wealth creation.

The survey of the historical context in the early chapters is masterly, demonstrating the role of Christian ethics in the growth of business theory and practice. After this though the case he builds is not always as thorough or convincing. For example, there is no definition of what is meant by wealth creation, still less a theology. Several times he meets the simple ‘rejectionist’ opposition to wealth creation by asserting that it is not a ‘zero sum’ game (one person gains at another’s loss). This is too simplistic; inequalities in access to wealth are not adequately addressed. The lack of a definition also leaves untouched the matter of what kinds of wealth creation meet the ethical standards he sets out. The question of whether wealth creation is always a ‘good thing’ is also left unanswered, although right-wing economists also come in for a fair share of criticism.

The book is on much firmer ground when looking at how a business can be run virtuously. Clive discussed how the cardinal and theological virtues can be applied to business management and sets out five criteria for the ‘just business’:

Service – of humankind through meeting needs and wants; Legitimacy – obeying the laws and obligations of legitimate authority in the jurisdictions in which it operates; Proportionality – of the benefits provided to the costs incurred; Trustworthiness – establishing trust amongst all the parties with which the business engages (suppliers, customers, the local community, employees and so on); Reciprocity – recognition of the reciprocal benefits between all these parties.

From this Clive sets out in the chapter ‘The formation of moral corporate behaviour’ a blueprint of how a business can conduct itself according to these principles, which could be summed up in the adage ‘virtue brings its own reward.’

The final chapter addresses the globalisation debate, arguing that rather than oppose the march of globalisation there is here a real opportunity for Christians to embrace and engage with a phenomenon that promises to benefit humanity. There is no reason why the Christian understanding of love should not lay claim to this territory, and he is right.

This is a well thought out book, very well written and if it fails to satisfy on every point that is largely down to the scope. There is certainly further work that can be undertaken in some areas, but Clive has set out cogently the main considerations of virtue in business.