Qian Zhao gives a working paper on 'The Chinese Business Ethics and Its “Moral Background”'

In my previous two chapters of my thesis, I have made some research on Chinese cultural entrepreneurs’ moral value changes by identifying controversies and critical issues of individualism/collectivism and discuss the historical development of Chinese cultural entrepreneurs. By proposing conceptual and research strategies in substantiating issue of individualism/collectivism and historical analysis in cultural entrepreneur study, I try to explore the changes of entrepreneurs’ moral values and behaviors under socio-technological innovations nowadays.
In this chapter, by setting the argument in the discussion of food safety scandals in China, I would like to build my research on Gabiel Abend’s “moral background” research, which a more sophisticated way of morality study. When looking for the social and institutional agencies in the process of influencing and shaping Chinese entrepreneurs’ moral values, I find business associations, universities and internet/social media are the most powerful agencies. All these three aspects are included in my empirical research. My main aim is to “shed new light on the tension between markets and morals” (Abend). By checking the work of business ethicists, organizations and internet, I find two kinds of “moral background”---“reason” and “emotion” are interplaying in the process of business ethics value changes. Even though very hard, “reason” becomes more influential nowadays.