XXI Century Ethics: a Global View Dr. Roberto Artavia L. Costa Rica November 12, 2009

6,782,662,630 people in the world today 3,2 billion live in poverty more since we started this morning

Globalization of: trade capital technology brands organizations people culture

>69,000 MNCs >823,000 international subsidiaries integrating the business dynamics of the world And still most of the companies and work is local, run by millions of micro, small, and medium entreprises

Productive private sector State, government, and international institutions NGOs One way to look at the structure of today’s world

New borders make analysis and decision-making more complex Flexible political borders

New borders make analysis and decision-making more complex Flexible political borders Permeable trade borders Corporate borders open to technological integration Capital markets are interdependent Technology eliminates distance

Financial markets Transfer risks across borders Make the movement of capital an easy and safe flow Operate on an ever more “virtual” platform Are becoming more heavily regulated

Scientific and technological progress New frontiers

Space…

Deep oceans…

Polar regions…

Scientific and technological progress New frontiers New concepts and ideas to be managed and traded

Moore’s Law Sequencing technology Synthetic biology How fast is technology changing?

Scientific and technological progress New frontiers New concepts and ideas to be managed and traded Poor global distribution Mitigation of new challenges and risks

Moving to a world of scarcity and volatility Oil and gas, nuclear sources Metals and other key materials Water Biocapacity and climate change…

Future energy sources

Moving to a world of scarcity and volatility Oil and gas, nuclear sources Metals and other key materials

Scarcity of key materials Aluminum consumption in Kg/yr IndiaBrasilChinaJapónU.S.A.

Moving to a world of scarcity and volatility Oil and gas, nuclear sources Metals and other key materials Water Biocapacity and climate change…

The resulting scenarios Future Technological progress and adaptation Negotiation and adaptation Conflict, war, control…and segregation

1.Set of principles of right conduct. 2.A theory or a system of moral values. 3.The study of the general nature of morals and of the moral choices to be made by a person. 4.The rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession. Ethics Ethics of development (scarcity) " [Scarcity] ethics is useless unless it can be translated into public action. By public action is meant action taken by public authority, as well as actions taken by private agents [which have] important consequences for the life of the community. The central question is: How can moral guidelines influence the decisions of those who hold power? " International Development Ethics Association

Corporate social responsibility "Corporate social responsibility is the continuing commitment by business to contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the community and society at large" Can corporations do this and at the same time fill the expectations of their stock- and stake- holders?

What are some possible responses?

But also…

Can we redefine our concept of ethics in time? What are the implications for the legal, accounting, and audit professionals?

the end