Business Ethics and National Identity in Quebec: Distinctiveness and Directions

Business ethics in Quebec presents particular characteristics, which set it apart from the mainstream Anglo-Saxon framework that is familiar. An attempt is made to analyze the nature and meaning of this distinctiveness for both practice and theory. The critical difference is that, unlike the US where it is defined largely in individual terms, in Quebec business ethics is tightly linked to one central issue, the preservation of a national identity. Therefore, understanding the obligation of business people and firms requires putting them within a societal context.