The Routledge Companion to Business Ethics

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Business ethics in transition

Communism to commerce in Central Europe and Russia

Rodica Milena Zaharia^*

For most of the twentieth century the nations of Central Europe and Russia were ruled by communist governments for whom the very idea of commercial activity, free enterprise, or business was anathema. Not only have these societies faced significant challenges since the demise of the communist empire, but so too has the very possibility and public conception of ethical business. This chapter offers an overview of the challenges to business ethics (understood chiefly as practical conduct but also as an academic discipline) during the transition process in Central Europe and Russia during the twenty-five years since the fall of communism. ...