The recent recession only adds to the widespread fear that loyalties in the business world are rapidly becoming obsolete. This article spells out some of the history that has put loyalty in jeopardy and some of the characteristics of this affecton. It gives reasons why it will not disappear from the workplace.

The above analysis is then followed by a contrast between past and present motivations for work and a description of the workplace of the future according to three authors. Since all of these address loyalty issues directly or indirectly, there follows an analysis of the new loyalties that can be anticipated or are beginning to emerge in the workplace and the role of the manager in managing these. The article concludes by placing these future loyalties within a framework inspired by Josiah Royce.

This paper clarifies the nature of genetic screening and morally evaluates using it to deny people employment. Four sets of variables determine screening’s ability to forecast disorder. The first two concern epistemological limitations: whether the gene itself has been located; whether knowledge of other family members is necessary. The latter two refer to genetic causality: whether other genes are needed; whether the gene causes the disorder or just a susceptibility to it.

Considerations of privacy and justice warrant restricting screening to job-specific disorders, without prejudice to the worker. Screening is more of an invasion of privacy than most “searches” because our very selves are disclosed; serious stigmatizing can result. It is unjust to penalize someone for a susceptibility to a disorder. It is also unjust to use the genetic knowledge and technology, developed with public monies allocated for public good, against members of the public.

The United States Sentencing Commission’s guidelines for the sentencing of organizations found guilty of violating federal laws recently became effective. Dramatically increased penalties are possible under these gudelines, but so too is a substantial reduction in the penalties imposed on organizations that have an effective program in place to prevent and detect violations. This provides corporations with a tremendous new incentive in inaugurate organizational ethics audits both to avoid violations in the first instance and to reduce the penalty imposed in the event that a violation occurs. We argue, however, that there have always been very good reasons for organizations to conduct such audits, which emphasize the identification of the organizational factors that create incentives for unethical behavior. Corporate ethics programs initiated without reference to such factors cannot reasonably be expected to be effective in improving a company’s internal ethical environment.

The importance of business ethics is not contrdicted in any way by Adam Smith’s pointer to the fact that our “regards to our own interests” provide adequate motivation for exchange. There are many important economic relationships other than exchange, such as the institution of production and arrangements of distribution. Here business ethics can play a major part. Even as far as exchange is concerned, business ethics can be crucially important in terms of organization and behavior, going well beyond basic motivation.

This commentary offers some preliminary reflections on William C. Frederick’s thought provoking effort toward developing a theory of business values. These reflections are preliminary in that they are based on the conceptual framework or infrastructure outlined in the preceding issue of this journal (July, 1992, pp. 283-303), rather than on the comprehensive version of the theory. Consequently some thoughts may be irrelevant, even inaccurate in the context of the more complete version of the theory.

Over the past decade, numerous studies have counselled managers to attend to the fourfold task of increasing quality, developing leadership, building teams, and shaping the organizational culture. Today, these recommendations and the once-exciting examples of the “vanguard” corporations (O’Toole, 1985) who first advanced the frontiers of practice appear to be the staples of conventional wisdom. We’ve heard the sermon, yet, it would be hard to contend that the challenges posed by the four-fold agenda have been universally mastered or implemented across the corporate landscape.