The Evolving View on Peace and Its Implications for Business

Abstract

This chapter explores how the concept of ‘peace’ has evolved and broadened over time within the Peace Studies Field to include at least seven aspects (Part I), and how a somewhat parallel evolution has occurred within the field of Business Ethics, so that each of these seven aspects of peace has implications for business ethics (Part II). In Part I, peace is defined as different, evolving visions and goals necessary for creating a more peaceful society and world. These seven aspects of peace also build on each other, collectively creating a more holistic, integrative view of peace for the 21st century, along with the need for various forms of nonviolence for bringing about these needed visions and goals. Each of these seven aspects of peace can also be seen as being based on certain underlining principles. What is most interesting to see is that these underlying principles seem to also be at work in the evolution of business ethics, implying that humanity is indeed moving towards addressing evolving aspects of what must be addressed for creating a world that increasingly works for everyone. This is perhaps a surprising but quite significant discovery.

Citation

Groff, L. and Bouckaert, L. (2015), "The Evolving View on Peace and Its Implications for Business", Business, Ethics and Peace (Contributions to Conflict Management, Peace Economics and Development, Vol. 24), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1572-832320150000024001