Vices and Virtues of Corporate Political Activity: The Challenge of International Business

Abstract

We give a critical reading of the research interests of state-of-the-art corporate political activity (CPA) literature. We demonstrate that a non-critical tendency in literature to view CPA as a strategic activity, aimed at making profit, may encourage firms to sociopathic behavior in their political activities. Using psychiatric literature, we explore the nature of sociopathic CPA. We draw on a recent discussion initiated by virtue theorists, exploring firm moral agency in order to suggest the opening of several new research areas within CPA literature, more sensitive to moral questions.