The rise of “éthique des affaires” in France: A historical perspective on a theoretical concept

Abstract

This article traces the genealogy of the concept of “éthique des affaires” in the French management field. The paper aims to analyze historically the origins of a perceived temporal and conceptual gap between the Anglo-Saxon version of “business ethics” and its European counterpart. We first retrace the emergence of the concept of “Éthique des affaires,” before examining the causes and consequences of its decline in the pedagogical, professional, and academic spheres. In conclusion, we question the disappearance of the concept of “éthique des affaires” and link it to the rise of another concept: corporate social responsibility.