Content area
Abstract
Business ethics in Western and Northern Europe have acquired a certain momentum during the last 15 years, both as an academic discipline in various countries, and the founding of national and Europe-wide networks and organizations bringing together representatives from business as well as from universities. Sources of information on the state of affairs are presented, and some parameters are presented by which the national varieties of possible alliances between ethical thinking and business policies can be depicted more adequately. To be operational, business ethics in Western and Northern Europe has to become part of the total configuration of economic, historical and ideological components that shape the social fabric on a national level.