Business Ethics: A Jewish Perspective (Library of Jewish Law and Ethics) [Hardcover]

Moses L. Pava (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In the twenty-first volume of the Yeshiva University/ KTAV Library of Jewish Law and Ethics, a Yeshiva University professor explains the relevance and applicability of Judaism's religious law and moral vision to the realities of the businessperson's practical life. Pava divides the book into three parts. Part 1 discusses why people often fail at business ethics and how they might succeed. Part 2 discusses the goals, substance, and method of Jewish business ethics. Part 3 examines corporate social responsibility and the use of inside information. Pava interprets classical Jewish writings in light of our contemporary business world. In a society where ethics seems to be a concept of the past, businessmen and businesswomen, Jews and non-Jews alike, could benefit from Pava's keen insights and practical approach. George Cohen

Product Details

• Hardcover: 206 pages
• Publisher: Ktav Pub Inc (August 25, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881255823
• ISBN-13: 978-0881255829
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,250,279 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Moses Pava is the Alvin Einbender Professor of Business Ethics and Professor of Accounting at the Sy Syms School of Business, Yeshiva University. He serves as the chair of the Accounting Department and has been teaching at Yeshiva for the past 22 years.

A 1990 PhD graduate from NYU's Stern School of Business and a 1981 graduate from Brandeis University, Dr. Pava has written and/or edited 15 books including: Business Ethics: A Jewish Perspective, Leading With Meaning, The Jewish Ethics Workbook, The Search for Meaning in Organizations, and Jewish Ethics as Dialogue. He has authored scores of academic articles including "Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance," one of the most cited articles in the field of corporate social responsibility.

He serves on the Editorial Board of Journal of Business Ethics and is a past member of the Editorial Board of Business Ethics Quarterly. Dr. Pava is a board member of the Jewish Ethics Association and on the Steering Committee of the Ethics Center at Yeshiva University.

He lectures across the country and the world on Jewish business ethics and leadership, spirituality in business, and corporate accountability. His next book, Jewish Ethics in a Post-Madoff-World, will be published by Palgrave this year.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jewish Business Ethics as a Guide for Modern Managers, April 11, 2004

By 

Allen Doppelt (Toronto, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Business Ethics: A Jewish Perspective (Library of Jewish Law and Ethics) (Hardcover)

This book provides an excellent introduction to basic principles of Jewish ethics which still have relevance to modern business activity. It contrasts the Jewish approach to business ethics with various secular theories. There is a very cogent defense of corporate social responsibility based on Jewish legal principles. The book, which is very clear and well-written, demonstrates the continuing importance and creativity of Jewish law for both Jewish and non-Jewish managers.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars interesting discussion of Jewish ethics, February 22, 2009

By 

Michael Lewyn (Forest Hills, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Business Ethics: A Jewish Perspective (Library of Jewish Law and Ethics) (Hardcover)

In this little book, the author tries to answer the following questions:

1. What's unique about Jewish business ethics, as opposed to secular or utilitarian ethics? Pava addresses three unique principles in Jewish law: (1) the notion of differing levels of responsibility to the needy (that is, that one's obligations to family, employees, etc. take priority over faraway obligations); (2) the principle against "acting in the ways of Sodom"- that one has a duty not to take a maximum profit if another gains and the profit-taker does not lose; and (3) the idea of "acting beyond the letter of the law" (i.e. moral obligations beyond legal requirements).

2. How is Jewish business ethics relevant to a world which is not Jewish? Pava admits that specific Jewish legal rules are not binding upon non-Jews; however, the broader, aspirational values underlying these rules are useful to all businesses because they are "noncoercive, universal and speak directly to current problems."

But it seems to me that there is a trade-off involved: the more distinctive Jewish ethics are, the less universal (and thus the less useful to the broader business world) they might be.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating book, March 5, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Business Ethics: A Jewish Perspective (Library of Jewish Law and Ethics) (Hardcover)

This book was fascinating and dealt with several ethical issues in depth. This was not a halakah book of short answers, but rather more of a discussion.