Customer Integration and Beyond: Towards a Business Economic-Ethical Theory of the Firm

Abstract

"The paper aims to make a contribution to the overcoming of what Freeman has characterized by his “separation thesis” and, based on a theory of the firm, the resources-processes-outcomes approach, developing of a business economic-ethics approach. The resources-processes-outcomes approach draws on two main theoretical concepts: integrative production and customer integration. The concept of customer integration throws light on the mutual responsibility of supplier and customer for the value-creation process and its outcomes. As regards management implications, customer integration can be interpreted as a special case of stakeholder integration. The paper outlines this program and proposes its implementation in two steps. Whereas the first step is mainly concerned with the statement, analysis and extension of the ethical dimensions of the available theory, step two shall contribute to the development of a business economic-ethical theory." (author's abstract)