Aquinas’s Principle of Misericordia in Corporations: Implications for Workers and other Stakeholders

Abstract Despite its central position in the history of European and Christian thought on protection human dignity, virtue mercy is currently a problematic under-developed concept business ethics, compared to related ideas care, compassion or philanthropy. The aim this article argue for revival as core principle ethical practice. conceptual method. An overview provided scope contemporary ethics research topics clarifies some similarities differences between popular terms, such prosocial behaviour. question then explored why has so little traction ethics. Some idea Anglophone philosophy discussed, from Anselm Aquinas present day, showing how discourse came be split into wider prevention alleviation suffering ( misericordia ) narrower one clemency leniency. Aquinas’s wide developed basis mercy, which applicable directly corporations. practical implications standards corporate behaviour towards employees other stakeholders are considered through introduction ‘vulnerability grid’. grid offers critical contrast analysis tools, stakeholder power-interest matrices. Cases drawn empirical studies used illustrate application challenge common assumptions theory.