g-f(2)2884 Ethical Leadership in Action: Lessons from the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

 

genioux Fact post by Fernando Machuca and Copilot

Introduction

The article “What Makes Companies Do the Right Thing?” from MIT Sloan Management Review, authored by N. Craig Smith and Markus Scholz, explores the ethical decision-making processes of pharmaceutical companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines how different companies responded to the global health crisis, particularly in relation to the COVAX initiative, which aimed to ensure equitable access to vaccines.

genioux GK Nugget

"Ethical leadership drives companies to prioritize global public health over profits, as evidenced by their participation in equitable vaccine distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic." — Fernando Machuca and Copilot, September 13, 2024

genioux Foundational Fact

The article highlights that companies with values-oriented leadership were more likely to engage in equitable vaccine distribution through the COVAX initiative, demonstrating a commitment to global public health despite the potential for substantial profits from selling vaccines to wealthier nations.

The 10 Most Relevant genioux Facts

1. Ethical leadership is crucial for guiding companies to make decisions that benefit global public health.
2. The COVAX initiative aimed to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.
3. Some pharmaceutical companies prioritized profits by selling vaccines to wealthy nations.
4. Other companies contributed doses to COVAX, demonstrating ethically motivated leadership.
5. The pandemic presented a significant test for business executives, balancing profit-making with the moral imperative to save lives.
6. Values-oriented leadership played a key role in companies’ decisions to support equitable vaccine distribution.
7. The unequal distribution of vaccines led to millions of preventable deaths in lower- and middle-income countries.
8. Companies that engaged in equitable vaccine distribution helped mitigate the impact of the pandemic on vulnerable populations.
9. The article underscores the importance of ethical leadership in the business world.
10. Ethical decision-making can have a profound impact on global public health outcomes.

Conclusion

The article from MIT Sloan Management Review emphasizes the critical role of ethical leadership in guiding companies to make decisions that prioritize global public health over profits. By examining the responses of pharmaceutical companies to the COVID-19 pandemic, it highlights the importance of values-oriented leadership in ensuring equitable access to life-saving vaccines. This serves as a powerful reminder of the impact that ethical decision-making can have on the well-being of people worldwide.

REFERENCES

The g-f GK Context

N. Craig Smith and Markus Scholz, What Makes Companies Do the Right Thing?, MIT Sloan Management Review, Fall 2024 Issue, September 10, 2024.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

N. Craig Smith is the Insead Chair in Ethics and Social Responsibility, director of the Ethics and Social Responsibility Initiative at Insead, and a visiting professor at the University of Birmingham. Markus Scholz (@scholz101) is a professor of business administration and responsible management at Dresden University of Technology.

Classical Summary of the Article:

The article "What Makes Companies Do the Right Thing?" from MIT Sloan Management Review, authored by N. Craig Smith and Markus Scholz, delves into the ethical considerations and leadership decisions of pharmaceutical companies during the COVID-19 pandemic¹.

The research highlights the stark contrast in how different companies engaged with the COVAX initiative, a global effort to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. While some companies prioritized profits by selling vaccines to wealthy nations, others demonstrated ethically motivated leadership by contributing doses to COVAX¹.

Key findings include:

• Ethical Leadership: Companies with values-oriented leadership were more likely to engage in equitable vaccine distribution.
• Profit vs. Public Health: The pandemic presented a significant test for business executives, balancing profit-making with the moral imperative to save lives.
• Impact of Inequity: The unequal distribution of vaccines led to millions of preventable deaths in lower- and middle-income countries¹.

The article underscores the importance of ethical leadership in guiding companies to make decisions that benefit global public health, even when faced with the temptation of substantial profits¹.

Source: Conversation with Copilot, 9/13/2024

(1) What Makes Companies Do the Right Thing? - MIT Sloan Management Review. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/what-makes-companies-do-the-right-thing/.

(2) What Makes Companies Do the Right Thing? - MIT SMR Store. https://shop.sloanreview.mit.edu/products/66114.

(3) Topics Leadership - MIT Sloan Management Review. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/topic/leadership/.

(4) Articles - MIT Sloan Management Review. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/.

N. Craig Smith

N. Craig Smith is a distinguished academic and thought leader in the field of business ethics and corporate social responsibility. He holds the prestigious position of INSEAD Chair in Ethics and Social Responsibility at INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France, where he has been a faculty member since 2007¹. In addition to his role at INSEAD, he serves as the Director of the Ethics and Social Responsibility Initiative at the institution¹.

Professor Smith's academic journey includes tenures at several renowned institutions. Before joining INSEAD, he was on the faculties of London Business School, Georgetown University, and Harvard Business School¹. His extensive teaching portfolio includes MBA and executive courses in business ethics, compliance, strategic corporate social responsibility, and sustainability¹.

His research interests lie at the intersection of business and society, encompassing business ethics, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability. His current research projects examine the pharmaceutical industry's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, business and human rights, sustainable consumption, and the ethical implications of marketing practices¹.

Professor Smith is a prolific author, having written, co-authored, or edited eight books and over fifty academic journal articles. His notable works include "The Moral Responsibility of Firms" (with Eric Orts) and "Managing Sustainable Business" (with Gilbert Lenssen)¹. He is also a regular speaker at international conferences and conducts workshops and consultancy assignments on business ethics, compliance, and corporate responsibility¹.

In addition to his academic roles, Professor Smith is a visiting professor at the University of Birmingham, where he continues to contribute to the field of ethics and social responsibility¹.

Professor N. Craig Smith's contributions to the field of business ethics and corporate social responsibility have made him a respected figure in academia and beyond. His work continues to inspire and guide future leaders in making ethically sound decisions that benefit society as a whole.

¹: [INSEAD](https://www.insead.edu/faculty/n-craig-smith)

Source: Conversation with Copilot, 9/13/2024

(1) N. Craig Smith | INSEAD. https://www.insead.edu/faculty/n-craig-smith.

(2) ‪N Craig Smith‬ - ‪Google Scholar‬. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=dTcXMewAAAAJ.

(3) N. Craig Smith - INSEAD Knowledge. https://knowledge.insead.edu/author/n-craig-smith.

(4) Roger Craig Smith - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Craig_Smith.

Markus Scholz

Markus Scholz is a prominent academic in the field of business administration and responsible management. Since October 2022, he has held the position of Professor of Business Management, especially Responsible Management, at the Technical University Dresden (TU Dresden)⁶⁷. His research, teaching, and consulting expertise encompass a wide range of topics, including business ethics, corporate political activity, business and human rights, and strategic sustainability⁶⁷.

Professor Scholz's academic journey is marked by numerous prestigious positions and contributions. He is also a Visiting Scholar and Adjunct Professor at the INSEAD Social Innovation Centre⁶⁷. Before joining TU Dresden, he was the founding director of the Institute for Business Ethics and Sustainable Strategy (IBES) and the Josef Ressel Centre for Collective Action and Responsible Partnerships (CARe) in Vienna, Austria⁶⁷. His previous academic roles include a Senior Fellowship at the Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research at the Wharton Business School and the European Chair of the Microeconomics of Competitiveness (MOC) network at Harvard Business School⁶⁷.

Professor Scholz's research has been widely published in leading academic journals, including Business Ethics Quarterly, California Management Review, Journal of Business Ethics, MIT Sloan Management Review, and Organization Studies⁶⁷. His work has also been featured in international media outlets such as ARD, ARTE, Die Presse, Der Standard, Die Zeit, FAZ, Forbes, and Spiegel Online⁶⁷.

In addition to his academic achievements, Professor Scholz serves on advisory boards for various national and international business firms and non-profit organizations⁶⁷. He is actively involved in consulting projects focused on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) topics and regularly provides keynotes and training programs for top executives⁶⁷.

Professor Markus Scholz's contributions to the field of responsible management and business ethics have made him a respected figure in academia and beyond. His work continues to inspire and guide future leaders in making ethically sound decisions that benefit society as a whole.

⁶: [TU Dresden](https://tu-dresden.de/ihi-zittau/rm/die-professur/team/prof-dr-markus-scholz?set_language=en)

⁷: [INSEAD Knowledge](https://knowledge.insead.edu/author/markus-scholz)

Source: Conversation with Copilot, 9/13/2024

(1) Prof. Dr. Markus Scholz - Technische Universität Dresden. https://tu-dresden.de/ihi-zittau/rm/die-professur/team/prof-dr-markus-scholz?set_language=en.

(2) Prof. Dr. Markus Scholz - Technische Universität Dresden. https://tu-dresden.de/ihi-zittau/rm/die-professur/prof-dr-markus-scholz?set_language=en.

(3) Markus Schulz · Biography - Resident Advisor. https://ra.co/dj/markusschulz/biography.

(4) Biography – Markus Schulz | Official Website. https://www.markusschulz.com/about/.

(5) Markus Scholz - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markus_Scholz.

(6) Markus Scholz – Wikipedia. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markus_Scholz.

(7) Olaf Scholz - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaf_Scholz.

(8) Markus Scholz - INSEAD Knowledge. https://knowledge.insead.edu/author/markus-scholz.

The categorization and citation of the genioux Fact post

Categorization

This genioux Fact post is classified as Bombshell Knowledge which means: The game-changer that reshapes your perspective, leaving you exclaiming, "Wow, I had no idea!"

Type: Bombshell Knowledge, Free Speech

g-f Lighthouse of the Big Picture of the Digital Age [g-f(2)1813, g-f(2)1814]

• Daily g-f Fishing GK Series
• The g-f Compass: Bing Chatbot and Copilot’s Guide to Greatness Series
• Game On! Mastering THE TRANSFORMATION GAME in the Arena of Sports Series

Angel sponsors                  Monthly sponsors

g-f(2)2884: The Juice of Golden Knowledge

GK Juices or Golden Knowledge Elixirs

REFERENCES

“genioux facts”: The online program on "MASTERING THE BIG PICTURE OF THE DIGITAL AGE”, g-f(2)2884, Fernando Machuca and Copilot, September 13, 2024, Genioux.com Corporation.

The genioux facts program has established a robust foundation of over 2883 Big Picture of the Digital Age posts [g-f(2)1 - g-f(2)2883].

List of Most Recent genioux Fact Posts

genioux GK Nugget of the Day

"genioux facts" presents daily the list of the most recent "genioux Fact posts" for your self-service. You take the blocks of Golden Knowledge (g-f GK) that suit you to build custom blocks that allow you to achieve your greatness. — Fernando Machuca and Bard (Gemini)

August 2024

• g-f(2)2851 From Innovation to Implementation: Mastering the Digital Transformation Game
• g-f(2)2850 g-f GREAT Challenge: Distilling Golden Knowledge from August 2024's "Big Picture of the Digital Age" Posts
• g-f(2)2849 The Digital Age Decoded: 145 Insights Shaping Our Future
• g-f(2)2848 145 Facets of the Digital Age: A Month of Transformative Insights
• g-f(2)2847 Driving Transformation: Essential Facts for Mastering the Digital Era

July 2024

• g-f(2)2710 genioux Facts July 2024: A Comprehensive Guide to the Digital Age
• genioux Fact post by Fernando Machuca and Copilot
• g-f(2)2709 The Digital Age Decoded: 137 Insights Shaping Our Future
• genioux Fact post by Fernando Machuca and Perplexity
• g-f(2)2708 AI and Beyond: Charting Success in the Age of Transformation
• genioux Fact post by Fernando Machuca and Claude
• g-f(2)2707 Navigating the Digital Frontier: Key Insights from July 2024 genioux Facts
• genioux Fact post by Fernando Machuca and ChatGPT
• g-f(2)2706 Navigating the g-f New World: Insights from July 2024
• genioux Fact post by Fernando Machuca and Gemini

June 2024

• g-f(2)2582 Navigating the Digital Frontier: Essential Insights from a Month in the g-f New World (June 2024)
• genioux Fact post by Fernando Machuca and Claude
• g-f(2)2583 Mastering the g-f Transformation Game: Highlights from a Month in the Digital Age (June 2024)
• genioux Fact post by Fernando Machuca and Perplexity
• g-f(2)2584 The Blueprint for Digital Mastery: Highlights from genioux Facts June 2024
• genioux Fact post by Fernando Machuca and ChatGPT
• g-f(2)2585 Mastering the Game: Unleashing Growth in the g-f New World
• genioux Fact post by Fernando Machuca and Copilot

May 2024

g-f(2)2393 Unlock Your Greatness: Today's Daily Dose of g-f Golden Knowledge (May 2024)

April 2024

g-f(2)2281 Unlock Your Greatness: Today's Daily Dose of g-f Golden Knowledge (April 2024)

March 2024

g-f(2)2166 Unlock Your Greatness: Today's Daily Dose of g-f Golden Knowledge (March 2024)

February 2024

g-f(2)1938 Unlock Your Greatness: Today's Daily Dose of g-f Golden Knowledge (February 2024)

January 2024

g-f(2)1937 Unlock Your Greatness: Today's Daily Dose of g-f Golden Knowledge (January 2024)

Recent 2023

g-f(2)1936 Unlock Your Greatness: Today's Daily Dose of g-f Golden Knowledge (2023)