Lecturer in Business Ethics

Contact Details

• Tel: +44 (0) 116 252 5327
• Email: s.wagner-tsukamoto@le.ac.uk
• Office: Room 521, Level 5, Ken Edwards Building
• Office Hours: Availability by appointment through email

Biography

Dr Sigmund Wagner-Tsukamoto joined the School of Management of the University of Leicester in 1997. Prior to this appointment, he taught organisation studies, business ethics, marketing courses, and statistics theory at the University of Oxford, Canterbury Christ Church College, and the Deutsche Private Finanzakademie, Munich. Dr Wagner-Tsukamoto received a PhD (D.Phil.) in social studies/consumer studies from the University of Oxford (1996), and a PhD (Dr. rer. pol) in economics, ethics and organisation theory from the Catholic University of Eichstaett at Ingolstadt (2003). He studied management studies and economics at the Ludwig-Maximilans-University (Munich), the University of Birmingham, the University of Oxford, and the Catholic University of Eichstätt/Ingolstadt. Most recently, his teaching covered courses on business ethics, and on research methodology. He obtained a research fellowship of The Japan Foundation (2005), and he held a scholarship of the Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung, Germany (1989–1991).

Research Interests

Dr Wagner-Tsukamoto’s research locates at the intersection of institutional and constitutional economics, on the one hand, and philosophy, ethics, and the history of political and organisational economic thought, on the other. His research extends to research methodology/philosophy of science, business ethics theory, organisation theory, and the study of religion, and here specifically, political economic research on the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. Other, previous research interests relate to the anthropological and cognitive analysis of green, environmentally-friendly consumer behaviour.

A key research question of Dr Wagner-Tsukamoto is as to what new understanding can be developed, through institutional and constitutional economic research in the field of the history of thought, broadly understood – from the early texts of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, to the philosophical writings of Thomas Hobbes and Adam Smith, to more recent advances in the history of organisation theory, such as the writings of Frederick Taylor, Herbert Simon, or Oliver Williamson, to name a few.

Dr Wagner-Tsukamoto critically analyses the intuitive suggestion that an economic approach to philosophy/ethics and to organization research, which is conceptually grounded in the classical economic tradition of Adam Smith, entertained an immoral image of human nature and a disagreeable image of social life. This is, at times, even suggested by well-known writers in organisational and institutional economics, for example, by Oliver Williamson. A substantial number of social scientists and philosophers of human nature tend to argue along these lines too. Dr Wagner-Tsukamoto critically disputes such suggestions. His institutional and constitutional economic analyses of philosophy and ethics, organisation theory, and the textual, economic reconstruction of the stories of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament offer in this respect a fresh and new perspective. He argues that such interpretation strategies, which treat ideas on self interest and anarchy (the ‘war of all’) as non-empirical, methodological constructs, generate alternatives to merely empiricist, behaviourally oriented approaches; provide novel insights into the methodological role concepts of self-interest already played in ancient texts; and point towards the, at least basic emergence of modernity in antiquity. On these grounds, critical interdisciplinary dialogue is encouraged that connects economics with philosophy, ethics, the study of religion, and organisation research.

In normative, ethical perspective, specifically with regard to desirable outcomes of intervention strategies for societal and organisational problems, Dr Wagner-Tsukamoto’s research targets ideals such as mutual gains as far as the interaction, ‘micro’ level is concerned, which involves individual agents. From a macro viewpoint, ethical ideals are focused on, in the tradition of Smith, in plural perspective: regarding the ‘wealth of nations’. Prosperity and rising living standards for all – economic peace, in a sense – is viewed as requirement to resolve conflict and organize exchange (at various societal levels; group/community/nation/international-global society). From this vantage point, moral claims are aligned with economic intervention strategies.

Recent Publications

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (forthcoming, 2013), “Scientific Management”, invited anchor contribution in: Encyclopedia of Management Theory, ed. Eric Kessler, London: Sage.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (forthcoming, 2012), ‘Homo Economicus and the Stories of Jacob: On the Methodological Relevance of Rational Choice Theory for Studying the Hebrew Bible,’ Method and Theory in the Study of Religion, 2012.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (forthcoming, 2012), ‘The Tree of Life – Banned or Not Banned? A Rational Choice Interpretation’, Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament, 2012.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2012), “Questioning the Weber Thesis: Capitalist Ethics and the Hebrew Bible?”, Sociology Mind 2, 1: 1-11. DOI 10.4236/sm.2012.21001.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2010), 'Out of a Slave Contract: The Analysis of Pre-Hobbesian Anarchists in the Old Testament,' Constitutional Political Economy 21, 3: 288-307. DOI 10.1007/s10602-009-9084-6.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2009), Is God an Economist?  An Institutional Economic Reconstruction of the Old Testament, Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke/UK and New York, et al. ISBN 9780230222229.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2009), 'The Paradise Story: A Constitutional Economic Reconstruction,' Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 34, 2:147-170. DOI 10.1177/0309089209356416.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2009), 'Consumer Ethics in Japan: An Economic Reconstruction of Moral Agency of Japanese Firms - Qualitative Insights From Grocery/Retail Markets,' Journal of Business Ethics, 84, 1: 29-44. DOI 10.1007/s10551-008-9671-x.

Full listing of publications

Books (Research Monographs)
Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2009), Is God an Economist? An Institutional Economic Reconstruction of the Old Testament, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9780230222229.

Wagner, S. A. (2007), Understanding Green Consumer Behaviour. A Qualitative Cognitive Approach, Kindle edition, London: Routledge. ASIN B000PMG48A.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2003), Human Nature and Organization Theory. On the Economic Approach to Institutional Organization, Cheltenham/UK, New York et al.: Edward Elgar. ISBN 978-1-84064-714-0.

Wagner, S. A. (2003), Understanding Green Consumer Behaviour. A Qualitative Cognitive Approach, second edition/paperback, London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0415316194.

Wagner, S. A. (1998), Environmental Communication: A Practitioners’ Guide, Haslemere/UK: Epsilon Press.

Wagner, S. A. (1997), Understanding Green Consumer Behaviour. A Qualitative Cognitive Approach, first edition/hardback, London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0415157322.

Book Chapters
Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (forthcoming, 2013), “Scientific Management”, invited anchor contribution in: Encyclopedia of Management Theory, ed. Eric Kessler, London: Sage.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2007), ‘Ethical Views of Japanese Managers: Insights from the Rationality of Ends/Market Orientation-Grid’, in: L.A. Parrish (ed.), Business Ethics in Focus, Hauppauge / NY: Nova Science Publishers, 113-134.

Peer-reviewed Articles
Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (forthcoming, 2012), ‘Homo Economicus and the Stories of Jacob: On the Methodological Relevance of Rational Choice Theory for Studying the Hebrew Bible,’ Method and Theory in the Study of Religion, 2012.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (forthcoming, 2012), ‘The Tree of Life –Banned or Not Banned? A Rational Choice Interpretation’, Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament, 2012.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2012), “Questioning the Weber Thesis: Capitalist Ethics and the Hebrew Bible”, Sociology Mind 2, 1: 1-11. DOI 10.4236/sm.2012.21001.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2010), ‘Out of a Slave Contract: The Analysis of Pre-Hobbesian Anarchists in the Old Testament’, Constitutional Political Economy 21, 3: 288-307. DOI 10.1007/s10602-009-9084-6.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2009), ‘The Paradise Story: A Constitutional Economic Reconstruction’, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 34, 2: 147-170. DOI 10.1177/0309089209356416.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2009), ‘Agency of Japanese Firms – Qualitative Insights From Grocery/Retail Markets,’ Journal of Business Ethics 84, 1: 29-44. DOI 10.1007/s10551-008-9671-x.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2008), ‘Scientific Management Revisited: Did Taylorism Fail Because of a Too Positive Image of Human Nature?’, Journal of Management History 14, 4: 348-372. DOI 10.1108/17511340810893108.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2008), ‘On the Economics of the Exodus: An Institutional Economic Reconstruction of Biblical Cooperation Failures’, Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament 22, 1: 114-134. DOI 10.1080/09018320802185150.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2008), ‘Contrasting the Behavioural Business Ethics Approach and the Institutional Economic Approach to Business Ethics: Insights from the Study of Quaker Employers,’ Journal of Business Ethics 82, 4: 835-850. DOI 10.1007/s10551-007-9596-9.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2008), ‘The Rationality of Ends/Market Structure-Grid: Positioning and Contrasting Different Approaches to Business Ethics,’ Business Ethics. A European Review 17, 3: 326-346. DOI.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2007), ‘Economics and Business Ethics,’ Society and Ethics. Annual Review 21, 1-16.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2007), ‘An Institutional Economic Reconstruction of Scientific Management: On the Lost Theoretical Logic of Taylorism,’ Academy of Management Review 32, 1: 105-117. DOI 10.5465/AMR.2007.23463879.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2007), ‘Moral Agency, Profits and the Firm: Economic Revisions to the Friedman Theorem,’ Journal of Business Ethics 70, 2: 209-220. DOI 10.1007/s10551-006-9106-5.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. and M. Tadajewski (2006), ‘Cognitive Anthropology and the Problem-solving Behaviour of Green Consumers,’ Journal of Consumer Behavior 5, 3: 235-244. DOI 10.1002/cb.175.

Tadajewski, M. and S. A. Wagner-Tsukamoto (2006), ‘Anthropology and Consumer Research: Qualitative Insights into Green Consumer Behavior,’ Qualitative Market Research 9, 1: 8-25. DOI 10.1108/13522750610640521.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2005), ‘An Economic Approach to Business Ethics: Moral Agency of the Firm and the Enabling and Constraining Effects of Economic Institutions and Interactions in a Market Economy,’ Journal of Business Ethics 60, 1: 75-89. DOI 10.1007/s10551-005-5842-1.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A.  (2003), ‘A Holistic, Behavioural Economic Approach to Environmental and Biological Resource Problems?,’ Journal of Interdisciplinary Economics 14, 1: 61-72.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A.  (2001), ‘Economics of Genesis: On the Institutional Economic Deciphering and Reconstruction of the Legends of the Bible,’ Journal of Interdisciplinary Economics 12, 3: 249-87.

Non-peer-Reviewed Articles and Other Publications (Including Conference Papers)
Wagner-Tsukamoto, S.A. (2011), ‘Economic Theory, Capitalist Ethics, and the Old Testament: Insights from an Economic Reading of the Paradise Story’, Conference Paper, Religion and Capitalism, University of Vienna, Austria, 17-19 November 2011.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S.A. (2011), ‘Theses on the Institutional Economic Reconstruction of the Old Testament’, Conference Paper, Society of Biblical Literature International Meeting, London, UK, 4-7 July 2011.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S.A. (2011), ‘Consumer Ethics in Japan’, Japan Foundation Fellows Lecture, Japan Foundation, London, UK, 5 May 2011.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S.A. (2007), ‘Book Review: The Taylorized Beauty of the Mechanical: Scientific Management and the Rise of Modernist Architecture’, Academy of Management Review 32, 4: 1288-1291.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S.A. (2006), ‘A Critical European Perspective on Japanese Business Ethics,’ Conference Paper, Business Ethics Workshop, Nanzan University, Nagoya, Japan, 19 December 2006.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S.A. (2006), ‘A Revised Economic Perspective on the Friedman Theorem to Business Ethics,’ Conference Paper, BERC / JABES Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 16 December 2006.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2006), ‘Contrasting the Behavioural Business Ethics Approach and the Institutional Economic Approach to Business Ethics,’ Conference Paper, World Business Ethics Forum: Does East Meet West? Hong Kong Baptist University & the University of Macau, Hong Kong and Macau, China, 1-3 November 2006.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S.A. (2006), ‘Scientific Management Revisited: Did Taylorism Fail Because of a Too Positive Image of Human Nature,’ Conference Paper, Western Business & Management Conference, Las Vegas, USA, Western Business & Management Association, 15-17 October 2006. Award – Most Original Paper.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2006), ‘The Rationality of Ends/Market Orientation-Grid: Positioning and Contrasting Different Approaches to Business Ethics,’ Conference Paper, EBEN-UK Annual Conference, New Hall College, Cambridge, UK, 10-12 April 2006.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2005), ‘Economics, Business Ethics, and the Case of Japan,’ Conference Paper, BERC / JABES Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 10 December 2005.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2005), ‘Economic Aspects of Business Ethics,’ Conference Paper, Waseda University Business Ethics Seminar Series, Tokyo, Japan, 24 November 2005.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2005), ‘Comment on Maital’s Review of Human Nature and Organization Theory,’ Journal of Socio-Economics 34, 5: 728-729.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2002), ‘An Economic Approach to Business Ethics: Systemizing Ethics, Ethical Capital and Stakeholder Management’, Conference Paper, Developing Philosophy of Management – Crossing Frontiers, St. Anne’s College, Oxford, 26-29 June 2002.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A.  (2002), ‘Book Review: An Empirical Assessment of Non-timber Forest Production. Review of D. Tewari’s “Economics and Management of Non-timber Forest Products. A Case Study of Gujarat, India”,’ Journal of Interdisciplinary Economics 13.

Wagner-Tsukamoto, S. A. (2001), ‘The Failure of the Quaker Experiments (1900-1940) in Corporate Social Responsibility: Implications for an Economic Approach to Business Ethics,’ Conference Paper, EBEN-UK Annual Conference, Nottingham, 9-10 April 2001.

Wagner, S. A. (1996), ‘ “Green” Communications Management: How To Talk Green Sense to Consumers,’ Green Management Letter, May: 7-9.

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