Businesses are often held responsible for the goods and services they provide and the conditions under which their products are made; they are said to be responsible for their employees and the environment. They are encouraged to act like responsible citizens and members of the community. There are master's degree programs in responsibility and business practice. We also have investment programs that limit purchases to “socially responsible” vendors. The term responsibility is commonly used in business ethics, and properly understood, it will help us shape the discussion of the scope and limits of appropriate corporate action. However, before looking at the various applications, it is useful to look at some real cases to distinguish some of the various ways the term could be used.

The Herald of Free Enterprise ferry disaster

The Herald of Free Enterprise was a large ferry that capsized in the early evening on March 6, 1987, just moments after leaving the Belgian port of Zeebrugge on its way to Dover in England. In addition to its regular load of cars and trucks, a British national newspaper had offered its readers an inexpensive day abroad through Townsend-Thorensen lines, the ferry's owners, and so there were many more day trippers on board. The 7,000-ton ship rolled on its side, and over 190 people died, from either catastrophic injuries when the ship tipped, drowning, or hypothermia when they were trapped inside surrounded by freezing water.