The role of business ethics and social responsibility in achieving competitive advantage and ensuring sustainable business (an empirical study on companies in UAE)

This study aimed to identify the role of business ethics and social responsibility in achieving competitive advantage through survey of respondents of managers working in senior management in industrial companies located in UAE The sample contained (65) directors working in senior management industrial companies.

The study found that there is a statistically significant effect for Business Ethics (independence and objectivity, honesty and integrity, impartiality and transparency) to achieve competitive advantage (lower cost, innovation and renewal) in the industrial companies. The results of the study also showed the presence of a statistically significant effect of social responsibility (responsibility towards the environment, responsibility towards consumers, responsibility towards the community) to achieve competitive advantage (lower cost, innovation and renewal) in the industrial companies.

The study recommended the development and promotion of business ethics, and the need for the companies to identify ethical policies and distributed across the company, and training of staff to enhance their ability to cope with difficult ethical problems.