This article analyzes, through Frederick’s (1995) naturological lens, the General Rate Case (GRC) process to regulate a private water utility in California. Golden State Water Company is the utility. The GRC concerned is Ojai, California. The authors conclude that (a) Frederick’s conceptual framework proves useful to understand antecedents of effective common-pool resource management, and (b) the GRC process encourages economizing values more than it does ecologizing ones. In essence, short-term needs overshadow long-term needs, and the economizing interests of a single (...) member of the GRC network overshadow the ecologizing interests of diverse stakeholders. By focusing only on whether the private utility’s requests are economically justified, and not on the needs of the larger ecosystem, the GRC is unable to ensure long-term protection of either (a) the ratepayer or (b) the natural environment and community. (shrink)

The aim of this article is to define and delineate an ethical mindset. In deploying an interpretive mixed-methods analysis of the Australian services sector, data were collected through an online survey on 223 respondents followed by focus group interviews involving 20 participants. The analysis reveals evidence of ethical mindsets in Australian business context, the components of which are identified as being aesthetic judgment, spirituality, optimism, harmony and balance, contentment, truth telling, individual responsibility and professionalism. While the findings are limited to (...) the Australian context, it illuminates the value of mindsets to business ethics in a way that has theoretical rigour and practical relevance. Research has so far only considered business ethics within other mindsets (e.g. global mindset). This article provides a foundation for further application and development of mindset theory. (shrink)