Despite the subject's relatively recent origins, the literature on business ethics and business ethics related topics is vast and growing at an exponential rate. This guide to the literature is, therefore, necessarily selective. It lists books rather than journal articles and, in particular, those likely to be of use in teaching as against research. Accordingly, it will do no more than briefly list and describe the main journals in the field before going on to present an also briefly described selection of books, categorised by format in the case of text books and subject matter in the case of monographs.

For textbooks, this will mean a division into 'Anthologies' where expository chapters on a range of topics are combined with readings on that topic and 'Surveys' where there are authored or edited chapters on a range of topics but without the inclusion of readings. With the monographs, the division by subject matter will, as far as possible, try to reproduce the divisions most often found in the anthologies and surveys. This is done because, for teaching purposes, monographs are likely to figure as 'additional readings' to the 'core readings' constituted by anthologies and surveys and so it makes sense to treat the former as extensions to the latter.

(For an explanation of the terms used in describing the contents of books as well as the subject matter divisions under which the monographs will be listed, see About business ethics). In addition, because many other subjects have a bearing on questions of business ethics, a fourth and highly selective category of 'Background Reading' is appended, with particular emphasis on the area of philosophical ethics for those for whom it may be an unfamiliar area. Finally, note that, as with most other subjects, the internet is becoming an increasingly important and even vital resource for business ethics; and for this see the Links.