Steve May

Steve May is an Associate Professor and Department Associate Chair in the Department of Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He serves as Director of Graduate Studies and focuses on organizational ethics, corporate social responsibility, and the intersection of work and identity. His research critiques traditional dichotomies in business ethics and advocates for humane, responsible organizational practices.

May holds a PhD and has authored influential books like The Handbook of Communication Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility: Virtue or Vice?. His work bridges interpretive communication theories with critical studies of power and organizational discourse. Recent honors include the Thorp Faculty Engaged Scholar and Arthur W. Page Center Ethics Scholar fellowships.

His current projects examine ethical dilemmas in organizations, the societal impact of corporations, and strategies for fostering accountability. May’s research emphasizes dialogue, transparency, and participatory ethics to strengthen organizational morality. He critiques CSR programs for potential hypocrisy while proposing frameworks for truly equitable corporate-society relationships.