Three Dutch employers' organisations are furious with Economic Affairs Minister Maria van der Hoeven after comments she made in a letter to the organisations.

In a letter to the chairpersons of the organisation for Dutch Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers and the Dutch agricultural employers' organisation LTO, she says the financial crisis was partly caused by a lack of values on the part of entrepreneurs.

The minister wants a debate over the integrity and sense of values of the latest generation of managers after report by consultancy KPMG found that young managers were driven by self-interest rather than norms and values based on good business practice.

The chairpersons have responded with a letter to the minister. In it they say the minister's ethical appeal is not aimed at young managers but “shoots indiscriminately” at the whole business community.

The three organisations admit there are things that have been done badly, but they say Ms van der Hoeven is generalising and that is not appropriate for an economic affairs minister.

The three point out that economic recovery will depend on the same entrepreneurs. Nevertheless they do give the minister the benefit of the doubt saying they assume there will be an opportunity to clear up the misunderstanding.