Organizational Ethics

Organizational Ethics

2005

Introduction

In the industrial era , organizations have created untenable problems for moral experts by becoming bothersome illustrations of the dynamic social processes that defy attempts to apply traditional moral theory and detached philosophical wisdom . Kaufman (1973 ) observed that bureaucratic managers often privately approve of behavior that they acknowledge publically as illegal or unethical . Expectations for loyalty to the organization and for obedience to managerial direction set the a priori guidelines for moral conduct , and a given organization can develop and impose its own form of influence

on the individual with an organizationally specific moral that can seem to pre-empt external social . Organization members can defy common social or religious morality when they are acting on behalf of the organization and feel justified in doing so because their behavior is judged within the context of the organization (Jackall , 1988 . Yet , employees rarely exhibit unacceptable behavior in society that is acceptable inside the organization 's boundaries . Society holds the organization accountable as a rational actor , but rarely are the individuals actually responsible for creating organizational outcomes entailed in that accountability

Modern understanding of ethics emphasizes the behavioral aspects to the extent that the words ethics and morals are commonly used interchangeably by philosophers to refer to behavioral standards , codes of conduct or principles upon which these standards and codes are based But , the different words imply different things . According to Bauman 'ethics is something more than a mere of what people do more even than a of what they believe they ought to be doing in to be decent , just , good - or , more generally "in the right (1994 : 1

All organization members make decisions , the collective manifestations of which fall into certain patterns that result in more or less consistent outcomes . The exploration of these patterns can be conducted using political frameworks . Deetz has asserted that organizations make most decisions regarding the use of resources , the development of technologies , the products available , and the working relations among people (1992 : 3 . While it can be argued that a substantial portion of industrial technology is developed at the behest of the military , it is clear that organizations have taken on many roles heretofore expected of government . Deetz further suggested that the state 's power is restricted to crude guidance through taxation and regulation

Philosophical Aspect of Organizational Ethics

The examination of contemporary nature and functioning of organization could be considered in terms of Aristotle 's philosophical system Clearly the structure of society Aristotle had in mind when he wrote The Politics (Aristotle , 1962 ) was something completely different than the structure of industrial society . However , it may be possible to speculate on how he might have applied his fundamental principles of governance to modern times . Aristotle would certainly not regard a large and pluralistic country such as the USA or any industrial European country as the equivalent of a city /state (hereafter referred to as a polis - a political community . A polis , he said 'must have a...