slides

1. Organizational Ethics
A Conceptual “Map”

2. Organizational Ethics:
a “conceptual map”
An “external”
perspective on
organizational ethics
cultural matrix
Wider community
organizations

3. Organizational Ethics:
a “conceptual map”
organizations function
within a broader
CULTURAL MATRIX
Social history and tradition
Religion
Political ideals
Economic practices / institutions
Common morality

4. Organizational Ethics:
a “conceptual map”
Common morality
cooperation mutual benefit
reciprocity
common morality
basic social norms
generic expectations for
individual conduct

5. ORGANIZATION’S AIMS/GOALS
MAY CONFLICT WITH
SOCIETY’S AIMS/GOALS
Core issue in organizational ethics

6. “Moral” conflict
Why do organizations experience ethical failures?
two possible answers:
[1] all moral failure is individual
“bad apple thesis”
[2] role morality and institutional inertia create conflict
“organizational culture thesis”

7. Bernard Madoff, investment swindler

8. Law-abiding financial “risk taker”
• Jamie Dimon, CEO JP Morgan/Chase investment bank

9. Organizational ethos and its role in creating ethical
failure

10. Organizational ethos and its role in creating ethical
failure
Failure of Church to protect child abuse victims

11. Organizational ethos and its role in creating ethical
failure
Kenneth Lay, founder/Chair of ENRON Corporation

12. Organizational ethos and its role in creating ethical
failure
Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky of Penn State football

13. Organizational ethos and its role in creating ethical
failure
Gov. Snyder of Michigan

14. Organizational ethos and its role in creating ethical
failure

15. Organizational ethos and its role in promoting ethical
success
Medecins sans Frontieres
Doctors without Borders

16. What is “ethics?”
Broad range of meanings
“contested concept”

17. What is “ethics?”
Professional norms of conduct
Binding/enforceable codes of practice

18. Ethics= professional codes of conduct
Medicine:
Do No Harm
Law:
Defend client interests

19. Ethics= personal values and commitments

20. Ethics= personal values and commitments

21. Ethics: A Critical Standpoint
A perspective we can take on our actions, the
actions of others, and the aims and goals of our
institutions

22. Ethical standpoint
Evaluation
assessment
recommendation
commitment
proposals for reform

23. Ethical standpoint is defined by the difference between two
questions we can ask of our organizations
What are the rules that
define what is the
right thing for me to
do?
What rules best express
and embody our core
aims and values?

24. Ethics: both “direction” and “self critique”
Note: a standpoint that is susceptible to social and organizational
influence and control