Institutional culture and individual behavior: Creating an ethical environment |
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Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">Christopher?MeyersEmail author |
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Institution: | (1) Kegley Institute of Ethics, California State University, Bakersfield, 9001 Stockdale Highway, 93311-1099 Bakersfield, CA, USA |
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Abstract: | Much of the work in professional ethics sees ethical problems as resulting from ethical ignorance, ethical failure or evil
intent. While this approach gets at real and valid concerns, it does not capture the whole story because it does not take
into account the underlying professional or institutional culture in which moral decision making is imbedded. My argument
in this paper is that this culture plays a powerful and sometimes determinant role in establishing the nature of the ethical
debate; i.e., it helps to define what are viable action options, what is the organization’s genuine mission, and what behaviors
will be rewarded or criticized. Given these conclusions, I also argue that consulting ethicists need more than an understanding
of ethics theory, concepts and principles; they also need a sufficiently rich understanding of organizational culture and
a willingness and an ability to critique that culture.
An earlier version of this paper was presented at the “Ethics and Social Responsibility in Engineering and Technology” meeting,
New Orleans, 2003. |
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Keywords: | organizational culture Patricia Werhane character consulting ethicist ethnography |
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