Managing organizational ethics: How ethics becomes pervasive within organizations

Abstract

This study analyzes real experiences of culture management to better understand how ethics permeates organizations . In addition to reviewing the literature, we used an action-research methodology and conducted semistructured interviews in Spain and in the U.S. to approach the complexity and challenges of fostering a culture in which ethical considerations are a regular part of business discussions and decision making. The consistency of findings suggests patterns of organizational conditions, cultural elements, and opportunities that influence the management of organizational cultures centered on core ethical values. The ethical competencies of leaders and of the workforce also emerged as key factors. We identify three conditions—a sense of responsibility to society, conditions for ethical deliberation, and respect for moral autonomy—coupled with a diverse set of cultural elements that cause ethics to take root in culture when the opportunity arises. Leaders can use this knowledge of the mechanisms by which organizational factors influence ethical pervasiveness to better manage organizational ethics.

Hospitality’s ethical values and unethical employee behaviour: The mediating roles of work values and the moderating role of perceived organisational support

“…Given the increasing complexity of business ethics in organisations and frequent unethical employee practices, effectively reducing unethical employee behaviour has become an important issue for management (Dimitriou and Ducette, 2018;Martínez et al, 2021). In 2017, many well-known five-star hotels, such as Kempinski, Shangri-La and Sheraton, experienced sanitary incidents; in 2019, 25 employees of the OYO Hotel at China subsidiary were fired for "unethical behaviour. "…”

Factors Influencing the Extent of the Ethical Codes: Evidence from Slovakia

“…The topic of organizational ethics and its formalization was introduced to the Slovak business sector by multinational companies which incorporated them a long time ago and dismissed this practice to countries with interrupted continuity of private business and its managerial practice by state arrangements before 1989 (Kozáková 2020). One of the main reasons is that large companies in both the U.S. and the EU have had to address issues of ethics and corporate culture due to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines (U.S.) and the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (Martínez et al 2020). Moreover, in the system of capitalism which is pervasive among industrially advanced countries (because it satisfies the economic mission most efficiently and effectively), business ethics plays the essential role, because it makes the practice of capitalism more ethical.…”

Corporate Ethics: Philosophical Concepts Guiding Business Practices

“…55 Numerous recent studies 57 have highlighted the linkage of ethical leadership and behavior with the level of trust displayed towards leaders. In today's climate of polarization and division, 58 trust has been suggested to be linked to competence. 59 Contemporary organizations face a series of challenges due to external events causing disruption or demanding change, e.g., economical and job instability, disrupted working environments and remote working, technological developments and environmental concerns impacting the economy.…”

“…3 (2015): 948-965. 58 Stefanie Gustafsson, et al, "Preserving Organizational Trust during Disruption," Organization Studies 42, no. 9 (2020): 1420.…”