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ETHICS IN MANAGEMENT 1

Ethics in Management

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ETHICS IN MANAGEMENT 2

Management Ethics

Disasters caused as a result of ethical misconduct continue to create significant costly

risks to the continuity as well as the survival of a business. Indeed regular headlines continue to

show that breakdown in the aspect of integrity continues to cost businesses millions of dollars in

fraud, fines and damage to both reputation of the company but also the trust that the firm has

with its customers and clients. This paper therefore critically discusses the notion of whether

ethics in management is a myth.

A growing number of organisations is coming to the fast realization that integrating

ethics in management is key towards ensuring that a firm is able to protect itself and therefore

continue to be sustainable in the marketplace (Ruedy & Schweitzer, 2010, p. 73). This is the

reason why ethical issues are being made a strategic agenda. It is a priority not only because it is

a legal requirement but often because it is the right thing to do. These managers understand that

being aware of their ethical responsibilities enables them to create a corporate culture where

employees are more aware of the ethical implications of their actions and the consequences that

will follow a breach (Wolceshyn, 2011, p. 311).

In many instances, top managers believe that ethical scandals cannot occur within their

organisations since the assumption is that honesty is being integrated into all the activities that

occur within their organisations (Cumbo, 2009, p. 726). The reality however is that many of the

common justifications that occur for ignoring ethical considerations are often based on misplaced

trust on the human nature or simply ignoring the systemic factors that lead to the rise of ethical

scandals. Managers are therefore placing focus on going beyond simply hiring people who are

perceived to be good and morally upright (Darcy, 2010, p. 198).

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Companies continue to systematically hire managers who are perceived to have high

levels of morals and ethics without considering that this is not always a sure way to determine

that ethics will not be breached. For many companies, a false sense of security often leads them

to ignore creating a plan of action that will force their management to act in an ethical manner

knowing full well the harsh consequences that follow any breach (King, 2008, p. 717). Cases of

ethical misconduct from managers are often overlooked leading to poor choices that negatively

impact on the firm in the long run. Indeed many executives simply ignore the risks that

accompany a breach of ethics refusing to hold managers accountable for their actions (King,

2008, p. 720-721).

The society has moved on from instances when it was automatically assumed that all

managers adhere to a core and rigid commitment to understanding and acting in a manner that is

ethical. This is because even those individuals who might be good will find themselves being

influenced by rewards, temptations or other types of pressure that will impact on their ability to

make ethical decisions (Moreno 2010, p.97). Managers will often attempt to rationalize their

unethical actions by blaming the pressure they are put under to deliver results, which is a weak

argument at best. In this regard, many managers simply refuse to accept the fact that doing what

is right begins at the top doing little to clearly establish expectations and constantly striving to

meet them. Rather they create ethical blind spots where employees at different levels are not

aware of what is wrong or unacceptable when they are carrying out their tasks (Moreno 2010, p.

99-100).

The perception that ethics is founded on religion as opposed to either management or

leadership often leads many managers to shy away from adopting it. This is in spite of the fact of

the presence of an ethical culture helps to link values between the individual and the company

ETHICS IN MANAGEMENT 4

and which further creates a situation where every individual is driven by their own personal

values when dealing with their work (Darcy 2010, p. 200). Some managers will argue that since

they have not broken any law per se, then they must not have acted in an unethical manner.

Many cases of fraud such as in Enron continued to be allowed since the managers essentially

believed that since they had not been reported to the law, they must not have been doing

anything that could be thought of as unethical (Wolceshyn 2011 p. 313).

Indeed the large numbers of cases of corporate misconduct often occur as a result of

failure in management. There is little focus on putting in place control mechanisms and ensuring

that they are efficient and effective as a way to ensure that ethics is at the core of al

organisational activities (Ruedy & Schweitzer 2010, p. 76). This is in spite of the fact that it is

often the responsibility of top management to send out a clear and emphatic message to

employees that ethics is a critical aspect of effective business (Ruedy & Schweitzer 2010, p.77).

Conclusion

Even with the increasing focus that society is placing on firms to act in an ethical manner,

ethics within management still remains elusive. Managers still refuse to consider the fact that

positive behaviour begins with them and that employees will only be encouraged to act in a

moral manner if they see a reflection of this from their management. There is little evidence that

managers are putting in place control measures that will encourage employees to constantly act

in an ethical manner. In addition, the perception that ethics is linked to religion or that they have

not broken any law will often lead these managers to argue that their actions cannot be unethical.

Managers continue to engage in fraudulent actions since they receive support from top

management which is more focused on creating profits than the manner in which this is done.

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References

Cumbo, L. J, (2009), “Ethical leadership: The quest for character, civility, and community,”

Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, vol.47, no.4, p. 726

Darcy, K. T, (2010), “Ethical Leadership: The past, present and future,” International Journal of

Disclosure & Governance, vol.7, no.3, pp.198-200

King, M, (2008), “Practical reasoning and ethical decision,” Ethics, vol.118, no.4, pp.717-721.

Moreno, C. M, (2010), “An approach to ethical communication from the point of view of

management responsibilities,” Journal of Applied Ethics, vol.1, pp.97-100

Ruedy, N.E.; & Schweitzer, M.E, (2010), “In the Moment: The Effect of Mindfulness on Ethical

Decision Making,” Journal of Business Ethics Studies, vol.95, pp. 73-77

Wolceshyn, J, (2011), “A Model for Ethical Decision Making in Business: Reasoning, Intuition,

and Ration Moral Principles,” Journal of Business Ethics, vol.104, pp.311-313

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