What criteria can be put forward for a management to be qualified as ethical or morally responsible? Before thinking on a rational moral perspective, it should be mentioned that our decisions or ethical choices depend on the individual, a situation and the interaction between both. The decision-making process is the result of this interaction between these two and this assumption is consensual on all empiricist decision-making models of the last decades (Rest, 1982, Trevino, 1986 and Jones, 1991). Another consensus is the need for the individual to possess a moral conscience to deal with the ethical situation (Trevino & Brown, 2004).
Ethical decision-making models replicate the ways in which managers must deal with ethical problems and provide them with a stepwise decision-making model (Rest, 1982, Trevino, 19986 and Jones, 1991). They analyze ethical behavior through the lens of a rational process in which the 'right action' is understood not only in the consequences but throughout the process (Vergés, 2010). However, none of these models provide clear guidelines that make explicit the influence of context in the process. Models, some of which have been developed by psychotherapy, considering the moral dilemma as the beginning of ethical deliberation (Trevino, 1986 and Vergès, 2010). Note that the importance of context for the beginning of the ethical reflection process is central. O'Fallon and Butterfield (2005) have demonstrated in their meta-analysis on the ethical decision-making process that the influence of the environment or context depends on many factors: the ethical climate, the code of ethics, the ethical culture of the organization, etc. Contextual factors can be said to influence the process and outcomes of ethical decision making (O'Fallon and Butterfield. 2005 and Vergès, 2010).
The contextual factors’ study requires more scholarly attention, including the influence of peers (O'Fallon and Butterfield. 2005). Acknowledging that our consciousness is partly shaped by the presence of others (Sartre, 1943), we might see this as an avenue for research. Awareness of the facts and ethical issues within this context may have some influence. Adding the awareness factor in ethical decision-making models would offer a better consideration of all the elements influencing the steps of the decision-making process prescribed by those same models (Vergès, 2010). The effect of context on consciousness should therefore be explored in order to perceive whether its influence, both negative and positive, can obstruct the ethical insight of the individual placed in a dilemma situation. Introducing context into the frameworks for analyzing decision models would allow us to change the way we think about and perceive ethical problems by considering some particular aspects. By doing so, we could develop "a greater awareness of our context of ethical issues, which in turn will help us to make a better decision." (Vergès, 2010, p.502).
We believe that a more contingent or contextual way can better report on behaviors, decisions and principles that govern our contemporary management. We therefore wish to focus not on the prescription of norms, but rather on the establishment of a dialogue between situational reflexivity and critical experience. The perspective we wish to propose is therefore part of a more diversified stream of both subjects and approaches. As examples of situations where contexts may be of interest: the leaders of SMEs and VSEs, ethics of cooperatives, corporate social responsibility, marketing issues, human resources challenges, financial contexts or any other ethical issue facing modern management. The focus is on individuals in an ethical situation or context, which marks this meeting by its interest in putting the human being at the center of our concerns. It is a humanistic vision that will guide our meeting.
This year, our workshops will focus on the study of ethics applied to management. In doing that, we would like to explore the circumstances of the ethical contingency of management specialties. We aspire to explore the fields of applied ethics in business such as marketing, human resources, finance, operations management, economics, accounting, etc. This list is by no means exhaustive. Our only goal is to open the field to the complexity and diversity of the realities of ethics applied to the business world with the specific point of view of the human being in a management situation.
Hoping that we have aroused your interest, we invite you to the next research days on ethics applied to management situations organized jointly by ESSCA Ecole de Management (Aix-en-Provence campus) and UQAM (Montreal) from April 6 to 8, 2022. Please send us your paper proposal by February 14, 2022. Please note that a special issue for an academic journal is expected.
We look forward to seeing you and discussing together in Aix en Provence!
----------------- The organizing team -----------------
Organizing Commitee
Ewan OIRY
Professor, UQAM (Canada)
Loubna TAHSSAIN-GAY
Associate Professor, ESSCA School of Management (France)
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