The Battle for Business Ethics: A Struggle Theory

54 Pages Posted: 21 Apr 2015 Last revised: 22 Apr 2015

See all articles by Muel Kaptein

Muel Kaptein

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Rotterdam School of Management (RSM)

Date Written: April 20, 2015

Abstract

To be and to remain ethical requires struggle from organizations. Struggling is necessary due to the pressures and temptations management and employees encounter in and around organizations. As the relvance of struggle for business ethics has not yet been analysed systematically in the scientific literature, this paper develops a theory of struggle that elaborates on the meaning of struggle in organizations, why and when it is needed, and what its antecedents and consequences are. An important conclusion is that the greater the ethics gap and opposing forces, the greater the struggle required. Viewing business ethics as struggle has several implications for theory and practice.

Keywords: ethics, integrity, struggle, politics, compliance, morality, battle, fight, competition, dilemmas

Suggested Citation

Kaptein, Muel, The Battle for Business Ethics: A Struggle Theory (April 20, 2015). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2596657 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2596657

Muel Kaptein (Contact Author)

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) ( email )

P.O. Box 1738
Room T11-53
3000 DR Rotterdam, 3000 DR
Netherlands
+31 10 408 1923 (Phone)

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