Ethics in organization and management: The application of contemporary theories of ethical decision-making in global conditions

Abstract

A fundamental challenge for scholars and practitioners of organization and management is the integration of theoretical ethics with practical decision-making. This article discusses the historical evolution of ethics in organization and management through today. Additionally, the article utilizes a compare and contrast approach of three contemporary theories of ethical decision-making, namely ethics of virtue, ethics of care, and ethics of justice, to implicate their applicability to practice under conditions of globalization. Ethics of virtue, care, and justice share common concepts imperative for organizations in a global environment. They address the idea of equality and self-sufficiency and are concerned with the establishment and sustenance of lasting relationships. Organizations can, therefore, succeed in any environment providing that decision makers make the effort to adhere to standards that are moral, fair, caring, and just. Every unethical behavior should be condemned.