ABSTRACT
The classical, normative, theories of organisational ethics are not well aligned with the contemporary needs of the fast-changing world and its new forms of interaction and relationships. New theories and concepts are emerging, proposing that organisations should be taken as a network of conversations, in which professionals look at situated practices when creating ethical interventions. In this chapter, a relational perspective on ethics is presented, which entails awareness and sensitivity towards the organisational context. There lies an invitation, inspired by social constructionist thinking, to resort to more contextual ethical actions, which portray the need of co-creation amongst all involved. Without throwing ethical codes as protection measures overboard, it is stated that dealing with ethical issues in daily organisational life should try to go beyond a ‘one-size-fits-all’ ethics by also reckoning with locally crafted moral orders. Three themes are discussed in this chapter and the ethical dilemmas related to them are illustrated in three cases. The ethical themes expressed in these cases include effective leadership, good corporate governance and fraud, and responsible business – with specific reference to the responsibilities employers have towards the working conditions of their employees.
