The Compliant and Ethical Person Andrew G.McGrady Ph.D.
The presentation will explore the relationship between ethics and compliance from the perspective of the human person who as 'actor' is responsible for compliance.
(Regulatory) Compliance ‘Adherence to standards, regulations, and other requirements’. AMG: Rule governed behaviour based upon judgements. Personal Organizational External The person who adheres. The standards, regulations and requirements to be adhered to. The person about whom a decision is being made
Compliance, as an organizational requirement, is a process carried out by human actors.
Starting points….. Ethical action is at the heart of being a human person. In every action the individual is constantly invited to be a free, relational and rational ethical agent. Human failure is a reality, as is organizational failure.
COGNITIVE What I /we KNOW AFFECTIVE What I FEEL VALUATIONAL What I / we VALUE VOLITIONAL What I CHOOSE
KNOW FEEL VALUE CHOOSE
Being Ethical is a Personal Journey From egocentricity to altruism (decentring). From external rules to appropriated ethical principles and values. The cognitive component of ethics (moral reasoning and judgement) emerges through a clearly defined set of stages which set the upper limit of capability.
in the Individual person Pre-Conventional CONVENTIONAL Post-Conventional
Pre-Conventional Morality Stage 1 Rules are obeyed to AVOID PUNISHMENT by one more powerful. Stage 2 Rules are obeyed if they lead to PERSONAL GAIN
CONVENTIONAL MORALITY Stage 3 Rules are obeyed for the APPROVAL of significant others Stage 4 Rules are obeyed to maintain the SOCIAL ORDER
Post-Conventional Morality Stage 5 Morality based upon agreed SOCIAL CONTRACT and HUMAN RIGHTS Stage 6 Morality based upon UNIVERSAL MORAL PRINCIPLES
Case Study 1: Why be compliant? Avoid Punishment Personal Gain Approval of Significant Other Maintain Social Order Social Contract and Human Rights Universal Moral Principles A red light means ‘stop’. If the light is red as you approach it, you must not go beyond the stop line at the light, or if there is no stop line, beyond the light. A green light means you may go on if the road is clear. (RSA Ireland, Rules of the Road)
Case Study 2: Why be compliant and to what rule? Avoid Punishment Personal Gain Approval of Significant Other Maintain Social Order Social Contract and Human Rights Universal Moral Principles After stopping officers may proceed against a red light only during a Code 1 response provided that the officer has taken reasonable care to ensure that the crossing is visually cleared with all potential lines of traffic or pedestrians accounted for and that it is safe to proceed. (Queensland Ambulance Service, Code of Practice)
VIRTUE CHARACTER CITIZENSHIP AUTONOMY CONSCIENCE
How can organizations support the ethical development and action of their employees?
Organizational Culture and Ethos
Organizational Culture Is… Watkins 2013 (Harvard Business Review) how organizations ‘do things’. what is incentivized. ‘civilization’ in the workplace. the organization’s immune system. part of the main culture of the society we live in. varied, existing in organizational sub-cultures. living and adaptive.
The LEGAL test: is the choice I make LAWFUL? Kidder 1995 The LEGAL test: is the choice I make LAWFUL? The GUT test: do I feel comfortable with this decision? The FRONT PAGE test: would I be happy to defend this decision to the public? The ROLE-MODEL test: if I was X would I make this decision?
Organizational Leadership Richard L. Daft (Management and Leadership) Implications of Kohlberg’s Theory for Organizational Leadership
MA in Ethics (Corporate Responsibility The ADVERT MA in Ethics (Corporate Responsibility http://www.materdei.ie/ethics-corporate-responsibility