Organizations –Leaders –Followers –Ends or Goals- –Means or Strategies- WHY BE GOOD? –What is a good leader? –What is a good follower? –What is a good end? –What is a “good means” Ethics and Organizations: Two Traditions –Idealism: Knowledge-Based (Plato, Aristotle, Judeo-Christian, Kant) –Realism: Power-Based (Sun Tsu, Thrasymachus, Hobbes, Machiavelli)
Plato –Socrates v. Thrasymachus –Gyges Ring –“The Republic” Virtues: Temperance, Honor, Wisdom, Justice Judeo-Christian –Divine Command Kantianism –The Categorical Imperative Common Features of Idealism –Knowledge-Based –Descriptions and Prescriptions Deducted from Abstract Principles –Virtue-Based and Deontological Systems –Methodological Pluralism “Is” and “Ought” an optimistic assessment of human nature (Cooperation, Rationality and Free Will) –Infinite Malleability of Organizations (Nurture Trumps Nature) Malleability of Leaders and Followers
Sun Tsu, The Art of War (6 th century B.C.) Thrasymachus Machiavelli –The Prince –(1517) –The Art of War –Philosophy (Utilitarianism) Human Nature The State Leadership and efficiency Thomas Hobbes –Leviathan (1651) –Reason v. Revelation –Politics as War –Social Contract Rights-Based Leadership –Leadership-Absolutism Common Features –Power-Based (Knowledge/Power) –Skills (Virtu) vs.Knowledge –Inductive-Trial and error