Abstract
This paper investigates two trends which propose an approach to organisations and ethics different from those advocated by the modern tradition. It firste analyses the re-surfacing of the moral and social thinking of Aristotle in the work of a growing number of organisational theorists. It argues that Aristotle’s contemporary resurgence has been partly within the framework of corporate culturism.
With this in mind, we reinterpret some elements of the Aristotelian social-moral system in such a way that it can be applied to contemporary organisations. Recognising that some Aristotelian concepts can limit its applicability, we then draw on Levinas’ insights. His approach sheds some post-modern light on the social-moral Aristotelian system, by allowing the emergence of a more human and up-to-date vision of organisations and employee management. We contend that the fusion of both discourses results in a more complete understanding of organisations and its articulation with ethics.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Laurie, N & Cherry, C ‘Wanted: Philosophy of Management’ Reason in Practice: The Journal of Philosophy of Management Vol 1 No 1 2001
See, eg, Green, R. The Ethical Manager: a New Method for Business Ethics New York, Macmillan 1994.
MacIntyre, A After Virtue 2nd edition London, Duckworth 1992.
DesJardins, J.R. Virtues and Business Ethics in W.M. Hoffman, J.M. Moore and D.A. Fredo (eds) 1984. Solomon, R. Ethics and Excellence: Cooperation and Integrity in Business New York, Oxford University Press 1992.
Mintz, S. ‘Aristotelian Virtue and Business Education’ Journal of Business Ethics 15 (1996) pp 827–838. Shaw, W.H.. ‘Business Ethics Today: A Survey’ Journal of Business Ethics 15 (1996) pp 489–500. Townley, B. ‘Practical Reason and Performance Appraisal’ Journal of Management Studies 36 (1999) pp 287–306.
Peters, T. J. & Waterman, R. H. In Search of Excellence; Lessons from American Best-Run Companies New York, Harper & Row 1982
Ten Bos, R. ‘Essai: Business Ethics and Bauman Ethics’ Organization Studies 18 (1997) pp 997–1014
Willmott, H.. ‘Strength is Ignorance; Slavery is Freedom: Managing Culture in Modern Organizations’ Journal of Management Studies 30 (1993) pp 515–552.
Davis, S.M.. Managing Corporate Culture Cambridge Mass, Ballinger 1984; Kanter, R.M. The Change Masters London, Allen & Unwin 1984; Ouchi, W.G. Theory Z: How American Business Can Meet the Japanese Challenge New York, Addison-Wesley 1981; Pascale, R. ‘The Paradox of Corporate Culture: Reconciling Ourselves to Socialization’ California Management Review 2 (1985) pp 26–41
Hanckock, P. ‘Baudrillard and the Metaphysics of Motivation: A Reappraisal of Corporate Culturalism in the light of the Work and Ideas of Jean Baudrillard’ Journal of Management Studies 36 (1999) pp 155–175; Willmott, H. ‘Strength is Ignorance; Slavery is Freedom: Managing Culture in Modern Organizations’ Journal of Management Studies, 30 (1993) pp 515–552
There is, of course, a wide body of literature offering different accounts of organisational culture. See eg Schein, E. H. Organizational Culture and Leadership 2nd edition San Francisco, Jossey-Bass Publishers 1992; Hofstede, G., Neuijen, B., Ohayv, D.D. & Sanders, G. ‘Measuring Organizational Cultures: a qualitative and quantitative study across twenty cases’ Administrative Science Quarterly, 35 (1990) pp 286–316; Ouchi, W. G. ‘A Conceptual Framework for the Design of Organizational Control Mechanisms’ Management Science, 25 (1979) pp 833–848. Our interest here is the influence of philosophy of excellence on the resurgence of Aristotelian studies applied to management.
See Willmott loc cit pp 531
See Willmott loc cit pp 532.
Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Revised Oxford Translation The Complete Works of Aristotle Princeton, Princeton University Press 1984 (1094a2)
Mintz, S. ‘Aristotelian Virtue and Business Education’ Journal of Business Ethics 15 (1996) pp 827–838.
Hartman, E ‘Can We Teach Character? An Aristotelian Answer’ Academy of Management Learning and Education 5 nº1 (March 2006) pp 68–81
Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Revised Oxford Translation The Complete Works of Aristotle Princeton, Princeton University Press 1984 (1140b6).
Calori, R. ‘Time and Reflexivity in Organization Studies’ Organization Studies 23 (2002) pp 877–883.
Arjoon, S ‘Virtue Theory as a Dynamic Theory of Business’ Journal of Business Ethics 28 (2000) pp159-178
Buber, M. I and Thou. 2nd edition New York, Charles Scribner’s Sons 1958
Levinas, E. Totalite et Infini:essai sur l’exteriorite La Haye, Martinus Nijhoff 1965
Bauman, Z. Postmodern Ethics Oxford, Blackwell 1993.
Levinas, E. Ethique et Infini:dialogues avec Philippe Nemo Paris, Fayard 1982.
Ten Bos, R. & Willmott, H. ‘Towards a Post-Dualistic Business Ethics: Interweaving Reason and Emotion in Working Life’ Journal of Management Studies 38 (2001) pp 770–793
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Roca, E. Rethinking Aristotelian Communities as Contemporary Corporations. Philos. of Manag. 6, 77–85 (2007). https://doi.org/10.5840/pom20086236
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5840/pom20086236