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The moral dimension of organizational culture

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Abstract

The lack of concrete guidance provided by managerial moral standards and the ambiguity of the expectations they create are discussed in terms of the moral stress experienced by many managers. It is argued that requisite clarity and feelings of obligation with respect to moral standards derive ultimately from public discussion of moral issues within organizations and from shared public agreement about appropriate behavior. Suggestions are made about ways in which the moral dimension of an organization's culture can be more effectively managed. This is the third in a research series of three papers.

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James A. Waters is Associate Professor of Management Policy at the Faculty of Administrative Studies, York University. He has written several articles, published in various business journals.

Frederick Bird is Associate Professor at the Concordia University. His articles have been published in religious journals.

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Waters, J.A., Bird, F. The moral dimension of organizational culture. J Bus Ethics 6, 15–22 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00382944

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00382944

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