Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

“Human Quality Treatment”: Five Organizational Levels

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Quality is commonly applied to products and processes, but we can also define human quality in dealing with people. This requires first establishing what treatment is appropriate to the human condition. Through an inquiry into the characteristics that define the human being and what ethical requirements constitute a good treatment, we define “Human Quality Treatment” (HQT) as dealing with persons in a way appropriate to the human condition, which entails acting with respect for their human dignity and rights, caring for their problems and legitimate interests, and fostering their personal development. With this in mind, we can distinguish between five different levels or degrees of HQT in organizations which can be characterized by the following terms: (1) maltreatment (blatant injustice through abuse of power or mistreatment), (2) indifference (disrespectful treatment through lack of recognition of people’s personhood and concern), (3) justice (respect for persons and their rights), (4) care (concern for people’s legitimate interests and support for them in resolving their problems), and (5) development (favoring human flourishing, mutual esteem, and friendship-based reciprocity).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. This was the case, e.g., of GM, stimulated, in part, by the dramatic turn-around at GM’s Tarrytown assembly plant in the middle of 1979s (Walton 1985, p. 79).

  2. See Bagtasos (2011) for a recent bibliographical review.

  3. Some researchers prefer that organizational members participate in defining QWL in their own language and meaning (Levine et al. 1984, p. 83).

  4. As exception we can mention Knights and O’Leary (2006), Bevan and Corvellec (2007) and Aasland (2007).

  5. “Human” is probably related to homo (gen. hominis) “man,” and to humus “earth,” on notion of “earthly beings,” as opposed to the gods (Online Etymological Dictionary. “Human”: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=human&searchmode=none). Accessed on June 6, 2012).

  6. Empathy is feeling with someone, feeling a co-experience of the situation or emotional state of another. Compassion, or sympathy toward others, entails feeling sorry or pity for others and supporting them with compassion and sensibility. Emotional intelligence lends the ability to perceive emotion, integrate emotion to facilitate thought, understand emotions, and to regulate emotions to promote personal growth (Mayer and Salovey 1997).

  7. They added: “Daring to care encourages management scholars to expand their focus toward an understanding of how solving organizational problems might ensure a sustainable future. Daring to care is a call to return to our roots and to remember that the role of management is one of integration in all senses of the word—integrating the interests of all parties and integrating passion for one’s work with compassion for others impacted by one’s work” http://annualmeeting.aomonline.org/2010/. Accessed on June 6, 2012.

  8. Personal Communication to the author of Joaquim Borràs and Ricard Casas, CEO and General Manager for managing people, respectively, of ISS Facilities Services in Spain.

References

  • Aasland, D. G. (2007). The exteriority of ethics in management and its transition into justice: A Levinasian approach to ethics in business. Business Ethics: A European Review, 16(3), 220–226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arendt, H. (1958). The human condition. Chicago: Chicago University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aristotle, (1925). The Nicomachean ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aristotle. (2012). Organon—On sophistical refutations. Accessed June 14, 2012, from http://www.ac-nice.fr/philo/textes/Aristotle-Works/06-Organon-6-OnSophisticalRefutations.htm.

  • Arnold, D. G. (2010). Transnational corporations and the duty to respect basic human rights. Business Ethics Quarterly, 20(3), 371–399.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnold, D. G., & Bowie, N. E. (2003). Sweatshops and respect for persons. Business Ethics Quarterly, 13(2), 221–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnold, D. G., & Bowie, N. E. (2007). Respect for workers in global chains: Advancing the debate over sweatshops. Business Ethics Quarterly, 17(1), 135–145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnold, D. G., & Hartman, L. P. (2005). Beyond sweatshops: Positive deviancy and global labour practices. Business Ethics: A European Review, 14(3), 206–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arregui, J. V., & Choza, J. (1992). Filosofía del hombre. Una antropología de la intimidad. Madrid: Rialp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asag-Gau, L., & Dierendonck, D. V. (2011). The impact of servant leadership on organisational commitment among the highly talented: The role of challenging work conditions and psychological empowerment. European Journal of International Management, 5(4), 463–483.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bagtasos, M. R. (2011). Quality of work life: A review of literature. DLSU Business & Economics Review, 20(2), 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker, T. L., Hunt, T. G., & Andrews, M. C. (2006). Promoting ethical behavior and organizational citizenship behaviors: The influence of corporate ethical values. Journal of Business Research, 59(7), 849–857.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bass, B. M., & Steidlmeier, P. (1999). Ethics, character, and authentic transformational leadership behavior. Leadership Quarterly, 10(2), 181–217.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bevan, D., & Corvellec, H. (2007). The impossibility of corporate ethics: For a Levinasian approach to managerial ethics. Business Ethics: A European Review, 16, 208–219.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolton, S. C. (2010). Being human: Dignity of labor as the foundation for the spirit–work connection. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 7(2), 157–172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowie, N. E. (1999). Business ethics: A Kantian perspective. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brion Davis, D. (2006). Inhuman bondage: The rise and fall of slavery in the new world. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, M. E., & Treviño, L. K. (2003). Influence of leadership styles on unethical conduct in work groups. In Academy of Management proceedings (pp. B1–B6).

  • Brown, M. E., Treviño, L., & Harrison, D. (2005). Ethical leadership: A social learning perspective for construct development and testing. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 97(2), 117–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buber, M. (1996). I and thou. New York: Simon and Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Budd, J. W., & Scoville, J. G. (Eds.). (2005). The ethics of human resources and industrial relations. Ithaca, NY: ILR/Cornell University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton, B. K., & Dunn, C. P. (1996). Feminist ethics as moral grounding for stakeholder theory. Business Ethics Quarterly, 6(2), 133–147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton, B. K., & Dunn, C. P. (2005). The caring approach and social issues in management education. Journal of Management Education, 29(3), 453–474.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byre, A. D. (1988). Human rights at the workplace: A handbook for industrial relations practitioners. London: Policy Studies Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chin, K. S., & Sofian, S. (2011). The Impact of human capital and total quality management on corporate performance: A review. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 3(3), 1091–1100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ciulla, J. B. (2002). The ethics of leadership. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clinard, M. B. (1990). Corporate corruption: The abuse of power. New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coles, R. (2000). Lives of moral leadership. London: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crosby, J. F. (1996). The selfhood of the human person. Washington: Catholic University of America Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Danna, K., & Griffin, R. W. (1999). Health and well-being in the workplace: A review and synthesis of the literature. Journal of Management, 25(3), 357–384.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, L. E. (1983). Design of new organizations. In H. Kolodny & H. V. Beinum (Eds.), The quality of working life and the 1980s (pp. 65–86). New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeCelles, K. A., & Pfarrer, M. D. (2004). Heroes or villains? Corruption and the charismatic leader. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 11(1), 67–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deckop, J. R. (2006). Human resource management ethics. Greenwich: IAP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickson, M. W., Smith, D. B., Grojean, M. W., & Ehrhart, M. (2001). Ethical climate: The result of interactions between leadership, leader values, and follower values. Leadership Quarterly, 12, 1–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobson, J., & White, J. (1995). Towards the feminine firm: An Extension to Thomas White. Business Ethics Quarterly, 5(3), 463–478.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson, T., & Dunfee, T. W. (1994). Towards a unified conception of business ethics: Integrative social contracts theory. Academy of Management Review, 19, 252–284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson, T., & Dunfee, T. (1999). Ties that bind: A social contracts approach to business ethics. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehigie, B. O., & McAndrew, E. B. (2005). Innovation, diffusion and adoption of total quality management. Management Decision, 43(6), 925–940.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flynn, G. (2008). The virtuous manager: A vision for leadership in business. Journal of Business Ethics, 78(3), 359–372.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frankl, V. E. (1991). Man’s search for meaning. An introduction to logotherapy. Boston: Beacon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gehlen, A. (1993). Antropología filosófica. Barcelona: Paidós.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilliland, S. W., Steiner, D. D., & Skarlicki, D. P. (2007). Managing social and ethical issues in organization. Greenwich: IAP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goetsch, D. L., & Davis, S. (2009). Quality management for organizational excellence: Introduction to total quality. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education International.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goetsch, D. L., & Davis, S. (2012). Quality management for organizational excellence: Introduction to total quality. New Jersey: Pearson.

  • Gonzalez-Benito, J., & Galende, J. (2009). An analysis of the relationship between total quality management-based human resource management practices and innovation. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(5), 1191–1218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham, J. W. (1991). Servant-leadership in organizations: Inspirational and moral. The Leadership Quarterly, 14, 105–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant, A. M. (2012). Leading with meaning: Beneficiary contact, prosocial impact, and the performance effects of transformational leadership. Academy of Management Journal, 55(2), 458–476.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (1987). A taxonomy of organizational justice theories. Academy of Management Review, 12(1), 9–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership. A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. New York: Paulist Press. There is a more recent edition (2002) from the same publisher.

  • Grojean, M. W., Resick, C. J., Dickson, M. W., & Smith, D. B. (2004). Leaders, values, and organizational climate: Examining leadership strategies for establishing an organizational climate regarding ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, 55, part 2(3), 223–241.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gross, J. A. (2010). A shameful business: The case for human rights in the American workplace by paperback—Feb 11, 2010. New York: Cornell University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haeffner, G. (1989). The human situation. A philosophical anthropology. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartman, E. M. (1998). The role of character in business ethics. Business Ethics Quarterly, 8(3), 547–559.

    Google Scholar 

  • Held, V. (2006). The ethics of care: Personal, political, global. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. (1959). The motivation to work. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hosmer, T. L. (1994). Moral leadership in business. Boston: Irwin Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, J. C. (1998). The servant: A simple story about the true essence of leadership. Roseville, CA: Prima Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackall, R. (1983). Moral mazes: Bureaucracy and managerial work. Harvard Business Review, 61(5), 118–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackall, R. (1988). Moral mazes. The world of corporate managers. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnsen, R., & Gudmand-Høyer, M. (2010). Lacan and the lack of humanity in HRM. Organization, 17(3), 331–344.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanugo, R., & Mendonca, M. (1996). Ethical dimension of leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirkpatrick, S. A., & Locke, E. A. (1991). Leadership: Do traits matter? Academy of Management Executive, 5(2), 48–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knights, D., & O’Leary, M. (2006). Leadership, ethics and responsibility to the other. Journal of Business Ethics, 67(2), 125–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koehn, D. (1995). A role for virtue ethics in the analysis of business practice. Business Ethics Quarterly, 5(3), 533–539.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koehn, D. (1998). Rethinking feminist ethics: Care, trust and empathy. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kowalczyk, S. (1991). An outline of the philosophical anthropology. Frankfurt am Main: P. Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishnakumar, S., & Neck, C. P. (2002). To ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ of spirituality in the workplace. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 17(3), 153–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levinas, E. (1969). Totality and infinity: An essay on exteriority. Pittsburgh: Duquesne University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levinas, E. (1999). Alterity and transcendence. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levine, M. F., Taylor, J. C., & Davis, L. E. (1984). Defining quality of working life. Human Relations, 37(1), 81–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50, 370–396.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, J. D., & Salovey, P. (1997). What is emotional intelligence? In P. Salovey & D. J. Sluyter (Eds.), Emotional development and emotional intelligence: Educational implications (pp. 3–31). New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayo, E. (1933). The human problems of an industrial civilization. Salem, NH: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melé, D. (2009a). Business ethics in action. Seeking human excellence in organizations. New York: Palgrave-MacMillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melé, D. (2009b). Integrating personalism into virtue-based business ethics: The personalist and the common good principles. Journal of Business Ethics, 88(1), 227–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melé, D. (2012). Management ethics: Placing ethics at the core of good management. New York: Palgrave MacMillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melé, D., & Dierksmeier, C. (Eds.). (2012). Human development in business. Values and humanistic management in the in the encyclical « Caritas in Veriate ». New York: Palgrave-MacMillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Messner, J. (1965). Man’s social nature. St. Louis: Herder Book.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moberg, D. J. (2000). Role models and moral exemplars: How employees acquire virtues by observing others? Business Ethics Quarterly, 10(3), 675–696.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neubert, M. J., Carlson, D. S., Kacmar, K. M., Roberts, J. A., & Chonko, L. B. (2009). The virtuous influence of ethical leadership behavior: Evidence from the field. Journal of Business Ethics, 90(2), 157–170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noddings, N. (1984). Caring: A feminine approach to ethics and moral education. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Leary, S. (2004). Human rights case sounds alarm for U.S. multinationals. Corporate Legal Times, 14(157), 68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennington, A., Macklin, R., & Campbell, T. (Eds.). (2007). Human resource management: Ethics and employment. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pless, N., & Maak, T. (2011). Responsible leadership: Pathways to the future. Journal of Business Ethics, 98, 3–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pope Benedict XVI. (2009, June 29). Encyclical letter ‘Caritas in veritate’. Accessed June 15, 2012, from http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate_en.html.

  • Powell, B., & Zwolinski, M. (2012). The ethical and economic case against sweatshop labor: A critical assessment. Journal of Business Ethics, 107(4), 449–472.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radin, T., & Calkins, M. (2006). The struggle against sweatshops: Moving toward responsible global business. Journal of Business Ethics, 66(2), 261–272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramanujam, V., & Mahalingam, S. (2010). Analysis of ethical attitudes of managers in selected information technology companies at Chennai. Advances in Management, 3(5), 41–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reece, B. L. (1984). Effective human relations in organizations. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, D. N. (1989). Aristotle’s psychology. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • RoyChoudhury, K. (2010). Special economic zones in China. Journal of Management, 7(1), 114–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sack, S. M. (2000). The employee rights handbook: The essential guide for people on the job. New York: Warner Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, S. C. (1999). Human and inhuman resource management: Sense and nonsense. Organization, 6(2), 277–284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, B. (1986). The battle for human nature: Science, morality, and modern life. New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shellenbarger, S. (2000, December 27). More relaxed boomers, fewer workplace frills and other job trends. Wall Street Journal, p. B-1.

  • Shin, Y. (2012). CEO ethical leadership, ethical climate, climate strength, and collective organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Business Ethics, 108(3), 299–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sison, A. J. G. (2003). The moral capital of leaders. Why virtue matter. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slote, M. A. (2007). The ethics of care and empathy. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smart, J. J. C., & Williams, B. (1973). Utilitarianism: For and against. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, J. (2010). Exploitation and sweatshop labor: Perspectives and issues. Business Ethics Quarterly, 20(2), 187–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solomon, R. (1993). Ethics and excellence: Cooperation and integrity in business. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solomon, C. R. (1999). A better way to think about business: How personal integrity leads to corporate success. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soter, T. (1996). Looking for Mr. Good Guy. Management Review, 85(8), 32–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spaemann, R. (1989). Lo natural y lo racional: Ensayos de antropología. Madrid: Rialp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steyaert, C., & Janssens, M. (1999a). Human and inhuman resource management: Saving the subject of HRM. Organization, 6(2), 181–198.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steyaert, C., & Janssens, M. (1999b). The inhuman space of HRM: Sensing the subject. Organization, 6(2), 371–383.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swanton, C. (2003). Virtue ethics: A pluralistic view. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tabibnia, G., Satpute, A. B., & Lieberman, M. D. (2008). The sunny side of fairness: Preference for fairness activates reward circuitry (and disregarding unfairness activates self-control circuitry). Psychological Science, 19(4), 339–347.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Dierendonck, D. (2011). Servant leadership: A review and synthesis. Journal of Management, 37(4), 1228–1261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waddock, S. (2007). Leadership integrity in a fractured knowledge world. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 6(4), 543–557.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walton, R. E. (1974). Improving the quality of work life. Harvard Business Review, 52(3), 12–155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walton, R. E. (1985). From control to commitment in the workplace. Harvard Business Review, 63(2), 77–84.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walton, C. (2004). Character and integrity in organizations. The civilization of the workplace. Business and Professional Ethics Journal, 20(2), 105–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whetstone, J. T. (2002). Personalism and moral leadership: The servant leader with a transforming vision. Business Ethics: A European Review, 11(4), 385–392.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, D., & Lean, E. (2008). The impact of perceived leader integrity on subordinates in a work team environment. Journal of Business Ethics, 81(4), 765–778.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wicks, A. C., Freeman, E. R., & Gilbert, D. R. (1994). A feminist reinterpretation of the stakeholder concept. Business Ethics Quarterly, 4(4), 475–498.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, T. D. (2005). Who is my neighbor? Personalism and the foundations of human rights. Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wimbush, J. C., & Shepard, J. M. (1994). Toward an understanding of ethical climate: Its relationship to ethical behavior and supervisory influence. Journal of Business Ethics, 13, 637–647.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winstanley, D., & Woodall, J. (Eds.). (2000). Ethical issues in contemporary human resource management. London: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, T. A., & Goodstein, J. (2007). Character is not “dead” in management research: A review of individual character and organizational-level virtue. Journal of Management, 33(6), 928–958.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IESE Business School, University of Navarra, Barcelona, Spain

    Domènec Melé

Authors
  1. Domènec Melé
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Domènec Melé.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Melé, D. “Human Quality Treatment”: Five Organizational Levels. J Bus Ethics 120, 457–471 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1999-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1999-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation