Contextual Morality

Ethical problems continually confront managers in §the workplace, but how do they know what the right §thing to do is? A manager s world is more §complicated than choosing between doing well §and doing good. It is difficult enough to identify §the ethical dimensions of their decisions in the §first place, let alone consider the consequences of §the various actions that might follow. Nor are §scholars certain of how to research ethics within §organizations. This book studies discourse theory to §help both managers and academicians. Within §discourse theory, language is seen constitutive of §reality. This has consequences for business ethics §because, after all, how we look at the world and §perceive facts determine how we value. The book s §three empirical studies of customer discourses of §bankers, veterinarians and charity workers pose some §intriguing questions while framing the discourse §analyses. Does the Rabobank treat its customers the §same way as its competitors? Do fundraisers and §managers of charities define customer differently? §How do veterinarians deal with conflicts of interest §between animals and animal owners? The answers lie §within.