Manuel Guillén

European vs. American approaches to institutionalisation of business ethics: the Spanish case

This paper reports on a study of the largest Spanish corporations concerning the status of corporate ethics policies. The research project, the first of its kind in Spain, has two parts. First, the types of formal documents the companies use are analysed, including those dealing with ethical values or norms. Three groups of companies are distinguished: the first group has no formal documents dealing with ethical values, and the reasons given for not having any ethical statement are discussed. A second group has one document mentioning ethical values (generally the vision and/or mission statement), and a third group has in place two or more documents (one generic and the other more detailed, such as a code of conduct). The findings show that the latter group is more proactive than the former in implementing measures for promoting business ethics throughout the organisation. In the second part of the research, the study analyses the differences between companies whose headquarters are in Spain, Europe and USA regarding the arguments, the focus and the practices used to formalise business ethics.

The Ethical Dimension of Managerial Leadership Two Illustrative Case Studies in TQM

In recent decades, Total Quality Management (TQM) has become an important phenomenon in the world of business, but the implications and scope of quality programs are quite different everywhere. Since different explanations have been given, most authors agree that management commitment and leadership are indispensable elements for a successful TQM implementation. Nevertheless, the study of the literature reflects a terminological confusion on this point. The authors of this paper argue that commitment and leadership are not synonymous terms.While committed managers may lead the process of quality using exclusively their formal authority, those who are leaders generate a kind of influence that goes further than that. This paper suggests a multidimensional perception of leadership and upholds that only by considering the ethical dimension of leadership, together with technical and psycho-emotive ones, it is possible to explain more accurately interpersonal influences beyond the scope of power. As an illustrative example of the importance of considering each dimensions, the authors present two case studies of TQM implementation.

Leadership ethical dimension: a requirement in TQM implementation

Deals with theoretical arguments that justify why the leadership of managers and its ethical dimension is a powerful enabler for TQM efforts to sustain, together with a systematic management. Starts by setting out a multidimensional conception of leadership in which the ethical sphere is explicitly considered. The principles articulating TQM are then analysed, studying the role of leadership and its ethical dimension, in their implementation. Concludes with five propositions, stating that the explicit consideration of leadership’s ethical dimension is required in order to achieve a complete, deep and sustained deployment of TQM principles. Draws implications for managers and researchers.

Creating Better Human Motivation Theories for Personal Flourishing in Organizations

In order to pursue organizational objectives effectively and to develop skills and virtues that lead to flourishing in the workplace, motivation has to be properly understood and explained. This study contends that the classical and most popular taxonomies describing employee motives and needs have either neglected or minimized the importance of the ethical and spiritual dimensions of motivation, resulting in a model of a person as self-interested, amoral and non-spiritual. This work summarizes, discusses and expands some of the ideas recently published by the author and two other colleagues in the Journal of Business Ethics. There they presented a new categorization of motivations that brings out the full dimensions of being human. Now, the author suggests promoting more critical thinking in the classroom by explaining this taxonomy in relationship with personal flourishing in organizations.

Developing Moral Competence in Higher Education

In the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), moral and ethical competence is nearly absent from curricula development criteria. The recovery and incorporation of moral competence is an essential reflection: by integrating the ethical or moral dimensions of knowledge with the intellectual and technical dimensions, higher education can more effectively respond to the needs of society. This chapter affirms that the concept of habit offers an innovative perspective on human behavior that can contribute towards a more complete understanding and development of the concept of competence, and specifically of “moral competence” for both the sciences and social sciences.