Skip to main content
Log in

Ethical Behaviour in the South African Organizational Context: Essential and Workable

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

Abstract

The South African business world is increasingly characterised by the absence of clear ethical norms and behaviour. However, changing business circumstances has made South African organizations ethically more vulnerable. Furthermore, new perspectives on the benefits of ethical behaviour make the implementation thereof essential. A theoretical model of ethical behaviour for generating an improved understanding of ethical behaviour in organizational context is discussed. This model is used as a basis for presenting practical suggestions on the implementation of ethical behaviour in organizational context.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Cavanagh, G., D. Moberg and M. Velasquez: 1981, ‘The Ethics of Organizational Politics’, Academy of Management Review 3, 363–374.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coetzee, J.: 1990, ‘Selfbestuur’, in G. Van Der Walt (ed.), Venster op die Sakewêreld (Nasionale Boekdrukkery, Goodwood).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, A. and G. Arde: 1997, ‘Local Business Believed Involved in Government Corruption – Big Fraud Cover-up Probe’, The Daily News, 22 April 1997, p. 3.

  • De Beer, E.: 1994, ‘Stealing South African Blind: The Scourge of White Collar Crime’, Servanus 87(9), 44–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Vries, J.: 1993, Bestuursetiek. Paper presented at workshop: “Werksetiek binne die Suid-Afrikaanse Organisasiekonteks” held on 21 June 1993, Pretoria.

  • Esterhuizen, W.: 1992, “Sake-etiek” (Nasionale Boekdrukkery, Goodwood).

    Google Scholar 

  • Filsen, M.: 1993, The media and ethics in South Africa. Paper presented at conference: Ethics and corruption held on 14 October 1993, Johannesburg.

  • Finance Staff: 1997, ‘We're In For a Tough One, Warns Chamber’, The Daily News, 13 January 1997, p. 8.

  • Gilbreath, R. D.: 1987, ‘The Hollow Executive’, New Management 4(4), 6–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hegarty, W. and H. Simms: 1978, ‘Some Determinants of Unethical Decision Behaviour’, Journal of Applied Psychology 63(4), 451–457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, M. E.: 1993, Ethics and corruption. Paper presented at conference: Ethics and corruption held on 14 October 1993, Johannesburg.

  • Lapin, D.: 1992, ‘It's Not Too Late to Reverse the Ethical Decline’, Concepts 1(4), 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levenson, H.: 1974, ‘Activism and Powerful Others: Destination Within the Concept of Internal-External Control’, Journal of Personality Assessment 38, 377–383.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDonald, G. and R. Zepp: 1994, ‘Business Ethics: Practical Proposals’, in J. Drummond and B. Bain (eds.), Managing Business Ethics (Butterworth, Oxford).

    Google Scholar 

  • Parson, R.: 1993, Business ethics in South Africa. Paper presented at conference: Ethics and Corruption held on 14 October 1993, Johannesburg.

  • Pastin, M.: 1987, ‘Ethics and Excellence’, New Management 4(4), 44–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pastin, M.: 1994, ‘Ethics as an Integrating Force in Management’, in J. Drummond and B. Bain (eds.), Managing Business Ethics (Butterworth, Oxford).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranken, N. L.: 1987, ‘Corporating as Persons: Objections to Good Pastors Principle of Moral Projection’, Journal of Business Ethics 6, 633–637.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rossouw, D.: 1994, Business Ethics – A Southern African Perspective (Southern Book Publishers (Pty) Ltd., Halfway House).

    Google Scholar 

  • Schoeman, W. S.: 1995, White-collar crimes in South Africa. Discussions with Brig. Schoeman on crime figures as recorded by the South African Police in Rapport, of 15 January 1995, Pretoria.

  • Seery, B. and P. Naidoo, P.: 1997, High-tech revenue sleuths find R1bn in unpaid taxes as they stalk dodgers, in The Sunday Independent, 27 July 1997, p. 3.

  • Spira, J.: 1997, ‘Time for a Return to Ethics and Strict Codes in Business’, The Star, 19 May 1997, p. 5.

  • Stead, W. E., D. L. Worrel and G. S. Stead: 1994, ‘An Integrative Model for Understanding and Managing Ethical Behaviour in Business Organizations’, in J. Drummond and B. Bain (eds.), Managing Business Ethics (Butterworth, Oxford).

  • Trevino, L. K.: 1987, ‘Ethical Decision-making in Organizations’, Academy of Management Review 1(3), 601–617.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Jaarsveld, B.: 1988, ‘Business Ethics: Fact or Fad?’, IPB Journal 6, 12–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Zyl, E. S.: 1993, ‘Business Ethics in Practice Within South African Companies’, Human Resource Management 9, 30–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watkins, M. L.: 1993, The performance values of white and black managers in South Africa. Paper presented at workshop: “Werksetiek binne die Suid-Afrikaanse OrganisasieKonteks held on 21 June 1993, Pretoria.

  • Willmot, P. L.: 1994, ‘The Prevention and Detection of White Collar Crime’, Accountancy South Africa 4(4), 4–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wirley, R.: 1993, The creation of a corporate climate conducive to ethical conduct. Paper presented at conference: Ethics and corruption held on 14 October 1993, Johannesburg.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

van Zyl, E., Lazenby, K. Ethical Behaviour in the South African Organizational Context: Essential and Workable. Journal of Business Ethics 21, 15–22 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006095930895

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006095930895

Keywords

Navigation