Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Practicing What We Teach – Ethical Considerations for Business Schools

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

Abstract

The raging cynicism felt toward businesses and business leaders is a by-product of perceived violations in the social contracts owed to the public. Business schools have a unique opportunity to make a significant impact on present and future business leaders, but ‘practicing what we teach’ is a critical condition precedent. This paper presents frameworks for ethical practices for assessing the social contracts owed by business schools in their role as citizens in the larger community. We identify the ethical implications of business school practices to guide the development of tools for self-assessment and to focus on delivering the implied duties owed to the stakeholders of business schools.

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.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adler, P.S. (2001). Market, hierarchy, and trust: The knowledge economy and the future of capitalism, Organization Science: A Journal of the Institute of Management Sciences 12, 214–234.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ammeter, A.P., Douglas, C., Ferris, G.R., and Goka, H. (2004). A social relationship conceptualization of trust and accountability in organizations, Human Resource Management Review 14, 47–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arbinger Institute (2000). Leadership and Self-Deception. San Francisco, California: Berrett–Koehler.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnard, C.I. (1938). The Functions of the Executive. Cambridge: Harvard.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnett, T. and Schubert, E. (2002). Perceptions of the ethical work climate and covenantal relationships, Journal of Business Ethics 36, 279–290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bews, N.E. and Roussouw, G.J. (2002). A role for business ethics in facilitating trustworthiness, Journal of Business Ethics 39, 377–390.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Block, P. (1938). Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self-Interest. San Francisco, California: Berrett–Kohler.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyle, M.E. (2004). Walking our talk: Business schools, legitimacy, and citizenship, Business and Society 42, 37–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brady, F.N. (1999). A systematic approach to teaching ethics in business, Journal of Business Ethics 19, 309–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell, C. and Clapham, S. (2002). The Mediating Lens and Its Multiple Applications. Paper presented at the Ninth International Conference Promoting Ethics in Business, Niagara University, October (2002).

  • Caldwell, C. and Clapham, S.E. (2003). Organizational trustworthiness: An international perspective, Journal of Business Ethics 47(4), 349–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell, C. and Karri, R. (2005). Organizational governance and ethical systems: A covenantal approach to building trust, Journal of Business Ethics 58, 249–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell, C., Bischoff, S.J., and Karri, R. (2002). The four umpires: A paradigm for ethical leadership, Journal of Business Ethics 36, 153–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell, C., Karri, R., and Vollmar, P. (in press). Principal theory and principle theory: Ethical governance from the followers’ perspective, Journal of Business Ethics.

  • Callahan, D. (2004). The Cheating Culture: Why More Americans are Doing Wrong to Get Ahead. Orlando, Florida: Harcourt.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron, K. (2003a). Organizational virtuousness and performance, In Kim S. Cameron, Jane E. Dutton, and Robert E. Quinn (Eds.), Positive Organizational Scholarship: Foundations of a New Discipline, San Francisco, California: Berrett–Koehler, pp. 48–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron, K.S. (2003b). Ethics, virtuousness, and constant change, In N.M. Tichy and A.R. McGill (Eds.), The Ethical Challenge: How to Lead with Unyielding Integrity, San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass, pp. 185–194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron, K.S., Dutton, J.E., and Quinn, R.E. (2003). Positive Organizational Scholarship: Foundations of a New Discipline. San Francisco, California: Berrett–Koehler.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carrol, A.B. and Buchholtz, A.K. (2003). Business and Society – Ethics and Stakeholder Management. Mason, Ohio: South-Western.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, J.C. (2001). Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't. New York: Harper-Collins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, J.C. and Porras, J.I. (1994). Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. New York: Harper Business.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa, J.D. (1998). The Ethical Imperative: Why Moral Leadership is Good Business. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Perseus.

    Google Scholar 

  • Covey, S.R. (2004). The Eighth Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness. New York: Free.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Pree, M. (1989). Leadership is an Art. New York: Dell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson, T. and Dunfee, T.W. (1999) Ties That Bind: A Social Contracts Approach to Business Ethics. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galford, R.M. and Drapeau, A.S. (2003). The Trusted Leader: Bringing Out the Best in Your People and Your Company. New York: Free.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gioia, D.A. (2003). Teaching teachers to teach corporate governance differently, Journal of Management and Governance 7(3), 225–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenleaf, R.K. (1977). Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness. New York: Paulist.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hosmer, L.T. (1994). Strategic planning as if ethics mattered, Strategic Management Journal 15(5), 17–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hosmer, L.T. (1995). Trust: The connecting link between organizational theory philosophical ethics, Academy of Management Review 20(2), 379–403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karri, R., Caldwell, C., Antonacopoulou, E.P., and Naegle, D. (May 5, 2005). Building Trust in Schools of Business–Opportunities for Ethical Governance. Paper presented at the European Academy of Management Conference.

  • Kohlberg, L. (1981). Moral stages and the aims of education, In L. Kohlberg (Ed.), The Philosophy of Moral Development: Moral Stages and the Idea of Justice, New York: Harper and Row, pp. 1–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kouzes, J.M. and Posner, B.Z. (2002). The Leadership Challenge (3rd Edition). San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kouzes, J.M. and Posner, B.Z. (2003). Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It. (2nd Edition). San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • McLean, B. and Elkind, P. (2003). The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron. London: Penguin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manville, B. and Ober, J. (2003). A Company of Citizens: What the World's First Democracy Teaches Leaders about Creating Great Organizations. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, R.C., Davis, J.H., and Schoorman, F.D. (1995). An integration model of organizational trust, Academy of Management Review (July), 709–729.

  • Merritt, J. (2004). Welcome to ethics 101, Business Week 3904, Oct. 18th, p. 90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Minzber, H. (2004). Managers Not MBAs: A Hard Look at the Soft Practiced of Managing and Management Development. San Francisco, California: Berrett–Koehler.

    Google Scholar 

  • Organ, D.W. (1988). Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Good Soldier Syndrome. Lexington, Massachusetts: Lexington Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paine, L.S. (2003). Value Shift: Why Companies Must Merge Social and Financial Imperatives to Achieve Superior Performance. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parry, K.W. and Proctor-Thomson, S.B. (2002), Perceived integrity of transformational leaders in organisational settings, Journal of Business Ethics 35(2), 75–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pava, M. (2003). Leading with Meaning: Using Covenantal Leadership to Build a Better Organization. New York: Palgrave McMillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeffer, J. (1998). The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prentice, R. (2004). Teaching ethics, heuristics, and biases, Journal of Business Ethics Education 1(1), 57–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rachels, J. (2005). The Elements of Moral Philosophy.

  • Reichers, A.E., Wanous, J.P., and Austin, J.T. (1997). Understanding and managing cynicism about organizational change, Academy of Management Executive 11(1), 48–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rousseau, D.M. (1995). Psychological Contracts in Organizations – Understanding Written and Unwritten Agreements. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rousseau, D.M., Sitkin, S., Burt, R.S., and Camerer, C. (1998). Not so different after all: A cross-discipline view of trust, Academy of Management Review 23(3), 393–404.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schein, E.H. (2003). Organizational Culture and Leadership (3rd edition). San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seidman, D. (2004). The case for ethical leadership, Academy of Management Executive 18(2), 134–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, J.P. and Stefkovich, J.A. (2001). Ethical Leadership and Decision-Making in Education – Applying Theoretical Perspectives to Complex Dilemmas. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simons, H.W. (1976). Persuasion. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solomon, R.C. (1992). Ethics and Excellence: Cooperation and Integrity in Business. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tzafrir, S.S., Harel, G.H., Baruch, Y., and Dolan, S. (2004). The consequences of emerging HRM practices for employees' trust in their managers, Personnel Review 33(6), 628–647.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wech, B. (2002). Trust context: Effect on organizational citizenship behavior, supervisory fairness, and job satisfaction: Beyond the influence of leader–member exchange, Business and Society 41(3), 340–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weick, K.E. (1979). The Social Psychology or Organizing. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittmer, D.P. (2004). Business and community: Integrating service learning in graduate business education, Journal of Business Ethics 51, 359–371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Business, Weber State University, Wallis Building, Ogden, UT, USA

    Cam Caldwell

  2. College of Business and Management, University of Illinois at Springfield, One University Plaza, Springfield, IL, 62703, USA

    Ranjan Karri

  3. School of Business Administration, University of Houston, Victoria, BC, Canada

    Thomas Matula

Authors
  1. Cam Caldwell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ranjan Karri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Thomas Matula
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cam Caldwell.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Caldwell, C., Karri, R. & Matula, T. Practicing What We Teach – Ethical Considerations for Business Schools. J Acad Ethics 3, 1–25 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-006-9007-3

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-006-9007-3

Key Words

Search

Navigation