Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Female Managers' Ethical Decision-Making: A Multidimensional Approach

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

Abstract

The increasing number and influence of women in society brings up several issues related to values and ethics. Looking at business ethics from the gender perspective made us ponder if it would be fruitful to analyse the feminine and masculine dimensions of decision-making style. The article follows the research tradition using the multidimensional ethics scale, and it aims at developing the scale to better include female decision-making. We came to the conclusion that, as the multidimensional ethics scale used in measuring managers' moral decision-making is derived from modern ethical theories focusing on indications of masculinities more than femininities, the scale leaves feminine decision-making dimensions invisible. Our argument is that in seeking a deeper understanding of (female) managers' moral decision-making, we must find a broader basis for the analysis and develop the scale further so that it allows different voices to be heard and different dimensions to be seen.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aaltonen, T. and L. Junkkari: 1999, Yrityksen arvot ja etiikka (WSOY, Helsinki).

    Google Scholar 

  • Airaksinen, T.: 1987, Moraalifilosofia (WSOY, Helsinki).

    Google Scholar 

  • Alvesson, M. and H. Willmott: 1995, ‘;Strategic Management as Domination and Emancipation’, Advances in Strategic Management 12A, 85–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beauchamp, T. L. and N. E. Bowie (eds.): 1983, Ethical Theory and Business, 2nd Edition (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ).

    Google Scholar 

  • Boatright, J. R.: 1993: Ethics and the Conduct of Business (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J., L. Pant and D. Sharp: 1993, ‘A Validation and Extension of a Multidimensional Ethics Scale’, Journal of Business Ethics 12, 13–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cruz, C. A., W. E. Shafer and J. R. Strawser: 2000, ‘A Multidimensional Analysis of Tax Practitioners’ Ethical Judgments’, Journal of Business Ethics 24(3), 223–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Denzin, N. K. and Y. S. Lincoln: 2000, ‘Introduction: The Discipline and Practice of Qualitative Research’, in N. K. Denzin and Y. S. Lincoln (eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research, 2nd Edition (Sage, Thousand Oaks), pp. 1–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derry, R.: 1996, ‘Toward a Feminist Firm: Comments on John Dobson and Judith White’, Business Ethics Quarterly 6(1), 101–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derry, R: 1997, ‘Ethics of Care’, in P. H. Werhane and R. E. Freeman (eds.), Encyclopedic Dictionary of Business Ethics (Blackwell, Massachusetts), pp. 254–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeGeorge, R. T.: 1999, Business Ethics, 5th Edition (Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ).

    Google Scholar 

  • DeGeorge, R. T.: 1986, Business Ethics, 2nd Edition (Macmillan, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobson, J. and J. White: 1995, ‘Toward the Feminine Firm: An Extension to Thomas White’, Business Ethics Quarterly 5(3), 463–478.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson, T. and P. H. Werhane: 1983, Ethical Issues on Business, 2nd Edition (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ).

    Google Scholar 

  • Employment Outlook: 2002. June (OECD).

  • Gherardi, S.: 1995, Gender, Symbolism and Organizational Cultures (Sage, London).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilligan, C.: 1982, In a Different Voice. Psychological Theory and Women's Development (Harvard University Press, Cambridge).

    Google Scholar 

  • Grace, D. and S. Cohen: 1995, Business Ethics (Oxford University Press, Oxford).

    Google Scholar 

  • Green, R. M.: 1994, The Ethical Manager. A New Method for Business Ethics (Macmillan, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gug, M. E.: 1990, Ethical Decision Making in Everyday Work Situations (Greenwood Press, Quorum Books, Wesport, Connecticut).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, R. S.: 1992, ‘A Multidimensional Scale for Measuring Business Ethics: A Purification and Refinement’, Journal of Business Ethics 11, 523–534.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henthorne, T. L., D. P. Robin and R. E. Reidenbach: 1992, ‘Identifying the Gaps in Ethical Perceptions Between Managers and Salespersons: A Multidimensional Approach’, Journal of Business Ethics 11, 849–856.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaggar, A.: 1992, ‘Feminist Ethics’, in L. Becker and C. Becker (eds.), Encyclopedia of Ethics (Garland Press, New York), pp. 363–364.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaggar, A.: 1993, ‘Taking Consent Seriously: Feminist Practical Ethics and Actual Moral Dialogue’, in E. R. Winkler and J. R. Coombs (eds.), Applied Ethics: A Reader (Blackwell, Cambridge, Massachusetts), pp. 69–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, G. and K. Scholes: 1999, Exploring Corporate Strategy, 5th Edition (Prentice Hall Europe, London).

    Google Scholar 

  • Koehn, D.: 1998, Rethinking Feminist Ethics. Care, Trust and Empathy (Routledge, London).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kujala, J.: 2001a, Liiketoiminnan moraalia etsimässä. Suomalaisten teollisuusjohtajien sidosryhmänäkemykset ja moraalinen päätöksenteko (Jyväskylän yliopisto, Jyväskylä).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kujala, J.: 2001b, ‘A Multidimensional Approach to Finnish Managers’ Moral Decision-Making’, Journal of Business Ethics 34(3—4), 231–254.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lammi, P.: 1989, ‘Onko liike-elämällä moraalia?’ Kansantaloudellinen aikakauskirja 2, 131–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Legge, K.: 1995, ‘HRM: Rhetoric, Reality and Hidden Agendas’, in J. Storey (ed.), Human Resource Management. A Critical Text (Routledge, London), pp. 33–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lehtimäki, H.: 2000, Strategiatarina kaupungista ja sen toimijoista (Acta Universitatis Tamperensis 746, Acta Electronica Universitatis Tamperensis 32, at http:// acta.uta.fi, Tampereen yliopisto, Tampere).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lilius, A.-L.: 2003, ‘Naiset johtoon tai kiintiöt käyttöö n’, Talouselämä 13, 28–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loe, T. W., L. Ferrell and P. Mansfield: 2000, ‘A Review of Empirical Studies Assessing Ethical Decision Making in Business’, Journal of Business Ethics 25(3), 185–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, D.: 1997, ‘Utilitarianism’, in P. H. Werhane and R. E. Freeman (eds.), Encyclopedic Dictionary of Business Ethics (Blackwell, Massachusetts), pp. 640–644.

    Google Scholar 

  • Machan, T. R.: 1997, ‘Egoism, Psychological Egoism and Ethical Egoism’, In Werhane, Patricia H. and Freeman R. Edward (eds.), Encyclopedic Dictionary of Business Ethics (Massachusetts: Blackwell), pp. 192–195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oviatt, B. M. and P. P. McDougall: 1994, ‘Toward a Theory of International New Ventures’, Journal of International Business Studies 25(1), 45–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearson, G.: 1995, Integrity in Organizations (McGraw-Hill, London).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen, D. M.: 1997, ‘Postmodernism and Business Ethics’, in P. H. Werhane and R. E. Freeman (eds.), Encyclopedic Dictionary of Business Ethics (Blackwell, Massachusetts), pp. 492–494.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reidenbach, R. E. and D. P. Robin: 1988, ‘Some Initial Steps toward Improving the Measurement of Ethical Evaluations of Marketing Activities’, Journal of Business Ethics 7, 871–879.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reidenbach, R. E. and D. P. Robin: 1990, ‘Toward the Development of a Multi-dimensional Scale for Improving Evaluations of Business Ethics’, Journal of Business Ethics 9, 639–653.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sillanpää, M.: 1990, Yrityksen yhteiskunnallisen vastuun käsite ja sen implikaatiot yrityksen strategiselle pää-töksenteolle (University of Tampere, School of Business Administration), Series A2: 53.

  • Stewart, D.: 1996, Business Ethics (McGraw-Hill, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Tong, R.: 1997, ‘Feminist Ethics’, in P. H. Werhane and R. E. Freeman (eds.), Encyclopedic Dictionary of Business Ethics (Blackwell, Massachusetts), pp. 274–278.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsalikis, J. and O. Nwachukwu: 1988, ‘Cross-Cultural Business Ethics: Ethical Beliefs Difference between Blacks and Whites’, Journal of Business Ethics 7, 745–754.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsalikis, J. and M. Ortiz-Buonafina: 1990, ‘Ethical Beliefs’ Differences of Males and Females’, Journal of Business Ethics 9, 509–517.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vanhala, S.: 1999, ‘Yksityisen Sektorin Johtajamarkkinat Lamasta Nousuun’, in E.-S. Veikkola (ed.), Onko huipulla tyyntynyt. Changes at the Top, Työmarkkinat 12 (Tilastokeskus, Helsinki).

    Google Scholar 

  • Velasquez, M. G.: 1992, Business Ethics. Concepts and Cases, 3rd Edition (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Johanna Kujala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tarja Pietiläinen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kujala, J., Pietiläinen, T. Female Managers' Ethical Decision-Making: A Multidimensional Approach. Journal of Business Ethics 53, 153–163 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BUSI.0000039405.20533.1c

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BUSI.0000039405.20533.1c

Search

Navigation