Lyin' T(*)gers, And 'Cares' Oh My: The Case for Feminist Integration of Business Ethics

Abstract

In this re-visioning, business ethics would integrate feminist theories and pedagogy which include the diversity of women in terms of race/ethnicity, class and sexual orientation, thereby expanding its coverage to include issues of power, gender, cultural and theoretical conceptualizations, both in the conceptualization of morality, as well as in ethical constructs of analysis. My research indicates that the integration of feminist scholarship, ethics and pedagogy would make it possible to teach ethical decision making, and ultimately increase the likelihood of ethical behavior, by showing students how to harness the multi-cultural ways of thinking needed to resolve ever more complex organizational problems.

Use of the four-stage model I propose would effectively address the three major issues which make teaching business ethics in a new way to critical. The curricula, as modified, would present enriched ethical theories which are contextual and grounded in experience and which grant the connected nature of all organizational stakeholders. By recreating personal identity, autonomy and power as a theories of community, teaching its responsible use would be easier. Expanding the definition of business ethics to include authenticity and mutuality would move it beyond "social responsibility" to a model of interrelationship which encourage principled thinking leading to more ethical behavior. By combing empirically connected ethical theories, and conflict resolution techniques, ethical precepts can be molded into more usable curriculum models.

The curricula, as modified, presents enriched ethical theories which address cognitive moral development from will to action. It is contextual, grounded in human experience and grants the connected nature of all organizational stakeholders. By recreating personal identity, autonomy and power as theories of community, we could fortify the moral will; by expanding the definition of business ethics to include authenticity and mutuality, sensitivity to ethical issues would move beyond "social responsibility" to discernment of interrelationship, encouraging more principled thinking. Judgment regarding responsible use of institutional resources would be easier, once students were able to combine empirically connected ethical theories and conflict resolution techniques because ethical precepts could be molded into non- abstract curricular models.

My hypothesis is that this approach will produce a more holistic curricula for business ethics. That this course, when defined as the study of how humans grow in their capacity and ability to resolve ethical conflicts, might increase students' ethical analysis, and thus their willingness to act ethically when faced with future moral conflicts. My joyful discovery was that this effort at integration could be enhanced by using an interdisciplinary approach, fusing feminist scholarship from psychology, sociology, and philosophy, as well as economic and business organizational theory. My hope is that re-visioning business ethics as a holistic learning process might enhance moral growth, and better prepare business students who can confidentially use institutional power for ethical ends.