Ethical problems continually confront managers in
the workplace, but how do they know what the “right”
thing to do is? A manager’s world is more
complicated than choosing between “doing well”
and “doing good.” It is difficult enough to identify
the ethical dimensions of their decisions in the
first place, let alone consider the consequences of
the various actions that might follow. Nor are
scholars certain of how to research ethics within
organizations. This book studies discourse theory to
help both managers and academicians. Within
discourse theory, language is seen constitutive of
reality. This has consequences for business ethics
because, after all, how we look at the world and
perceive facts determine how we value. The book’s
three empirical studies of customer discourses of
bankers, veterinarians and charity workers pose some
intriguing questions while framing the discourse
analyses. Does the Rabobank treat its customers the
same way as its competitors? Do fundraisers and
managers of charities define “customer” differently?
How do veterinarians deal with conflicts of interest
between animals and animal owners? The answers lie
within.