How are you Managing, Ethically Speaking? A Typology Proposal of Ethical Culture

Abstract

Nowadays, integrity management has become a priority. Ethics is formalized in workplaces, within their structures, policies and practices. However, few studies document this formalisation of ethics with regard to its relationship to leadership. Findings from our previous research projects showed that the type of culture prevailing in an organisation is a determining factor for the formalisation of ethics and the promotion of integrity in the workplace. Based on these findings, we proposed four types of ethical cultures: indifferent, controlling, supporting, and capacitating. To verify the theoretical validity of the typology, an action research project was conducted in a large Canadian school. Results confirmed the relevance of the typology, pointing to key characteristics of the cultural transformation taking place.