When Commitments Conflict: Making Ethical Decisions Like a Funambulist
Given the complexity of organizations, individuals nowadays are handling an increasing number of commitments. When these commitments come into conflict, they can turn into ethical dilemmas. However, little is known about how individuals make ethical decisions in the face of such conflicting commitme...
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Association International de Management Stratégique (AIMS)
2021-03-01
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Online Access: | https://management-aims.com/index.php/mgmt/article/view/4497/13394 |
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doaj-887623ba255f40a8bbaa97ddbe1871af2021-03-27T14:41:28ZengAssociation International de Management Stratégique (AIMS)M@n@gement1286-46922021-03-0124011510.37725/mgmt.v24i1.44974497When Commitments Conflict: Making Ethical Decisions Like a FunambulistJean Nizet0Pauline Fatien Diochon1Lakshmi Balachandran Nair2Namur University, BelgiumGrenoble Ecole de Management, F-38000 Grenoble, FranceDepartment of Business and Management, LUISS Guido Carli, 00197, Rome, ItalyGiven the complexity of organizations, individuals nowadays are handling an increasing number of commitments. When these commitments come into conflict, they can turn into ethical dilemmas. However, little is known about how individuals make ethical decisions in the face of such conflicting commitments. We investigated this issue within the context of executive coaching, since coaches often interact with multiple stakeholders as part of their assignments. We conducted 37 semi-structured interviews using the critical incident technique, that is, by asking executive coaches to share a situation that was ethically challenging for them. Based on our study, we derive the metaphor of funambulism to depict how individuals make decisions in the case of conflicting commitments. By building on the systemic framework, we show that executive coaches manage an equilibrium ‘along the way’ through an emergent system of practices, which involves making adjustments that can maintain or restore their system’s equilibrium (i.e., compatibility between commitments). This contribution alludes to the dynamic and constructed nature of ethics.https://management-aims.com/index.php/mgmt/article/view/4497/13394ethicssystemic approachhirschmanequilibriumcoaching |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Jean Nizet Pauline Fatien Diochon Lakshmi Balachandran Nair |
spellingShingle |
Jean Nizet Pauline Fatien Diochon Lakshmi Balachandran Nair When Commitments Conflict: Making Ethical Decisions Like a Funambulist M@n@gement ethics systemic approach hirschman equilibrium coaching |
author_facet |
Jean Nizet Pauline Fatien Diochon Lakshmi Balachandran Nair |
author_sort |
Jean Nizet |
title |
When Commitments Conflict: Making Ethical Decisions Like a Funambulist |
title_short |
When Commitments Conflict: Making Ethical Decisions Like a Funambulist |
title_full |
When Commitments Conflict: Making Ethical Decisions Like a Funambulist |
title_fullStr |
When Commitments Conflict: Making Ethical Decisions Like a Funambulist |
title_full_unstemmed |
When Commitments Conflict: Making Ethical Decisions Like a Funambulist |
title_sort |
when commitments conflict: making ethical decisions like a funambulist |
publisher |
Association International de Management Stratégique (AIMS) |
series |
M@n@gement |
issn |
1286-4692 |
publishDate |
2021-03-01 |
description |
Given the complexity of organizations, individuals nowadays are handling an increasing number of commitments. When these commitments come into conflict, they can turn into ethical dilemmas. However, little is known about how individuals make ethical decisions in the face of such conflicting commitments. We investigated this issue within the context of executive coaching, since coaches often interact with multiple stakeholders as part of their assignments. We conducted 37 semi-structured interviews using the critical incident technique, that is, by asking executive coaches to share a situation that was ethically challenging for them. Based on our study, we derive the metaphor of funambulism to depict how individuals make decisions in the case of conflicting commitments. By building on the systemic framework, we show that executive coaches manage an equilibrium ‘along the way’ through an emergent system of practices, which involves making adjustments that can maintain or restore their system’s equilibrium (i.e., compatibility between commitments). This contribution alludes to the dynamic and constructed nature of ethics. |
topic |
ethics systemic approach hirschman equilibrium coaching |
url |
https://management-aims.com/index.php/mgmt/article/view/4497/13394 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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