Showing papers in "Journal of Human Values in 2006"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors link the two factors to present a framework wherein the emergent emergent spirituality at work (SAW) movement has been studied by socio-cultural, organizational and individual.
Abstract: Management of meaning inside organizations has been an enduring issue in organization studies. Issues relating to commitment and control through the meaning-making mechanisms have been studied by organization culture theorists for sometime now. However, rapidly changing dynamics of the business environment lend these issues a critical salience today. Two factors of this dynamic context are particularly noteworthy. Firstly, a redefinition of the long-standing employment relationship—loyalty no longer being traded for lifelong employment—has led management to look for alternative sources of gaining commitment from their employees. Second, several factors—socio-cultural, organizational and individual—have led the employees today to explore issues relating to meaning and purpose in their workplaces. Labelled variously by different scholars, the most widely accepted term for this growing movement is ‘Spirituality at Work’ (SAW). In this article we link the two factors to present a framework wherein the emergen...
34 citations
Abstract: Codes of conduct play an important role in a corporation's effort to institutionalize ethics. The imperative of their implementation and compliance has been widely recognized by corporations across the world. Given this backdrop, a survey has been conducted in India to ascertain: (a) how many corporations have codes of conduct; ( b) whether common ethical issues/themes exist among them; (c) whether they have proper ‘ethics management systems’ in place; and (d) whether codes of conduct reflect any distinctive national character. This article reports the findings of the survey based on content analysis and offers suggestions as to how corporations can make their code an ‘ideal code’ and also scope for further research.
17 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the social accounts employed by 11 highly paid professionals and managers for neutralizing the moral stigma of losing their job due to resume fraud, and explored the retrospective sense making used by resume fraudsters to justify, personally pardon and excuse behaviour seen as morally problematic by others.
Abstract: This article investigates the social accounts employed by 11 highly paid professionals and managers for neutralizing the moral stigma of losing their job due to resume fraud This ethnographic study, based on 66 hours of interviews, explores the retrospective sense making used by resume fraudsters to justify, personally pardon and excuse behaviour seen as morally problematic by others In this study the resume fraudsters sampled were selected because they all found high-paying jobs after their public humiliation, and each one morally disengages They put their transgressions behind them, not by seeing the light of day or asking for forgiveness, but by pointing to the ubiquity of information distortion in their companies, the victimless nature of their so-called transgression, and, most interesting, a portrayal of themselves and their act of resume fraud as the very type of risk taking required to instil capitalism with a passion and a will to succeed The article closes with a discussion of how moral dise
13 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe leadership as the process of evolving adaptive cultures by relating to reality in new ways, and describe leaders as change artists who bring about change by creating institutions and c...
Abstract: This article describes leadership as the process of evolving adaptive cultures by relating to reality in new ways. Leaders are change artists. They bring about change by creating institutions and c...
9 citations
TL;DR: This paper explored the exact nature of an Indian ethics of virtue, which is yet to be explored in a systematic way, by examining traits, character and conditions of virtue in the context of Indian philosophy.
Abstract: The recent revival of interest in the importance of virtues marks a shift of substance and method in thinking about it. The shift is away from discussion of rules and principles and focused on a discussion of traits, character and conditions of their excellence. This article attempts at unfolding the exact nature of an Indian ethics of virtue, which is yet to be explored in a systematic way. This enquiry into the exciting terrain of Indian philosophy inevitably leads to the interesting debate regarding the very possibility of an Indian ethics of virtue.
6 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identify the relationship between values existing in the individual's family and organization with organizational citizenship behavior and show that the congruence between the values of two domains has a significant relationship with the level of organizational citizenship behaviour.
Abstract: As a cluster of behaviours resulting in desired organizational outcomes, antecedents of organizational citizenship behaviours have long been searched. Based on the fact that the work and family domains of individuals closely interact and that harmony between values shared in organizations and the values adopted by individuals, called person–organization fit, have important consequences on the desired outcomes, the research conducted tries to identify the relationship between values existing in the individual's family and organization with organizational citizenship behaviour. The results of the research show that the congruence between the values of two domains has a significant relationship with the level of organizational citizenship behaviour.
5 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the possibilities of jokes, humour and even laughter, and their relation to the language of the statement of truth, are explored, and it may be seen that in spite of the superior claims of the so-called language of truth and its not so veiled indignation at humour and jokes, one category is in dialogue with another in contexts and perhaps with itself.
Abstract: In standard theories of knowledge, issues like jokes, humour and laughter are not dealt with for the simple reason that these categories do not inhabit the world of true knowledge, and are hence not worthy of serious attention or study because these issues do not by their nature contribute to further generation of true knowledge. Taking a cue from Sigmund Freud, this article seeks to work on the possibilities of jokes, humour and even laughter, and their relation to the language of the statement of truth. It may be seen that in spite of the superior claims of the so-called language of the statement of truth, and its not so veiled indignation at humour and jokes, one category is in dialogue with another in contexts and perhaps with itself.
2 citations
TL;DR: The authors found that striving to resolve the puzzle turns into a quest, a search for meaning that, quite unexpectedly, throws light on problems faci...At times we come across traditional sayings that pose enigmas.
Abstract: At times we come across traditional sayings that pose enigmas. Often, striving to resolve the puzzle turns into a quest, a search for meaning that, quite unexpectedly, throws light on problems faci...
1 citations
TL;DR: The authors argued that the main shortcoming of Weber's argument about the link between the Confucian value system and the failure of China to develop a modern form of capitalism is that he overlooked a critical element in this value system, which had the effect of discouraging the accumulation of capital in a period of incipent capitalism.
Abstract: This article reassesses Weber's position on the influence of Confucianism on China's failure to develop the modern form of capitalism by focusing on the conception of wealth among the merchants in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It starts with a review of the criticisms directed towards Weber's theses, including his claim about an affinity between Calvinism and the spirit of capitalism, and his assertion about the lack of moral tensions in Confucianism. We argue that despite the flaws in his analyses, Weber's position that ideas matter is still relevant. The main shortcoming of his argument about the link between the Confucian value system and the failure of China to develop a modern form of capitalism is that he overlooked a critical element in this value system. This was the idea, widely shared among the merchants in late imperial China, of the desirability of disposing of one's wealth. This had the effect of discouraging the accumulation of capital in a period of incipent capitalism. While this idea was i...
1 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that much of sociology lacks an accurate understanding of what it means to be human, and that it often finds itself erroneously searching for probabilistic social laws based on human behavior.
Abstract: Currently, much of sociology lacks an accurate understanding of what it means to be human. Hence, as a discipline, it often finds itself erroneously searching for probabilistic social laws based on...
TL;DR: The implications of HIV/AIDS to the goals of national sustainable development are investigated using theoretical standpoints provided by reflexive modernization, namely, the concepts of risk and reflexive judgement.
Abstract: Despite global acknowledgement of HIV/AIDS reaching pandemic proportions with 37.8 million people (WHO/UNAIDS 2004) living with the infection, progress towards developing effective international responses to curb its spread has been slow. The focus of current debate tends to focus on the medical treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS, leading to emphasis being placed on the rapid increase in HIV infection as well as opportunistic diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria. The traditional view of responding to these challenges has been probing the high cost factors associated with antiretroviral treatment and burgeoning medical care needs. This article argues that these responses are limited in their effect as they have a narrow, medical focus. This article presents a broader perspective. It investigates the implications of HIV/AIDS to the goals of national sustainable development using theoretical standpoints provided by reflexive modernization, namely, the concepts of risk and reflexive judgement. Attentio...
TL;DR: In this paper, a teacher as a leader must work as a catalyst to facilitate the learning process and become a noble master and technology is a revolutionary servant in a more democratic learning environment for greater societal benefits.
Abstract: Education and leadership as an interdisciplinary and collaborative enterprise can further be enhanced by the use of integrated learning methods and the infusion of information technology. A teacher as a leader must work as a catalyst to facilitate the learning process. The creation of democratic environment has become increasingly easier with the use of information technology and the World Wide Web (WWW) and the Internet. Yet the right attitudes in leadership and the adaptive challenges are as equally important as the infusion of technology into classroom learning and teaching for greater democratic transformation in the knowledge society. A teacher then becomes a noble master and technology is a revolutionary servant in a more democratic learning environment for greater societal benefits.