Skip to main content
Log in

The separation of law and justice: Managing impressions of corporate ethics programs

  • Published:
Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article is based on the study of two companies that differ in their definition of thics, one with a narrower definition than the other. The one with the narrower definition invited skepticism about its commitment to the spirit of ethics but was better to claims made against their own standards and language. The implications of these findings for corporate ethics programs are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bies, R. J. (1987). The predicament of injustice: The management of moral outrage. In Cummings, L. L., & Staw, B. M. (Eds.),Research in Organizational Behavior (Vol 9). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cavanagh, G. F., Moberg, D. J., & Velasquez, M., (1981). The ethics of organizational politics.Academy of Management Review, 6, 363–374.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, M. D., & March, J. G. (1974).Leadership and Ambiguity: The American College President. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Building theories from case study research.Academy of Management Review, 14, 532–550.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967).The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Chicago: Aldine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goffman, E. (1952). On cooling out the mark: Some aspects of adaptation to failure.Psychiatry, 15, 451–463.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (1990). Looking fair versus being fair: Managing impressions of organizational justice. In Staw, B. S., & Cummings, L. L. (Eds.),Research in Organizational Behavior (Vol. 12, 111–157), Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J., & Cohen, R. L. (1982). Why justice? Normative and instrumental interpretations. In Greenberg, J., & Cohen, R. L. (Eds.), Equity and Justice in Social Behavior (437–469). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • March, J. G. (1987). Disussion. In Scully, M., & Meyerson, D. (Chairs).In Praise of Hypocrisy. Symposium presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Management, New Orleans.

  • March, J. G. (1979). Foreword, In Krieger, S. (Ed.),Hip capitalism, Beverly Hills: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • March, J. G. (1976). The technology of foolishness. In March, J. G., & Olsen, J. P. (Eds.),Ambiguity and Choice in Organizations (69–81). Bergen, Norway: Universitetsforlaget.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyerson, D., & Scully, M. (1990). Handling the heat: Negotiating the meaning of ethics during the implementation of corporate ethics programs in the defense industry. Working paper, University of Michigan.

  • Meyerson, D., & Scully, M. (1987), Janus in organizations: Coping with ambiguous role images. In Scully, M. & Meyerson, D. (Chairs),In Praise of Hypocrisy. Symposium presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Management, New Orleans.

  • Meyerson, D., & Scully, M. (1988). A justification in time breeds nine: The case of corporate ethics programs in the defense industry. In Bies, R., & Sitkin, S. (Chairs),the Creation of False Peace: On the strategic Use of Explanations to Reconcile Irreconcilable Differences. Symposium presented at the annuaul meeting of the Academy of Management, New Orleans.

  • Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1984).Qualitative Data Analysis. Berverly Hills, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reis, H. T. (1981). Self-presentation and distributive justice. In Tedeshi, J. T. (Ed.),Impression Management Theory and Social Psychological Theory (269–291), New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlenker, B. R. (1980).The Self Concept, Social Idenity, and Interpersonal Relations. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shklar, J. N. (1984).Ordinary Vices. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tedeshi, J. T., & Reis, M. (1981). Verbal strategies and impression management. In Antaki, C. (Ed.),The Psychology of Ordinary Explanations of Social Behavior (271–309). London: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tetlock, P., & Manstead, A. (1985). Impression management versus intrapsychic explanations in social psychology: A useful dichotomy?Psychological Review, 92, 59–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weick, K. (1979).The Social Psychology of Organizing. New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Scully, M., Meyerson, D. The separation of law and justice: Managing impressions of corporate ethics programs. Employ Respons Rights J 6, 277–289 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01385018

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01385018

Key Words

Navigation