Emergent Indicators Lock and Unlock Public Organizations: An Ethic of Commitment

This article focuses on management indicators, their emergence, theirs functions and their impact for a public action. It does so through an analysis of the implementation of indicators in three forest management units in Belgium, France and Luxembourg. M. Crozier theory and M. Callon theory are crossed to drawn attention to the manner in which, at the micro-level, indicators are worked out. We argue that these emergent measurements are vectors of a particular ethic of behavior. Our aim is to contribute to the study of indicators in three aspects. First, it offers a more detailed understanding of the double nature of indicators: they constrain action and, at the same time, support actors autonomy. Second, it illustrates the major functions of indicators but also theirs paradoxes: actually, indicators lock and unlock organizations. Third, it brings to light the practical rationality and the ethic of commitment connected to indicators.     

Ethical Issues in Risk Communication: Continuing the Discussion

Proposed in this article is one possible framework for classifying multiple types of ethical issues in risk communication research and practice to help continue a discussion initiated in 1990 by Morgan and Lave. Some of the questions that each stage of the process for planning risk communication strategies appears to pose for ethics are discussed (e.g., selecting issues to be communicated, knowing the issue, dealing with constraints). Also discussed briefly are some issues raised by the possibility that risk communicators aspire to the status of a profession. The purpose is to foster discussion rather than issue a conclusive statement on the topic, because its very nature makes a definitive pronouncement indefensible.     

Ethical guidelines and codes in operations research

We review past endeavors by ORSs to establish ethical guidelines or codes to which their members must subscribe to. We contrast such activities with those of the international community of related professional societies. It is clear that ORSs world-wide do not exhibit the important basic characteristic of a profession, that is, the adoption of and adherence to ethical guidelines and codes. Such adoptions by OR professional organizations are rare.     

A Comparison of Ethical Practices of Russian and American Managers

This study examines perception of various business practices of Russian and American managers. Using data collected from 136 Russian managers and 252 American managers we found that cross-national differences account for many differences between perceptions of business practices. Implications for managerial practice are discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ethical Considerations in Management Research: A ‘Truth’ Seeker''s Guide

Within a growing Knowledge-Management context, it would appear that Management Research calls for researchers to explicitly understand their own values, have increasing capacity for reflexivity and anticipate various ethical dilemmas that emerge from the research endeavour. This paper provides an overview of the philosophy of ethics and focuses on a researcher's ethical reasoning. It provides a framework for understanding causes of ethical dilemmas in the context of management research and provides strategies for a way forward through such dilemmas. The paper, finally, outlines exercises pertinent to research ethics and ‘hands on’ research praxis. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ethical Mindsets of Christianity and Confucianism: A Comparative Study

This study investigates the application of an organizational mindset instrument to compare the ethical mindsets between Italy and Taiwan. Results suggest that there are not significant differences, but Italian business is perceived to practice some Machiavellianism that puts results ahead of ethical concerns.     

The Co-pay in Dutch Health Care: Policy and Effectiveness

This article describes the results of an empirical study into the design and effectiveness of the co-pay in Dutch Health care. With a reconstruction of the policy theory and the application of "the instrument theory" of Bressers and Klok, we are able to predict that the co-pay would not be effective. A process evaluation and an effect evaluation show that this is indeed the case. Not surprisingly, the second Kok administration determined that the instrument would be terminated.     

Ethical Futures and Public-Private Partnerships: Peering Far Down the Track

This article employs an institutional perspective in formulating predictions about the ethical futures of privatization partnerships. Although this paper focuses on ethical concerns in the U.S. public sector, it incorporates a multinational dimension in (a) comparing the meaning of privatization among societies and (b) probing privatization financing in the global economy. Five assumptions that flow from institutional reasoning are made explicit as supports for subsequent predictions. The institutional logic shifts privatization conversation away from conventional debate about competition and efficiency toward centralizing forces in both sectors in response to globalization. In that regard, this study identifies the systemic erosion of (local) community integrity as the key privatization problem of the future.     

Morals, Ethics, and Integrity: How Codes of Conduct Contribute to Ethical Adult Education Practice

This article examines the similarities and differences in the concepts or in the usage of the terms “integrity”, “morals” and “ethics” to provide a framework for understanding why these concepts are the foundation of professional ethics and to promote a more thoughtful consideration of the need for codes of ethics for the field of adult education. The article reviews the original interpretations of these terms by the classic philosophers whose works are fundamental for a greater appreciation of contemporary ethics.     

Leveraging Big Data Analytics to Improve Quality of Care in Healthcare Organizations: A Configurational Perspective

Big data analytics (BDA) is beneficial for organizations, yet implementing BDA to leverage profitability is fundamental challenge confronting practitioners. Although prior research has explored the impact that BDA has on business growth, there is a lack of research that explains the full complexity of BDA implementations. Examination of how and under what conditions BDA achieves organizational performance from a holistic perspective is absent from the existing literature. Extending the theoretical perspective from the traditional views (e.g. resource‐based theory) to configuration theory, the authors have developed a conceptual model of BDA success that aims to investigate how BDA capabilities interact with complementary organizational resources and organizational capabilities in multiple configuration solutions leading to higher quality of care in healthcare organizations. To test this model, the authors use fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis to analyse multi‐source data acquired from a survey and databases maintained by the Centres for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The findings suggest that BDA, when given alone, is not sufficient in achieving the outcome, but is a synergy effect in which BDA capabilities and analytical personnel's skills together with organizational resources and capabilities as supportive role can improve average excess readmission rates and patient satisfaction in healthcare organizations.     

$s for Lives: Ethical Considerations in the Use of Cost/Benefit Analysis by For-Profit Firms

Cost/benefit analysis is often an imprecise tool because of assumptions that must be made about matters that are difficult to quantify. The problems become especially acute when lives or serious bodily injuries are at stake because of the serious nature of that which is being risked. Furthermore, the literature on cost/benefit analysis focuses on public decision-making situations and decisions by individuals. This paper examines the distinctiveness of the use of cost/benefit analysis involving putting dollar values on human life by for-profit firms. The argument developed in the paper is that the lack of participation by the affected party (or government representative) in balancing costs and benefits raises special ethical concerns. A formula that was developed by the Ford Motor Company concerning accidents involving fuel leakage and fire with resultant loss of life and serious burn injuries is used as an example of both the imprecision of the method and the distinctive factors of the decision process that raise special ethical considerations. The paper examines why the for-profit-decision is distinct, what the special ethical considerations are, and concludes with a discussion of several alternative procedures to monitor the use of cost/benefit analysis so that it would be an effective business tool while at the same time the individual is provided maximum protection.     

管理伦理原则、多元性及折衷:管理学“实践导向”中的伦理问题

尽管泰勒所创立的科学管理理论中"效率至上"的思想受到过一些批评,然而它所秉持的后果论的功利主义伦理原则在管理学百年发展历程中影响深远。20世纪末开始,由于功利主义原则的统治地位,包括管理伦理在内的当代人类道德实践处于深刻的危机之中。事实表明,现实生活中很多道德难题都无法依靠单一原则解决。管理学界对于现实管理伦理问题一概源自泰勒以来的功利主义伦理传统,将注意力完全集中在管理的效率维度,从而丧失了对于现实管理实践中价值和伦理问题的发言权。管理学研究的"实践导向"绝不应是单纯的"功利和效率导向",它应该鼓励和提倡多元化的伦理原则。     

Why good practice of OR is not enough—Ethical challenges for the OR practitioner

This paper develops the idea that following rules of good OR practice is necessary, but not sufficient for ethical OR. Several challenges of introducing ethical aspects into OR are discussed, evidencing difficulties and ambiguities in the relationship to be established between the OR practitioner and his/her clients, decision-makers or stakeholders. It shows that neither analysis nor modelling work nor the choice of analytical tools is entirely ethically neutral; incomparability, incommensurability and incertitude must be dealt with. The purpose of this article is to detail several difficulties or dilemmas an OR practitioner may be confronted with in the course of his or her assignment. In such situations, following rules of good practice may not be sufficient to indicate how to act in a morally good way. This paper aims at stimulating reflection by structuring the debate; it may leave the reader unsettled—unsettlement being a result and even aim of many discussions in moral philosophy.     

The Negative Effects of Social Capital in Organizations: A Review and Extension

Numerous studies have examined the positive effects of social capital in organizations, whereas the possible negative effects have attracted considerably less scholarly attention. To rectify this imbalance, this paper first undertakes a rigorous review of the published scholarly empirical evidence pertaining to the negative effects of social capital in organizations through a search of Web of Knowledge and Scopus, and then enumerates six potentially negative effects arising from increased levels of social capital. The review focuses on negative effects arising from bonding social capital and those arising from dense networks and closure, advancing new theory to elucidate the generative mechanisms that give rise to the proposed negative effects. Finally, the authors identify potential moderators of the negative effects thus theorized. Using the lens of social identification theory, the authors argue that dysfunctional identification processes restrict the processing of information and stimulate over‐commitment to established relationships, diluting in turn the dialectical process, and inhibiting individual learning within organizations, culminating in groupthink, the postponement of structural adjustments, the non‐rational escalation of commitment, and the blurring of firms’ boundaries. This review thus furthers the agenda of a more balanced inquiry into the effects of social capital in organizations.     

Predicting Whistle Blowing: A Theory of Reasoned Action Approach

Fishbein and Ajzen's Reasoned Action model was used to predict intention to blow the whistle. Accounting students attending an Israeli university and accountant practitioners were used as the subjects for the study. It was hypothesized that attitudes and social norms would directly explain intention, while professional obligation, locus of control and professional socialization would modify the criterion variable through attitudes and social norms. Findings showed that social norms directly influenced intent to blow the whistle among both samples, as hypothesized. However, locus of control and professional socialization also directly influenced intent, rather than modifying the criterion variable. Suggestions for further research are included.     

编制总量的核定方法与模型──地方政府机关编制

确定政府机构人员编制总量是一个十分重要而又难度很大的决策课题。对于地方政府机关编制,本文提出一种核定编制总量的方法,并采用数据包络分析方法和神经网络技术建立了编制总量的核定模型。     

第一届中国企业·管理·伦理论坛会议综述

企业与社会相分离、管理与伦理相割裂的发展模式不可持续,迫切需要有新的商业模式、新的管理理论和管理模式出现。在此背景下,2014年6月10日,于上海召开的"第一届中国企业·管理·伦理论坛"对相关问题进行了研讨。在此,结合论坛的主要报告和讨论内容,就企业社会责任、企业伦理、管理伦理以及这一领域未来应关注的主题等几个方面的主要观点进行综述,并归纳了与会者对论坛的可持续发展的各种建议。     

The Impact of Variability and Patient Information on Health Care System Performance

In the delivery of health care services, variability in the patient arrival and service processes can cause excessive patient waiting times and poor utilization of facility resources. Based on data collected at a large primary care facility, this paper investigates how several sources of variability affect facility performance. These sources include ancillary tasks performed by the physician, patient punctuality, unscheduled visits to the facility's laboratory or X‐ray services, momentary interruptions of a patient's examination, and examination time variation by patient class. Our results indicate that unscheduled visits to the facility's laboratory or X‐ray services have the largest impact on a physician's idle time. The average patient wait is most affected by how the physician prioritizes completing ancillary tasks, such as telephone calls, relative to examining patients. We also investigate the improvement in system performance offered by using increasing levels of patient information when creating the appointment schedule. We find that the use of policies that sequence patients based on their classification improves system performance by up to 25.5%.