Business prof explains 'Doing the Right Thing at Work'

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The business-ethics book co-edited by professor Gina Vega
Gina Vega, author, professor and director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Activity at Salem State University.

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February 23, 2011

By Will Broaddus Staff Writer The Salem News Wed Feb 23, 2011, 03:58 AM EST

"Moral Courage in Organizations: Doing the Right Thing at Work," a new book on organizational ethics, contends that simply reminding employees of the rules will never result in behavioral change because people already know it is wrong to cheat, steal or lie.

The authors say employees usually do those things in response to organizational pressures, and what they need is to be encouraged to do what they know is right.

The book was co-edited by Gina Vega, professor of management and director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Activity at Salem State University's Bertolon School of Business, and Debra R. Comer, professor of management at the Zarb School of Business, Hofstra University. The Salem News recently spoke with Vega.

What sorts of moral dilemmas does your book discuss?

We're not talking about moral dilemmas, we're talking about why ethical codes of practice fail. We're talking about people who already know the right thing to do — which is not (the same as) doing the right thing. One is the moral motivation to do the right thing, the other thing is the moral courage to do the right thing.

Can you define courage?

It's the ability to move forward despite the consequences. We know about physical courage, with firefighters and policemen. Moral courage is different. Wanting to do the right thing is not (the same as) being able to do the right thing.

How do most organizations discuss ethical issues?

They are looking for specific problems, dilemmas and sensitizing people about cheating, padding their accounts. We all know about these problems.

How does your approach differ?

We're looking to help people do the right thing, give them help with their skills — where do you find the moral courage? We've broken up the book into four things. First is organizational pressure, such as a culture of cheating, things that force us to act against our moral standards.

When people are confronted with challenges, they come up with reasons to hold firm and reasons to collapse. We have a questionnaire to help make people aware of this.

Do you provide answers?

There are no answers.

Do these pressures vary in intensity?

Challenges of a high level are different from those at a low level. A waiter, for example, knows he or she should not steal, should treat the food with respect, treat the customer with respect. These moral temptations are low-level, and most of us can withstand them.

What are some higher-level pressures?

You know you're not supposed to lie, but sometimes telling the truth has unpleasant consequences. One example we give is — would you avoid complying with your boss's instructions to hide a product flaw that could cause injury? Organizational pressures derail us — that's where our compromises come from, when the pressure is on to deliver something we may not want to deliver.

Do you give examples of people who have done the right thing?

The next section is called "Faces of Moral Courage." There are five or six chapters in the section, on whistle-blowing, faith and religion, social entrepreneurs, human rights. This book is a compilation — it's not just my co-editor and I, although we've written several chapters. We have contributors from around the country.

Aside from following their examples, what can people do to develop moral courage?

In part three, we go to skills that enable moral courage from the bottom up, talk about a curriculum to build moral competence. It goes from the personal to the macro, from military leadership, professional moral courage, to legal rights and remedies. The last major section is changing organizations by using moral courage from the top down, which is also necessary.

Who is your audience? Would this go to human resources departments?

I don't know where it would go. Certainly management groups. The primary audience is universities, business schools, but also people like you and me who want to frame things that trouble us, and organizations that want people to think about things a little differently.

Are ethical challenges and lapses more prevalent in business?

This book is exactly as we've titled, it's about organizational ethics, not business ethics. We talk about military and religious organizations, where the problems are the same, the temptations and challenges are the same. Business takes a bad rap because the world runs on business, the world runs on money. But we need to take responsibility to make sure our graduates have the strength and courage to do better.

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