The Meaning of Concepts of Human Nature in Organizational Life in Business Ethics Context

Anna Horodecka

doi:10.18778/1899-2226.17.4.04

Authors

Anna Horodecka Warsaw School of Economics, Department of Development Economics and Economic Policy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1899-2226.17.4.04

Keywords:

organizational culture, concepts of human nature, business ethics

Abstract

The main goal of this paper is to exhibit the role of the concept of human nature for the ethical orientation of organizational life. Therefore, after presenting some definitions of the concepts of human nature, which depict the complexity of these phenomena, some models of the concepts of human nature are described. Furthermore, the setting of the concepts of human nature in the organizational life is discussed. Those concepts can be perceived as a deep-structure of the organizational life, having an impact not only on the individual behaviour of employees and managers (like sensibility for human emotions, pro-social engagement, communication style), but also affecting their moral competence and influencing whole organizational culture – image of the organization, preferred management strategies and the way of perceiving justice. Those elements play crucial role in ethical attitude of the organization because all those variables support the efficacy of ethical rules and most of them are part of ethical code and corporate ethical code. Therefore, it is necessary for an organization to consider implicit and explicit concepts of human nature on which the organizational culture is based and support those concepts, which enables the ethical conduct of the organization and being alert especially to the consequences of materialistic/egoistic and competitive concepts of human nature. The theses discussed in the paper are supported by some empirical research studies conducted in this field.

References

Adorno T., E. Frenkiel-Brunswik, D. Levinson, N. Sanford, The Authoritarian Personality, Harper, New York 1950.
Google Scholar

Dawkins R., Samolubny gen [The Selfish Gene], translated by M. Skoneczny, Prószyński i S-ka, Warsaw 1996.
Google Scholar

Duckitt J., A Dual-process Cognitive-motivational Theory of Ideology and Prejudice [in:] Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, eds. M.P. Zanna, Academic Press, San Diego 2001, pp. 41-113.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(01)80004-6

Fahrenberg J. , Die Funktion von Menschenbildern – Forschungsaufgaben der empirischen Psychologie [in:] Die Menschenbilder in der Psychotherapie. Interdisziplinäre Perspektiven und die Modelle der Therapieschulen, ed. H.G. Petzold, Krammer Verlag, Wien 2010, pp. 91-131.
Google Scholar

Fahrenberg J., Annahmen über den Menschen, Asanger, Heidelberg 2004.
Google Scholar

Fahrenberg J., M. Cheetham, Assumptions about Human Nature and the Impact of Philosophical Concepts on Professional Issues: A Questionnaire-Based Study with 800 Students from Psychology, Philosophy, and Science, “Philosophy, Psychiatry & Psychology” 2007, vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 183-201.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/ppp.0.0130

Fahrenberg J., M. Cheetham, The Mind-body Problem as Seen by Students of Different Disciplines, “Journal of Consciousness Studies” 2000, vol. 7, No. 5, pp. 47-59.
Google Scholar

Fahrenberg J., Menschenbilder [in:] Dorsch – Lexikon der Psychologie, ed. M.A. Wirtz, Verlag Hans Huber, Bern 2014.
Google Scholar

Fahrenberg J., Plädoyer für eine interdisziplinäre Anthropologie auf empirischer Basis [in:] Wissenschaft und Therapeutik des Unbewussten. Band 2. Konversation und Resonanz in der Psychotherapie, eds. G. Gödde, M.B. Buchholz, PsychosozialVerlag, Gießen 2012, pp. 249-278.
Google Scholar

Horodecka A., D. Turek, A. Wojtczuk-Turek, Relationship between Organizational Justice, Organi-zational Procedures and Counterproductive Work Behavior and Job Satisfaction. The Case of New Zealand and Poland, DePaul University, Chicago 2012.
Google Scholar

Horodecka A., Funkcje obrazu człowieka w ekonomii [in:] Pomiędzy polityką stabilizacyjną i polityką rozwoju, ed. J. Stacewicz, Szkoła Główna Handlowa, Warsaw 2012, pp. 9-39.
Google Scholar

Horodecka A., K. Martowska, E. Wrocławska-Warchała, Concepts of Human Nature, Social Effectiveness and Communication in the Workplace, “Journal of Business Leadership” 2014, No. 1, pp. 133-153.
Google Scholar

Horodecka A., K. Martowska, Humanistic Vision of Man: Hope for Success, Emotional Intelligence and Pro-Social Engaement, “International Journal of Arts and Sciences” 2014, No. 2, pp. 151-166.
Google Scholar

Horodecka A., Rola obrazów człowieka w koncepcjach zarządzania z uwzględnieniem aspektów metodologicznych, “Studia Ekonomiczne” (Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Katowicach) 2012, No. 118, pp. 443-464.
Google Scholar

Kahneman D., Thinking Fast and Slow, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York 2011.
Google Scholar

Kant I., Anthropologie in pragmatischer Hinsicht, Meiner, Hamburg 2003.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.28937/978-3-7873-2405-7

Kant I., Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, translated by T.K. Abbott, edited by L. Denis, Broadview Press, Peterborough, Ont. 2005.
Google Scholar

Łukaszewski W., Prywatne koncepcje natury ludzkiej i ich funkcje regulacyjne [in:] Psychologia poznawcza w Polsce, eds. E. Nęcka, A. Tokarz, IP PAN, Warsaw 1997, pp. 69-83.
Google Scholar

Mandler G., Human Nature Explored, Oxford University Press, New York 1997.
Google Scholar

McGregor D., Theory X and Theory Y, “Workforce” 2002, vol. 81, No. 1, pp. 32-35.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/MC.2002.1033031

McMahon J.T., J.M. Ivancevich, A Study of Control in a Manufac-turing Organization: Managers and Non-managers, “Administrative Science Quarterly” 1976, vol. 21, pp. 66-83.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2391878

Minoura Y., A Plea for a Hypothesis-Generating Approach to Link the Individual’s World of Meaning and Society’s Cultural Orientation: A Commentary on Oerter et al., “Culture & Psychology” 1996, vol. 2, pp. 53-61. doi: 10.1177/1354067X9621003.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1354067X9621003

Morgan G., Images of Organization, SAGE Publications, London 1986.
Google Scholar

Oerter R., R. Oerter, H. Agostiani, H.-O. Kim, S. Wibowo, The Concept of Human Nature in East Asia: Etic and Emic Characteristics, “Culture & Psychology” 1996, vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 9-51. doi: 10.1177/1354067X9621002.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1354067X9621002

Ouchi W.G., Theory Z: How American Business Can Meet the Japanese Challenge, “Business Horizons” 1981, No. 6, pp. 82-83, doi: 10.1016/0007-6813(81)90031-8.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0007-6813(81)90031-8

Phalet K., E. Poppe, Competence and Morality Dimensions of National and Ethnic Stereotypes: A Study in Six Eastern European Countries, “European Journal of Social Psychology” 1997, vol. 27, pp. 703-723.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-0992(199711/12)27:6<703::AID-EJSP841>3.0.CO;2-K

Pinker S., Tabula rasa. Spory o naturę ludzką [The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature], GWP, Gdańsk 2005.
Google Scholar

Radkiewicz P. , K. Skarzynska, K. Hamer, The Influence of the Big Two. The Perception of People in Relation to Negativistic Beliefs about the Social World, “Social Psychology” 2013, No. 2, pp. 75-83.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000146

Schein E., Organizational Psychology, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 1970.
Google Scholar

Scheler M., Die Stellung des Menschen im Kosmos, Bouvier, Bonn 1991.
Google Scholar

Schwartz M.S., Effective Corporate Codes of Ethics: Perceptions of Code Users, “Journal of Business Ethics” 2004, vol. 55, No. 4, pp. 323-343. doi: 10.1007/s10551-004- 2169-2.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-004-2169-2

Schwartz M.S., The Nature of the Relationship between Corporate Codes of Ethics and Behaviour, “Journal of Business Ethics” 2001, No. 3, pp. 247-262.
Google Scholar

Schwartz M.S., Universal Moral Values for Corporate Codes of Ethics, “Journal of Business Ethics” 2005, vol. 59, No. 1-2, pp. 27-44. doi: 10.1007/s10551-005-3403-2.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-005-3403-2

Skarżyńska K., Człowiek a polityka. Zarys psychologii politycznej, Scholar, Warsaw 2005.
Google Scholar

Skarżyńska K., P. Radkiewicz, Co wzmacnia/osłabia społeczny darwinizm? O roli doświadczeń z ludźmi, osobowości, wartości osobistych i przywiązania do wspólnoty, „Psychologia Społeczna” 2011, No 1, pp. 7-23.
Google Scholar

Sullivan J.J., Human Nature, Organizations, and Management Theory, “The Academy of Management Review” 1986, vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 534-549. doi: 10.5465/AMR.1986.4306210.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1986.4306210

Tomer J.F., Beyond the Machine Model of the Firm, toward a Holistic Human Model, “Journal of Socio-Economics” 1998, No. 3, pp. 323-340.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1053-5357(99)80093-6

Tomer J.F., Economic Man vs. Heterodox Men: the Concepts of Human Nature in Schools of Economic Thought, “Journal of Socio-Economics” 2001, vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 281- 293.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1053-5357(01)00100-7

Turek D., “Koncepcje człowieka” a modele pracownika. Inspiracje dla ZZL, “Edukacja Ekonomistów i Menedżerów” 2010, No. 16, pp. 11-25.
Google Scholar

Turek D., A. Wojtczuk-Turek, „Koncepcje natury ludzkiej” a kompetencja moralna – analiza zależności, „Edukacja Ekonomistów i Menedżerów” 2011, vol. 21, pp. 83-102.
Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0009.5756

Turek D., Czy postawy etyczne są dobrymi predyktorami nieetycznych zachowań pracowników?, „Zarządzanie Zasobami Ludzkimi” 2011, No. 1, pp. 84-96.
Google Scholar

Wojciszke B., W. Baryła, J. Różycka, Wiara w życie jako grę o sumie zerowej [in:] Miedzy przeszłością a przyszłością. Szkice z psychologii politycznej, eds. U. Jakubowska, K. Skarżyńska, Polish Academy of Science, Warsaw 2009, pp. 179-188.
Google Scholar

Zupancic M., M. Svetina, Relations between Moral Judgement and the Concept of HumanNature – a Study of Slovenian Young Adults, “Studia Psychologica” 1993, vol. 35, No. 4-5, pp. 425-430.
Google Scholar