Management and Business Ethics by Dean Bartlett - Term Paper Example

Bartlett, in the article, addresses the issue of the serious rift evident in the ethical view of in theoretical terms and manner in which employees follow the theories in real management situations while applying ethics.

The ethical theory has its base upon moral theory used to define it. According to Bartlett, decision-makers tend to embrace business ethics based on motivational elements. This suggests that the level to which ethic receives recognition depends on the motivational elements outlined in the expectancy theory. Several business ethics researchers show failure while formulating and defining their research agenda. In defining their agenda for research, a misconception occurs when business ethics researchers do not adequately relate personal values to the course of moral reasoning.  By that, business ethics researchers fail to recognize and integrate the role of the cognitive process in moral reasoning, which is essential in ensuring business ethics at the workplace. The researchers, therefore, alienate the role of reasoning which is intermediary.

Bartlett gives proposals that would help ensure harmony between the theoretical and practical views of business ethics. These aims at addressing the theory-practice rift existing in the management of business ethics. Bartlett notes that, despite the study of business ethics in philosophies and psychology that promotes morality, business ethics application in real situations remains a challenging issue to many people.  The approaches used in the learning seem to fail in their application, in real-life scenarios. Suggestions that bring out the possibility of achieving a narrowing down of the gap would see the compatibility of the two concepts. Appreciation of the variability between real-life situations in management and theory by researchers is fundamental.  Recognition of the complexity is of immense importance. This would enable business ethics researchers to come up with frameworks of investigations and concepts that would work. This would be helpful in avoiding the effects of the philosophical definition of theories based on conceptual and untested, theoretical and abstract concepts.

According to Bartlett, there are limited descriptions stated while undertaking ethical decision-making processes. The situation worsens with unsatisfactory frameworks that exist, leading to disharmony. In solving this, the development of a functioning framework that is comprehensive and applicable plays a key role. The framework should be appealing to all stakeholders bound by its provisions. It should be accommodative to individuals by promoting a favorable decision-making framework. It should also be able to anchor and accommodate the organization's culture by means of its values (Bartlett 232). Of plausible importance too, is the need to address the intervention of the psychological process that would come up with an issue that is ecologically functional and appreciated.