Utilising Appreciative Inquiry in Creating a Shared Meaning of Ethics in Organisations - Annotated Bibliography Example

Article 1: Utilising Appreciative Inquiry (Al) in Creating a Shared Meaning of Ethics in Organisations (Vuuren & Crous, 2005) As already learnt in the lectures, ethics management and various related ethics intervention in any organization is very essential, the article chosen here evolves this subject onto an illustrated platform. It has been argues here that mere forced intervention by management towards internal stakeholders i.e. employees to comply by the ethical norms and standards may only propagate a compliance with rules and regulations. This type of intervention may not necessarily be sustainable in nature and also do not give the internal stakeholders and opportunity to be a part of the ethical drive. Instead, the article proposes an alternative approach towards developing ethics within an organization through Appreciative Inquiry which ensures development of a shared meaning of ethics. According to the author, a risk management assertion, which is intently aligned with the corporate governance concept, is an important driving force for ethics management efforts. Organisations' accountability with regard to risk have evolved with the shift from a linear (financial) bottom-line reporting to triple bottom line reporting. Triple bottom line reporting requires boards to report on companies' economic, social and environmental foresight and accomplishment (Good Corporation, 2004; IoD, 2002). Another name accorded to this AI approach is also problem solving approach. An important consequence of using the same is a prevention unethical behaviour due to factors external to organisations since the internal stakeholders who intend to safeguard their interests apply pressure on organization to preclude negative risks of ethical hazards. Hence, it can be summarised that AI requires a collaborative approach with an aim to create ethical future through positive participation and dialogue. Article 2: The Relevance of Theories of Political economy to the understanding of financial reporting in South Africa: the case of value added statements (Staden, 2003) This article has an international reference to the political hegemony structure of South Africa where a major political change also widely affects the role of organisations there. Existing power structures are and a related discussion on the publication of the value added statements published in South Africa sheds light on the power equations existing there. This is of interest to us because the political establishment also acts as an organization and a study of their unique feature may bring in several new insights to our existing study on power and hegemony. Article 3: Similarities and differences in employee motivation viewed by Korean and Japanes executives: empirical study on employee motivation management of Japanese affiliated companies in Korea (Usugami & Park, 2006) This is yet another international study which effectively demonstrates the necessity of motivational as well as hygiene factors as studied in the lectures under Herzberg Theory (1966, 1968) and the resulting employee motivation in the Japanese and Korean employees. The major aim of the authors in this study is to identify the gaps in employee motivation which lead to mismatched human resource management. They emphasize that in various studies such as for instance Park et al (2003), the employee skills, employee attitudes and employee motivation are identified as a mediator role between human resource systems and valid performance in all corporations. The article has effectively demonstrated a comparison of the three models (Maslow, 1970; Herzberg, 1966, 1968; Alderfer; 1969) along with a gap model of employee motivation to assess the motivation levels similarities and differences of Korean and Japanese executives for which interview and questionnaire surveys were conducted. The assumption made throughout was that the organisation is not a machine but a complex organic entity which validates motivation and hygiene factors. The results significantly identified the need for maintenance and improvement of employee motivation and that the end result of the same would be three-fold: high corporate performance, employee job satisfaction and customer satisfaction. A slight touch at the social and cultural differences explained the slight differences in preferences of motivational factors by Japanese and Korean executives respectively owing to the respective labour market conditions and social level security or insecurity. One such significant gap was seen with regard to the importance accorded to employment stability. A correlational study is also attempted in this research article between performance of organisations and employee motivation. An overall direction towards devising the HRM strategy for organisations was set forth in the article. Article 4: Transforming Organisations for Organic Growth: The DNA of Change Leadership (Karp, 2006) This article has a multi level focus starting the initiation of organic growth of organisations which makes it mandatory to deviate from traditional leadership approaches and bring in a paradigm shift n leadership approaches through a transformative change. Growing organically will in many cases mean transforming the organisation by influencing and changing the way people think and behave across the organisation. This has been referred to here as ‘Change leadership’. It is validly recognised by the author that every change is tough but a need to identify the DNA of the leadership is essential for a change initiation. This can be started off with taking a biological and organised view of organisations as living entities and tackling first the issues related to people and their association with the organisation. The author skilfully depicts the Integral psychology of the whole person approach which needs to be transformed into a systemic purview. GE has been exemplified as having a perfect balance between top down, bottom up and compliance and dedication which is the basic ingredient for transformative change. The change brought about is then uniform which starts as a small change within a small group and spreads to grow into a mass change which was desired. The author has ummarised this change steps into small deliverables such as focussing on change, starting with oneself, keeping the right people in the motivation loop which leads to identification of change carriers, subsequently finding the resources to manage change and propagating it through implementation, simulation and experimentation. Finally an integration of all the above brings out a successful change order. Article 5: Individual and collective leadership in the board-room: Why feedback is vital even at the top (Goffee & Jones, 2005) This editorial articulately establishes the importance of evaluation of leaderships at various organisations as a means of better corporate governance and thereby better CSR. Leaders in an organisation are the prime decision fountainheads which is responsible for delivery of corporate performance at the same time conforming to the governance standards. However, there is a prospect of Bureaucratic control arising out of the regulation of a system which is not understood fully in absence of any feedback mechanism on the collective and discreet leadership. It is even more so important given the fact that board is entrusted with the responsibility to resolve inherent and sometimes potentially risky issues within an organisation for instance, tough regulations on governance etc. The author aptly identifies the real reason behind the upsurge of corporate scandals and that being the inability to carefully understand the human dynamics at work in the boardroom. Therefore, there is a need to provide regular feedbacks to the board members so as to aid continuous development of leadership. Article 6: Applying Classic Organization Theory to Sustainable Resource & Environmental Management (Ascher, 2000) The article discussed here is a lucid attempt to ferret out whether the study of Classical organisation behaviour theory unsustainable organisational practices and policies with a special emphasis on resource and environmental management. The classical organisation theory was devised to explain wide ranging organisational issues however small or big. An essential feature highlighted in the discussion by the author is the Complex nature of organisations which brings into effect threats, challenges and uncertainties in a very similar manner as any of the organic systems function in the ecosystem. These complexities (which can be of varied types) constantly react to the organisational action and thereby weaken the level of control in an organisation creating avenues for conflicts within the organisation. The author suggests coordination through several methods like specialisation, departmentalisation by way of maintaining adequate control and certainty. He also put forth the role of several interests which further bring in vagaries within an organisation. Moreover, the force and discretion of leaders at various levels further enhance the role that interest can play and their impact on the plans, policies and interest orientations of members in an organisation. The structure and placement of various functions within an organisation also determine the success of resource management within an organisation. In case multiple functions which compete amongst each other are placed under the same agency, conflicts are bound to occur. Therefore, these functions need to be arranged into simple agencies so as to negate the conflicts even before they arise. Thus, the author emphasises that through coordination and structural modifications, sustainable development of organisation can be made a reality. Article 7: Review of ‘Making Change Work. A Study of Planned Organisational Change in the Irish Civil Service, By Boyler & Joyce’ (Kelliher, 1989) This is a very seminal article on organisational change which highlights the factors as illustrated in an Irish civil service context, which have contributed to the success of organisational change. It points out that the basic elements of planned organisational change have been clearly brought about in the text discussed. However, the text emphasizes more on internal organisational change rather than organisational behaviour. It defines organisation adaption in conjugation with change as a modification brought about to adjust to its surroundings. The author rightfully recognises the basic elements of organisational change as organisational roles, perspectives and the stages involved. The roles comprise of the primary target of change, the authority which initiates change and the agent which brings about or implements change. The perspectives have been classified into technical, political and cultural perspectives in an organisation. Finally, the various stages involves are Analysis, Planning, Initiation and Implementation. The author also discusses various motivations to change such as efficiency improvement through automation of administrative work and departmental re-organisation. The theories ascertained by the authors of this text have made valid contribution towards the study scope of practitioners in this field. Article 8: Quality of Working Life: Cross-Cultural Considerations (Wyatt, 1988) This article lays special emphasis on the Quality of work life which is significantly affected due to cross cultural factors resulting out of organisations operating across geographical boundaries and discusses these factors emerging across various nations. This article rightly discusses the Hofstede’s (1980) four cultural dimensions. The main aim of the article is to discuss the various cultural variables which emerge as a result of organisations operating in nations beyond their native origin since the core cultural values may be divergent and at best in conflict also. The author describes Quality of work life as a quantitative term which can also be judged from the satisfaction levels of the employers and their workers. On similar lines, Hofstede identified four major behavioural dimensions based on a cultural perspective of work life in various organisations. The paper discusses how encouraging participation in an organisation by its stakeholders can enhance the quality of its work life. However, different cultures have different meanings of participation and a change brought about across cultures is difficult to manage and subsequently maintain the change. It has a very high correlation with the socio cultural element and thus an acknowledgement of the variation in quality of life at work would be highly dependent on a specific place and time. Power distance is one such crucial factor which monitors participation and power equalisation in an organisation. Application of agenda involving greater participation and equality of contribution to the problem-solving and decision making process may create problems in countries where there is a greater adherence to power inequality and the separation into types of contribution ("thinking" and "doing") by different classes of employees (manager and workers).Avoiding uncertainty, masculinity and individualistic nature of a culture are other major elements affecting QWL. Quality of work life also alters the nature of work at times. Thus, cultural change demand huge adjustment on the part of the management so as to achieve micro organisational culture within the larger cultural environment. Read More