Conjoining Ethical Theory and Practice: An Australian Study of Business, Accounting, and Police Service Organizations

ISSN： 1382-6891

Source： Teaching Business Ethics, Vol.7, Iss.4, 2003-11, pp. : 379-393

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Abstract

The purpose of this study, which took place in Western Australia, was to identify situations where management practitioners and academics worked closely together to bridge the `theory-practice gap' in the field of business ethics. Four organizations, two in the accounting field, one a corporate secretaries institute and the Western Australia Police Service were asked if they would participate in a study to examine the extent to which their members made use of ethical theory in their day-to-day activities. A concomitant question was whether such theory had an impact on the way organizations carried out their functions. Each organization was actively involved in teaching ethical theory to their members at an advanced level. The four organizations offered a range of teaching/learning strategies i.e. guest lectures, seminar and discussion groups, training videos and workbooks. The courses that were developed by these organisations were equal to, and in some cases superior to, ethics courses offered in some business schools. This paper illustrates that by these innovative approaches the four organisations were taking a lead in re-defining ethical practice and teaching ethical theory in their respective organisations. The study illustrates that the programs were effective to the extent that they were instrumental in changing the behavior and the culture of their members.