Chapter 19: Rationale For An Hrm-Ethic And Its Inclusion As A Theoretical Foundation

Human resource management (HRM) as commonly defined is organizationally bound. Morality within organizations is theoretically and practically characterized as business ethics. Thus, the scholarship and practice of HRM is moderated by and to a great extent dependent upon business ethics. Business ethics, defined as right and wrong conduct within a business context has been criticized as not alleviating immoral business practices (Cornelius & Gagnon, 1999). Neither has business ethics as academic inquiry contributed much to alleviating unethical practice. “Business ethics continues to have a marginal status in both the theory and the practice of commercial organizations” (Sorrell, 1998, p. 15). As a result, “To what extent has business ethics added value to HRM?” becomes a valid and important question. In addition, brief comparisons between HRM and human resource development (HRD) are made throughout this chapter since the two disciplines are closely linked in terms of ethics and many of the processes and outcomes are so similar that discussions of ethics should include both disciplines.