Chapter 9: Stories, Action, and Ethics in Management Education

The term morality is often used in describing how to act in relation to other people. It thus says something about good, right, and/or appropriate action; that is, what is correct, “true,” and just. Foucault (1986, pp. 28–29) argues that every morality has two elements: (a) codes of conduct that may be more or less explicit or implicit, and more or less rudimentary; and (b) modes of subjectivation, or how people turn themselves into subjects in relation to these codes of conducts (Foucault, 2000, p. 327). Morality thus consists of norms and conventions for acting in practical, everyday, life situations. It has become an important and popular intervention site in management education. This is apparent with the increasing appearance of modules and elements such as personal development, personal leadership, mindfulness, dialogic collaboration, interpersonal communication, appreciative inquiry, coaching, and similar ideas and techniques. These elements reveal an interest in how managers enact their personality when managing, how they disclose themselves to others, and how they manage their relations. Two examples may illustrate the importance of morality in management education.