The Ethical Executive, by Robert Hoyk and Paul Hersey, summarises findings from decades of psychological and organisational examinations into human ethics to produce a comprehensive atlas of risk factors for unethical behaviour. These risk factors are examined in the context of an organisational environment, and analysed to produce a clear understanding of how such risk factors lead to unethical behaviour. This focus mainly examines the risk factors that contribute to unethical behaviours in management level employees.
Hoyk and Hersey argue that ethical decision making is a complex process, which can be influenced in a myriad of ways. These influential risk factors are defined as “traps” which ensnare an individual, orientating this executive onto a path to unethical behavioural outcomes. The executive is unlikely to even realise they have been ensnared, unless aware that such a trap exists. The authors argue that, by producing a comprehensive list of such traps, they can empower individuals to avoid the influential sources of unethical behaviour.
Three types of trap are outlined in The Ethical Executive. The first, Primary Traps, are predominantly external stimuli that orientate an individual to behave unethically, by trivialising ethical principles. The second, Defensive Traps, are reactive influencers such as guilt or shame, that compel an individual to behave unethically, often in ways that will frequently recur. The final type of trap, Personality Traps, are internal vulnerabilities which increase the likelihood of unethical behaviour manifesting itself. These traps often blind an individual to the damage their unethical behaviours cause, leading to compulsive unethical behaviour and a disregard for others. A total of 45 differing traps are introduced, examined, and conveyed to readers through compelling stories, and psychological literature. This comprehensive list manages to be both engaging and thorough, despite the somewhat dry subject matter being evaluated.
Hoyk and Hersey outline their alternative approach to conveying this message early in the text, distancing themselves from the work of other authors in the field of organisational ethics. The authors denounce the popular approach to targeting unethical behaviour in the workplace that often takes the form of pithy step-by-step programmes that can guide executives through ethically grey dilemmas. This approach is criticised as lacking in depth, and not acting to educate readers about the mechanics of ethical decision making. Hoyk and Hersey argue that this traditional approach produces an ethical education that does not transfer to actual workplace behaviours. Instead The Ethical Executive focuses on informing the readers as to how an individual in a workplace environment may become susceptible to unethical behavioural intentions.
The strength in this approach lies in the generalisable nature of the books message. The Ethical Executive doesn’t focus on just a single profession, or a limited stream of hypothetical scenarios, instead taking a deeper, more holistic, look at the way unethical behaviours can manifest. This style of writing does have its drawbacks, requiring the reader to actively process the message and break down the relevance of each of the unethical traps to his or her own situation. The final text reads more like an almanac of unethical pitfalls, than a how to guide to encourage ethical business practices, which may put off some readers. However, the reception of such a style will depend mostly on the individual, and by not treating the reader like a fool who requires a strict guidance from concept to concept the authors regard for their audience is clear.
The issue of unethical organisational practices is both substantial and topical. The Ethical Executive doesn’t approach unethical workplace behaviour as a stereotypical villain of a capitalist culture or organisational structure; instead the authors treat these behaviours as naturally occurring, uncontrolled human reactions to the situation at hand. By breaking away from the mainstream literary approach to unethical organisational behaviours, the text makes headway in not only conceptualising unethical behaviour in a clear way, but also empowers the reader to see the world in a new light. This works to challenge the perception of commonly unnoticed traps for unethical behaviours, in a way that is relevant to an entire spectrum of workplace situations.
As a consequence of this perspective the effectiveness of the books overall message may be compromised. Readers who are less experienced with organisational management may not have the frame of reference to draw on the traps outlined in the book to produce a strategy for reducing unethical behaviour. This present risk is somewhat hypocritical in that The Ethical Executive criticises the ineffectual nature of other published works on unethical organisational behaviour. By limiting the practical value of this text to those with a pool of experience in organisational practice, Hoyk and Hersey have risked restricting the use of their work to established and experienced executives, and not to those less experienced individuals who could most benefit from an effective ethical pedagogy. Though this is somewhat mitigated through the use of engaging narratives of famous unethical behaviours in the past, the highly sequential array of traps reads more like an academic reference book than an introduction to an alternative perspective on unethical organisational practices.
The Ethical Executive breaks down the very definition of unethical behaviour, and critically evaluates the mechanisms that contribute to unethical organisational behaviour in a comprehensive and inquisitive way. The ability of any individual to fall victim to unethical traps is presented, and supported, with the inclusive breakdown of anecdotal and scientific findings. Particular strengths of this work are obvious in the detail-oriented structure and engaging written form of the conveyed message. The large range of factors that contribute to unethical behaviours make it difficult to craft an overarching narrative within the text, though this is mitigated through a highly logical and easy to access presentation. The encyclopaedic depth and character of The Ethical Executive certainly calls for recommendation to those interested in the ethics of organisational practice, though this work may be less suited to newly minted executives due to the required contextual knowledge of an executive organisational approach.
