Chris Provis is an Australian scholar whose work traverses the diverse fields of philosophy and industrial relations. His background positions him well to write about ethical issues in organisational life, blending everyday and theoretical considerations. Ethics and Organisational Politics provides an accessible and thought‐provoking journey though the complexities of engaging in organisational politics and maintaining personal ethics.
The book provides an examination of the ethics of organisational politics. In doing so it illuminates some of the theoretical and the practical issues that arise in and around organisational activity. A key theme of the book surrounds the question of whether those who involve themselves in organisational politics can do so an ethical fashion without being disadvantaged: Can one be involved in politics without getting one's ‘hands dirty’? Provis addresses this question by oscillating between the theoretical and practical issues. As he switches from a consideration of important philosophical points to concrete organisational realities Provis makes his work accessible to a wide audience.
The book begins with an examination of whether organisational politics is inherently unethical, an idea that Provis discounts. While some political actions clearly are ethically questionable, others surely are not. It is suggested that broader ethical principles may be of more use in making ethical judgements than notions regarding what might or might not be in the interests of the organisation.
If broader ethical principles can help us make ethical judgements, this is not to assume that we are rational in our decision‐making. Having provided an opening chapter that deals with issues of definition and interpretation, Provis moves on to a consideration of the human issues that affect both our assessments of what is “right” or legitimate and our behaviour more generally. No consideration of ethical decision‐making would be complete without acknowledging the role of such factors as cognition, heuristics, and group behaviour.
Having set the scene, the middle section of the book uses a particular scenario to tie together some important issues in the ethics of organisational politics. We are introduced to Tricia, a manager in an organisation. Tricia is confronted with being placed in a difficult situation when a subordinate complains to her of misconduct by Tricia's friend, also a manager. While some may consider this scenario relatively straightforward, other readers more sensitive to the complexities of organisational politics will not. Provis uses this case study to explore, in some detail, the thinking that might surround Tricia's consideration of what actions might provide a way forward, ethical or otherwise. We are asked to consider the importance of such often‐conflicting issues as norms, loyalties, personal relationships, obligations, ideals, and authority structures. Friendship carries its own ethical weight but is just one of the many weights to be balanced when judging whether alternative courses of action may be ethical.
Using the case study example to draw together a wide range of ethical issues plays a key role in holding this book together. In addition to being a useful device to glue the book together, educators might find it useful for provoking discussion on a range of ethical and political dilemmas.
The final chapters of the book deal with some interesting issues related to the presentation and communication of information and facts in making ethical judgements. For example, these chapters highlight information ambiguity and the difficulties surrounding how other people's beliefs and intentions are attributed. This leads in turn to a discussion of deception and impression management and then to processes of ‘framing’ issues and persuasion. The final two chapters examine processes of social influence, including how group membership influences ethical attributions and opinions.
This book demands attentive reading. The 238 pages of dense argumentation are well crafted and the flow of argument is careful and logical. This approach sometimes comes at the cost of length, and no doubt some points could have been made more economically.
Provis has utilised a wide array of sources, from the obvious major philosophical work of Hobbes and Kant to more recent significant contributors such as Robert Jackall and C.P. Snow. The quality of the research and the extensive citation of sources will guide the interested reader onwards. All of this, and the author's ability to distil the complexity of some philosophical thought, make the book a useful resource for those interested in the intersection of organisational politics and ethics.
If one is the sort of person who lies awake at night considering how to participate in organisational life and maintain a conscience, then this book may be especially valuable as it offers general principles that can be used to guide action. Fortunately, the appeal of the work is somewhat broader. Participation in organisational politics is an inescapable part of life for those involved in personnel or human resources management. Therefore, this work is relevant not only to those in academia, who must themselves navigate the political waters of their institutions, but also those interested in organisations more generally.
