Managerial Responsibility as Negotiated Order: A Social Construction Perspective.

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Title:	Managerial Responsibility as Negotiated Order: A Social Construction Perspective.
Authors:	Baïada-Hirèche, Loréa¹ Lorea.hireche@it-sudparis.eu, Pasquero, Jean² Pasquero.jean@uqam.ca, Chanlat, Jean-François³ Jean-francois.chanlat@dauphine.fr
Source:	Journal of Business Ethics. Jun2011, Vol. 101, p17-31. 15p. 1 Chart.
Subject Terms:	*Employee attitudes, Social responsibility of business, Executives, Negotiation, Business ethics, Responsibility
Abstract:	This article examines how employees form their perceptions of managerial responsibility in a concrete organizational setting. Drawing on negotiated order theory, it shows that these perceptions are the result of complex processes of social construction and negotiation, rather than the application of predetermined ethics models or norms. Employees' perceptions appear to be unstable; they are subject to constant alterations, fluctuating with the organizational circumstances, and are likely to create considerable organizational perturbations, especially when managers make complex and ambiguous decisions. This process is illustrated through an ethnographic study that analyzed the evolution of employee perceptions during a three-year crisis-one that led managers to repeatedly postpone salary payments to save jobs. The process approach adopted by the study highlights important dynamics that traditional business ethics approaches overlook, such as the fragility of the construct of managerial responsibility, which cannot be coherent unless it is constantly renegotiated among an organization's various employee groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
	Copyright of Journal of Business Ethics is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database:	Education Research Complete

Description
Abstract:	This article examines how employees form their perceptions of managerial responsibility in a concrete organizational setting. Drawing on negotiated order theory, it shows that these perceptions are the result of complex processes of social construction and negotiation, rather than the application of predetermined ethics models or norms. Employees' perceptions appear to be unstable; they are subject to constant alterations, fluctuating with the organizational circumstances, and are likely to create considerable organizational perturbations, especially when managers make complex and ambiguous decisions. This process is illustrated through an ethnographic study that analyzed the evolution of employee perceptions during a three-year crisis-one that led managers to repeatedly postpone salary payments to save jobs. The process approach adopted by the study highlights important dynamics that traditional business ethics approaches overlook, such as the fragility of the construct of managerial responsibility, which cannot be coherent unless it is constantly renegotiated among an organization's various employee groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	01674544
DOI:	10.1007/s10551-011-1172-7