ETHICS in the Company: Reflections on the Individual and his Relations in the Work.
Name: FREDERICO PIFANO DE REZENDE
Type: MSc dissertation
Publication date: 06/06/2003
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| JOÃO GUALBERTO MOREIRA VASCONCELLOS | Internal Alternate * |
| MARIA ELIZABETH BARROS DE BARROS | Internal Examiner * |
| VANIA MARIA MANFROI | Advisor * |
Summary: Ethics has gradually becoming an object of great interest and methodical
study on the part of researchers and professionals in the area of Business Administration. Under various denominations and different concepts, ethics has been the target of investigation in the practices of most companies. The goal of this study was to interpret how ethics manifests itself or how it can impact the relationships of an individual within the workplace. Additionally, this study intended to provide a clearer understanding of ethics that could serve as support for future research and inquiries on the topic within the organizations. In terms of methodology, this study was qualitative in nature and had an exploratory framework. It was developed based upon interviews with professionals of different hierarchical levels currently employed at organizations within the steel-industry sector, all located in the State of Espírito Santo. The results of this investigation showed the difficulty of implementation of ethical principles in companies WHERE the codes of conduct are concerned almost exclusively with the accomplishment of production
goals and the achievement of ever-increasing indices of productivity. In these companies, the individuals have their freedom of action limited by their fear of unemployment and of the intimidating rules set by the companies directors. Still, such companies, following the logic of the capital but with an excessive focus on profits, have let their code of ethics be suffocated by individualism and competition. Through this perspective, it was possible to identify the need for an in depth reflection on companies present practices, in order to contemplate aspects of subjectivity that can rescue the true sense of work in
those who, today, can only see work as the means to their subsistence.
