9 - The Normalisation of Wrongdoing Flashcards
(14 cards)
What does “normalisation of wrongdoing” mean in business?
Unethical behaviours become part of organisational culture over time — they stop feeling wrong due to repetition, silence, or implicit acceptance.
What are key mechanisms that normalise wrongdoing?
Silence
Rationalisation
Rule-following
What is “ethical fading”?
The process by which the ethical aspects of a decision are gradually obscured or ignored — actions are reframed as business decisions, not moral ones.
How does group silence support wrongdoing?
Fear, conformity, or loyalty lead employees to stay silent — creating an environment where unethical behaviour goes unchallenged.
What is the role of complicity in ethical failure?
Wrongdoing often continues because many passively allow it. People may not act unethically themselves but allow systems or colleagues to do so.
What is diffusion of responsibility?
No one feels personally accountable when responsibility is spread across many individuals or departments.
How does hierarchical culture enable wrongdoing?
Authority structures discourage questioning. Lower-level employees may feel they lack power to challenge unethical decisions made above them.
What is “bounded ethicality”?
Cognitive limits that prevent people from recognising the ethical dimensions of their decisions — people often think they’re being ethical even when they’re not.
What does “systemic wrongdoing” mean?
Ethical failures are embedded in organisational practices, routines, and culture — not caused by a few bad individuals.
How does organisational language help normalise harm?
Euphemisms obscure moral realities.
E.g., “downsizing” vs. “firing people”
What is “moral muteness”?
Choosing not to speak out about unethical practices — often to avoid conflict, protect one’s job, or conform to norms.
Why is “tone from the top” crucial for ethics?
Leadership sets the moral standard. If leaders tolerate or model unethical behaviour, it cascades through the culture.
What are ways to challenge normalised wrongdoing?
- Cultivate ethical culture and leadership
- Empower whistleblowers
- Prioritise value-based hiring and training
Why does wrongdoing persist in ethical companies?
Because even well-intentioned people conform to systems, roles, and cultures that separate them from ethical responsibility — unless challenged.
