Ethical culture in an organization is usually determined by the employee code of conduct (Daft. 2012). Ethical culture is guided by the dynamics of ethics and morals. While ethics describe rules that are instituted by an organization or any other body to govern those who relate with it, morals are based on one’s personal principles on what is wrong or right.
Understanding the concept of ethical culture and how biblical worldview supports ethical organizations is crucial for any manager. From a Christian point of view, an ethical organization is the right, but not the only way of doing things. According to Sire (2009), naturalism states that a person’s behavior is determined by their environment. It also supports nihilism which goes against the existence of a supreme being. Theism is the pillar of Christianity and the base under which churches are opened. The Bible supports ethical culture alongside other biblical principles. Thus, although not all ethical people are religious, most religious people usually find it easier to implement the employee code of conduct in their activities within the workplace.
Moreover, organizational culture exists in two levels. One level refers to the visible values presented through a person’s words or activities, which are easily acted out by employees as they usually come across in the presence of other people (Daft, 2012). The second level deals with thoughts and beliefs that run in a person’s subconscious mind, which include ethical values such as honesty and integrity (Daft, 2012). Christianity preaches these values to transform people’s perception of life. If people have these values in their core, it is highly likely that they will easily observe the code of conduct. Morgan (2006) argues that an organization whose management and staff follow the code of conduct portrays an attractive image to the customers and competitors.
References
Daft. L. R., (2012). Organization theory and design. Canada: Cengage learning
Morgan, G. (2006). Images of organization. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.
Sire, J. W. (2009). The universe next door. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.
