Philosophy of Management
Chapter 2
Philosophy of Management: Concepts of Management from the Perspectives of Systems
Theory, Phenomenological Hermeneutics,
Corporate Religion, and Existentialism
JACOB DAHL RENDTORFF
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
The Emergence of Business Ethics: Towards the Political Firm
Values-driven Management and Organizational Systems
Leadership, Judgment, and Values
Corporate Religion, Existentialism, and Kierkegaard
Conclusion
In this paper, I discuss recent approaches in the theory and philosophy of management of a complex society, namely Denmark, focusing on the concepts of leadership, corporate citizenship, public relations, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and ethics. This is a discussion of philosophy of management in a complex society. The discussion is presented in five sections:
1) the emergence of business ethics in Denmark; 2) the systems-theoretic approach to philosophy of management; 3) the phenomenological and hermeneutic approach to leadership and ethics in organizations; 4) corporate religion, existentialism, and Kierkegaard; and 5) a conclusion.
I. The Emergence of Business Ethics: Towards the Political Firm
In Denmark, recent debates about philosophy of management in public and private organizations were initially limited to issues of business ethics and leadership and only later to deeper issues of epistemology and organizational ontology. Traditionally, Danish business ethics have been characterized by
P. Koslowski (ed.), Elements of a Philosophy of Management and Organization,
Studies in Economic Ethics and Philosophy, DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-11140-2_2,
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010
19
20
JACOB DAHL RENDTORFF
Protestant ethics, which promoted the norms of integrity, respect for hard work, and trustworthy behaviour; however, more recently it became evident that better thinking on business ethics was necessary. During the 1980s and
1990s the question of whether the term “business ethics” is fundamentally oxymoronic (that is, whether
Philosophy of Management: Concepts of Management from the Perspectives of Systems
Theory, Phenomenological Hermeneutics,
Corporate Religion, and Existentialism
JACOB DAHL RENDTORFF
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
The Emergence of Business Ethics: Towards the Political Firm
Values-driven Management and Organizational Systems
Leadership, Judgment, and Values
Corporate Religion, Existentialism, and Kierkegaard
Conclusion
In this paper, I discuss recent approaches in the theory and philosophy of management of a complex society, namely Denmark, focusing on the concepts of leadership, corporate citizenship, public relations, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and ethics. This is a discussion of philosophy of management in a complex society. The discussion is presented in five sections:
1) the emergence of business ethics in Denmark; 2) the systems-theoretic approach to philosophy of management; 3) the phenomenological and hermeneutic approach to leadership and ethics in organizations; 4) corporate religion, existentialism, and Kierkegaard; and 5) a conclusion.
I. The Emergence of Business Ethics: Towards the Political Firm
In Denmark, recent debates about philosophy of management in public and private organizations were initially limited to issues of business ethics and leadership and only later to deeper issues of epistemology and organizational ontology. Traditionally, Danish business ethics have been characterized by
P. Koslowski (ed.), Elements of a Philosophy of Management and Organization,
Studies in Economic Ethics and Philosophy, DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-11140-2_2,
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010
19
20
JACOB DAHL RENDTORFF
Protestant ethics, which promoted the norms of integrity, respect for hard work, and trustworthy behaviour; however, more recently it became evident that better thinking on business ethics was necessary. During the 1980s and
1990s the question of whether the term “business ethics” is fundamentally oxymoronic (that is, whether