David Robinson
David Robinson
Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship
Bond University
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The Ethical Orientations of Entrepreneurially-inclined Managers
David Robinson, Queensland University of Technology
DATE: April 2006
View the article (105 K PDF)
ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT:
Pre-publication print of a presentation delivered at the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) Conference held in Melbourne, Australia, 18-21 June 2006.
ABSTRACT:
The entrepreneurially-inclined manager is defined as one who is an established manager and who has entrepreneurial inclinations, whether already realised or not. This means either that they are currently managing their own business or considering entrepreneurship as a future endeavour. Either way, they are self-proclaimed entrepreneurs in the psychological and/or behavioural sense of the term.
As business-related responsibilities typically remain his/her priority at all times there is usually little time for any matters that fall outside of the realm of business ownership and management. This usually results in the entrepreneur being totally absorbed by work-related issues, which makes it difficult to discern where business ends and other aspects of his/her life fit in.
As entrepreneurs continuously pursue opportunity (Stevenson 1983), they may be faced with opportunities where they are compelled to make choices between alternatives. They typically face aggressive competition in the marketplace and extra-ordinary financial risks. Sometimes none of the choices appear appropriate to them, or more than one appears equally desirable. In addition, they are usually unable or unwilling to consult with others about the decision, so they must rely on their own judgment to determine ‘what is right’.
It is hypothesised that entrepreneurially-inclined managers will tend to be more biased toward consequentialism than deontology as a basis for ethical decision. The research furthermore wishes to gauge the significance of virtues and personal values in the decision process, and to consider the effect of cultural differences on ethical orientation.