Objections to an Objectivist Approach to Integrity

Abstract

This article challenges Becker's objectivist account of integrity in organizations. Although existing approaches to workplace integrity are flawed by conceptual and methodological inconsistencies, an objectivist analysis is unable to resolve these problems and raises new concerns. We develop three lines of argument. First, we critique objectivism as a philosophical system of questionable legitimacy and coherence. Second, we argue that the fundamental objectivist principle of rational egoism is inferior to existing theories of business ethics as a means of defining moral behavior in organizations. Third, we contend that the objectivist account of integrity understates the role of social power as a determinant of organizational choices and outcomes.