Forum

One of the topics that was brought forward at the BI symposium this year, was whether BI is inherently a moral & value-laden concept. In others words; are people who are 'true to their word' inherently 'good' & 'responsible' people. Or even, is it possible to be true to your word but still be a morally bad individual? Or with a more pratical example: was Hitler an integer person in the BI defenition?

I have struggled with this problem myself for quite some time now. Inherently, I agree with Tony his original point of view, not to view it is a moral concept. Below you can find an excerpt from the 2002 article (p.19):

The Random House College Dictionary (1975, p. 692) delines integrity as “adherence to moral and ethical principles.” As defined here, though. BI does not consider the morality of principles, but rather focuses on the extent to
whieh stated principles are seen as aligning with actions. Thus, a colleague who openly advocates self-interest, rather than the common good, as a basis for personal actions might be despised if one does not share his values.
However, such a colleague might be .seen as having high behavioral integrity if one can see clear alignment between word and deed. One might not support the colleague's actions or seek vulnerability to him, but at Iea.st
one knows that he means what he says.

But then how can we clarify that BI accrues so many positive effects in the workplace? Justice perceptions, work engagement & commitment, … I believe this goes back to a more fundamental perspective on what it means to be ethical or moral. First and for all, there is a difference between the terms ethical & moral,  Moral refers to adhering to certain principles of right and wrong, while ethical typically refers to the processes that lead to right or wrong (Merriam-Webster). In some situations certain morals may lead to ethical behavior while in other situations these morals will lead to unethical behavior. For instance, if a manager values worker continued employment as a moral value this will generally lead to ethical behavior. However, in a crisis situation this moral may need to be abonded (a lot of lay-offs) to ensure the long-time profitability of a company. Thus, while morals have a more fixed content, ethics are more variable of time & situation.

Given these definitions, I would argue that BI is inherently not moral, but that it may lead to more ethical behavior, especially in a turbulent work environment. In a work context that is very turbulent and malleable each day, it has become difficult to apply the same moral standards over time and in every situation. Keeping true to your word however can provide a way to express certain values without being rigid in their application. Integrity is typically defined as different things fitted together into a seamless whole. (Merriam-Webster). As such, absolutely consistency may not be necessary to be ethical. The follower just needs to have the perception that the different values of the manager seem to fit.

Thanks for the excellent reference, Michael — it also looks like a terrific journal issue with several other articles about authenticity and integrity.

For myself, i think more about the practical consequence of a given formulation rather than a philosophical question about what integrity truly “is.”  if you think of it in the pared-down fashion i have advocated, it makes it more acceptable for people to consider their own failings and to learn and develop their integrity “muscles.”  in terms of research, it also allows one to better consider and examine the relationships among constructs.  “integrity” as used in the popular vernacular may be decomposed into perceived value congruence and behavioral integrity.  Which element of these or others dominates trust formation is an empirical question.

i know there are a certain number of battles for use of the term “integrity,” and it will inevitably lead to some people getting confused.  However, I stand behind my use of the term “behavioral integrity” because it IS about integrity, albeit a particular flavor of it.  At least, everyone can agree that BI is a critical element of integrity.