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Papers by Larry Floyd

Business and Management Research, 2015

In academic institutions around the world, faculty and administrators are searching for new ways ... more In academic institutions around the world, faculty and administrators are searching for new ways to improve teaching effectiveness and prepare students for a more demanding global workplace. Although improving the effectiveness of teaching has long been acknowledged as an important priority, at most academic institutions current performance assessment programs for evaluating faculty effectiveness are often perceived as being limited, ineffective and outmoded. In this paper, we identify key shortcomings of current teaching assessment methods and suggest an improved seven-step coaching model for improving teaching effectiveness. The proposed model also includes ten testable propositions for improving teaching effectiveness.

Although many scholars and practitioners acknowledge business ethics education to be an important... more Although many scholars and practitioners acknowledge business ethics education to be an important priority for business schools, they criticize the current approach to teaching business ethics at many schools as ineffective. This article introduces a new integrative model for teaching business ethics that integrates key elements of Bloom’s Taxonomy, Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning, and Transformational Learning. We briefly describe the current status of business ethics education and identify nine elements of the proposed model of Transformative Learning. After explaining these nine elements, we identify propositions that business faculty may use to assess the application of Transformative Learning on business ethics education.

Journal of Management Development, 2014

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define “beneficence” as a management concept that is th... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define “beneficence” as a management concept that is the action associated with “benevolence” the intention. This paper explains how beneficence is a critical element for leaders in building trust. The authors identify how beneficence honors the ethical duties owed to followers and creates competitive advantage for organizations. Design/methodology/approach – The approach of this paper is to present an extensive conceptual review of beneficence as it relates to leaders and managers and to suggest eight propositions identifying how beneficence can create competitive advantage. Findings – The findings of this paper include eight propositions about beneficence as a source of competitive advantage. Practical implications – The practical implications of this paper are for practitioners and scholars. This paper provides an opportunity for leaders to recognize the importance of translating good intentions into specific action in acting virtuously t...

Journal of Business Ethics, 2013

ABSTRACT Unethical conduct has reached crisis proportions in business (Walker et al., Wall Str J ... more ABSTRACT Unethical conduct has reached crisis proportions in business (Walker et al., Wall Str J East Edn, 258(37):A1–A10, 2011) and on today’s college campuses (Burke et al., CPA J, 77(5):58–65, 2007). Despite the evidence that suggests that more than half of business students admit to dishonest practices (McCabe et al. 2006), only about 5 % of business school deans surveyed believe that dishonesty is a problem at their schools (Brown et al., Coll Stud J A, 44(2):299–308, 2010). In addition, the AACSB which establishes standards for accredited business schools has resisted the urging of deans and business experts to require business schools to teach an ethics class, and fewer than one-third of businesses schools now teach a business ethics course at the graduate or undergraduate levels (Swanson and Fisher, Advancing Business Ethics Education, 2008). In this paper we briefly introduce the status of business ethics education and report the results of a survey of business students, deans of the top business schools, and business ethics subject matter experts about ten ethical outcomes. We then offer five specific recommendations to encourage business ethics faculty and decision makers to improve the teaching of business ethics.

Journal of Business Ethics, 2011

The ongoing cynicism about leaders and organizations calls for a new standard of ethical leadersh... more The ongoing cynicism about leaders and organizations calls for a new standard of ethical leadership that we have labeled ''transformative leadership.'' This new leadership model integrates ethically-based features of six other well-regarded leadership perspectives and combines key normative and instrumental elements of each of those six perspectives. Transformative leadership honors the governance obligations of leaders by demonstrating a commitment to the welfare of all stakeholders and by seeking to optimize long-term wealth creation. Citing the scholarly literature about leadership theory, we identify key elements of the six leadership perspectives that make up transformative leadership, suggest leaders who exemplify each perspective, describe the ethical foundations and message of each perspective, and offer ten propositions that scholars and practitioners can use to test the dimensions of this new transformative leadership model. Keywords Ethical leadership Á Transformative leadership Á Covenantal leadership Á Ethical stewardship Á Level 5 leadership Á Servant leadership Á Principle-centered leadership Á Transformational leadership Á Charismatic leadership According to a recent study conducted by Maritz Research, trust in leaders is distressingly low with only seven percent of employees believing that ''senior management's actions are completely consistent with their words'' and only 25% agreeing ''that they trust management to make the right decisions in times of uncertainty'' (Maritz Research 2010, p. 1). Despite the reality that today's business environment is more complex, more challenging, and more competitive than at any prior time in history (Cameron 2003), many organizational leaders struggle in retaining follower trust (Heavey et al. 2011), and continue to utilize traditional leadership models that often are ineffective (Covey 2004) and that frequently become the source of many organizational problems (Pfeffer 1998, Chapter 1). Despite the extensive leadership research that has been undertaken, the study of leadership continues to be ''riddled with paradoxes, inconsistencies, and contradictions'' (Brungardt 1996, p. 82), and today's leaders seem incapable of earning the trust of their employees or the support of society at large (Perucci 2009). This widespread decline in trust toward leaders and organizations (Taylor 2003; Bandsuch et al. 2008) has signaled the need for a new approach to leadership in a world that seemingly lacks a moral compass (Paine 2003). Freeman et al. (2006, p. 149) declared, ''Our current maps and mental models about leadership are failing us.'' To merit the trust of organizational stakeholders, the leaders of tomorrow's organizations must raise their standards, demonstrate their character, and meet the expectations of a cynical but increasingly complex world (Cameron 2003; Bennis and Nanus 2007). Rolf D. Dixon, a co-author and key contributor to this paper, past away in 2011 while this paper was under review.

Journal of Business Ethics, 2012

Individuals who demonstrate organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) contribute to their organiz... more Individuals who demonstrate organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) contribute to their organization's ability to create wealth, but they also owe their organizations a complex set of ethical duties. Although, the academic literature has begun to address the ethical duties owed by organizational leaders to organizational citizens, very little has been written about the duties owed by those who practice OCB to their organizations. In this article, we identify an array of ethical duties owed by those who engage in extra-role behavior and describe those duties in context with personality theory. We suggest that employees who understand the complex nature of OCB and the associated duties they owe to others are more likely to reach their potential and make greater contributions within their organizations.

The high performance work systems (HPWS’s) literature and practice has evolved rapidly since the ... more The high performance work systems (HPWS’s) literature and practice has evolved rapidly since the 1970’s. While no one agrees exactly with any single definition, it is safe to say that most scholars and practitioners would say the purpose of a HPWS is to help an organization achieve some type of optimal “fit” between people, technology, work, and information. Practitioners would demand that high performance work systems contribute to organizational efficiency, effectiveness, and health. Accordingly, they should care about productivity, quality, safety, absenteeism, costs, workplace organization, suggestions, explicit and tacit learning, and attracting retaining, and motivating a firstrate workforce. To most behavioral scientists, HPWS’s are really a unique way of thinking about organizations. More specifically, these HPWS's try to optimize the fit between social and technical subsystems rather than “force fitting” people into the technological system. The research record is rathe...

AbstractAlthough many scholars and practitioners acknowledge business ethics education to be an i... more AbstractAlthough many scholars and practitioners acknowledge business ethics education to be an important priority for business schools, they criticize the current approach to teaching business ethics at many schools as ineffective. This article introduces a new integrative model for teaching business ethics that integrates key elements of Bloom's Taxonomy, Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning, and Transformational Learning. Research briefly describes the current status of business ethics education and identifies nine elements of the proposed model of Transformative Learning. The identified propositions allow business faculty to use them to assess the application of Transformative Learning on business ethics education.KeywordsBusiness ethics education, transformative learning, Bloom's Taxonomy, Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning, and Transformational Learning.IntroductionScholars and business professionals alike have criticized business schools for being slow...

Journal of Management Development, 2016

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of trustworthiness at an organizationa... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of trustworthiness at an organizational level. A comparison of Chinese and US perspectives facilitated the identified insight into the nature of trustworthiness. Design/methodology/approach This paper is an exploratory study of cross-cultural perceptions of trustworthiness at an organizational level. A survey was administered to business school students, faculty members and industrial managers in a major Chinese city. Usable data collected from 398 respondents was analyzed identifying significant factors characterizing organizational trustworthiness. Findings Seven factors were identified that characterize organizational trustworthiness. These factors were significant for both US and Chinese respondents, with procedural fairness considered most important of the identified factors. Originality/value This paper contributes to trustworthiness literature at the organizational level. Prior empirical research is based on data coll...

International Business and Management, Feb 28, 2015

Although their competitors may copy their products and services, companies have found that they m... more Although their competitors may copy their products and services, companies have found that they may nonetheless maintain competitive advantage by creating difficult-toduplicate relationships between their employees and their customers (Stershic, 2001, p.42). Although advances in technology have enabled consumers to become informed shoppers and have made it easier to compare providers, products, and prices, discerning consumers are also more able to access the comments and opinions of other customers. Accordingly, organizations have begun to acknowledge that creating strong customer relationships is an important means of differentiating themselves from their competitors. Effective internal marketing strategies can be a vital tool for developing highly committed employees-the key to strengthening relationships with customers and achieving greater customer satisfaction, increased loyalty, and higher long-term profits. In this paper we offer eight propositions about effective internal marketing and suggest that highly committed employees, achieved by intelligent and effective internal marketing, can enable organizations to create the key relationships with customers that allow those organizations to achieve unprecedented excellence and competitive advantage.

Business and Management Research, 2015

ABSTRACT Current performance assessment programs for evaluating faculty effectiveness are severel... more ABSTRACT Current performance assessment programs for evaluating faculty effectiveness are severely limited at most academic institutions and are often attempted by occasional classroom visits and student evaluations which are typically non-specific to the course being taught and assume that students understand what constitutes effective teaching. Sometimes an additional effort is made to assign new and untenured faculty to a senior faculty mentor who may or may not make the effort to advise or consult the faculty being assessed. Occasionally, some universities may conduct training classes for faculty which offer ideas about improving teaching effectiveness.

This article introduces a new integrative model for teaching business ethics that integrates key ... more This article introduces a new integrative model for teaching business ethics that integrates key elements of Bloom's Taxonomy, Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning, and Transformational Learning. The identified propositions allow business faculty to use them to assess the application of Transformative Learning on business ethics education.

Although many scholars and practitioners acknowledge business ethics education to be an important... more Although many scholars and practitioners acknowledge business ethics education to be an important priority for business schools, they criticize the current approach to teaching business ethics at many schools as ineffective. This article introduces a new integrative model for teaching business ethics that integrates key elements of Bloom’s Taxonomy, Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning, and Transformational Learning. We briefly describe the current status of business ethics education and identify nine elements of the proposed model of Transformative Learning. After explaining these nine elements, we identify propositions that business faculty may use to assess the application of Transformative Learning on business ethics education.

Journal of Management Development, 2014

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to define "beneficence" as a management concept that is the... more Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to define "beneficence" as a management concept that is the action associated with "benevolence" the intention. This paper explains how beneficence is a critical element for leaders in building trust. The authors identify how beneficence honors the ethical duties owed to followers and creates competitive advantage for organizations. Design/methodology/approach -The approach of this paper is to present an extensive conceptual review of beneficence as it relates to leaders and managers and to suggest eight propositions identifying how beneficence can create competitive advantage. Findings -The findings of this paper include eight propositions about beneficence as a source of competitive advantage. Practical implications -The practical implications of this paper are for practitioners and scholars. This paper provides an opportunity for leaders to recognize the importance of translating good intentions into specific action in acting virtuously toward others. For scholars, this paper provides testable propositions for learning more about beneficence as a source of increased commitment, greater trust, and competitive advantage. Originality/value -Although benevolence has been acknowledged to be a foundation of trustworthiness, benevolence is an attitude or intention. This paper explains the importance of beneficence as the action derived from benevolence as an attitude or intention to do that which benefits others.

Journal of Business Ethics, 2012

ABSTRACT Individuals who demonstrate organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) contribute to thei... more ABSTRACT Individuals who demonstrate organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) contribute to their organization’s ability to create wealth, but they also owe their organizations a complex set of ethical duties. Although, the academic literature has begun to address the ethical duties owed by organizational leaders to organizational citizens, very little has been written about the duties owed by those who practice OCB to their organizations. In this article, we identify an array of ethical duties owed by those who engage in extra-role behavior and describe those duties in context with personality theory. We suggest that employees who understand the complex nature of OCB and the associated duties they owe to others are more likely to reach their potential and make greater contributions within their organizations.

Journal of Business Ethics, 2012

The ongoing cynicism about leaders and organizations calls for a new standard of ethical leadersh... more The ongoing cynicism about leaders and organizations calls for a new standard of ethical leadership that we have labeled ''transformative leadership.'' This new leadership model integrates ethically-based features of six other well-regarded leadership perspectives and combines key normative and instrumental elements of each of those six perspectives. Transformative leadership honors the governance obligations of leaders by demonstrating a commitment to the welfare of all stakeholders and by seeking to optimize long-term wealth creation. Citing the scholarly literature about leadership theory, we identify key elements of the six leadership perspectives that make up transformative leadership, suggest leaders who exemplify each perspective, describe the ethical foundations and message of each perspective, and offer ten propositions that scholars and practitioners can use to test the dimensions of this new transformative leadership model.

Journal of Business Ethics, 2013

Business and Management Research, 2015

In academic institutions around the world, faculty and administrators are searching for new ways ... more In academic institutions around the world, faculty and administrators are searching for new ways to improve teaching effectiveness and prepare students for a more demanding global workplace. Although improving the effectiveness of teaching has long been acknowledged as an important priority, at most academic institutions current performance assessment programs for evaluating faculty effectiveness are often perceived as being limited, ineffective and outmoded. In this paper, we identify key shortcomings of current teaching assessment methods and suggest an improved seven-step coaching model for improving teaching effectiveness. The proposed model also includes ten testable propositions for improving teaching effectiveness.

Although many scholars and practitioners acknowledge business ethics education to be an important... more Although many scholars and practitioners acknowledge business ethics education to be an important priority for business schools, they criticize the current approach to teaching business ethics at many schools as ineffective. This article introduces a new integrative model for teaching business ethics that integrates key elements of Bloom’s Taxonomy, Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning, and Transformational Learning. We briefly describe the current status of business ethics education and identify nine elements of the proposed model of Transformative Learning. After explaining these nine elements, we identify propositions that business faculty may use to assess the application of Transformative Learning on business ethics education.

Journal of Management Development, 2014

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define “beneficence” as a management concept that is th... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define “beneficence” as a management concept that is the action associated with “benevolence” the intention. This paper explains how beneficence is a critical element for leaders in building trust. The authors identify how beneficence honors the ethical duties owed to followers and creates competitive advantage for organizations. Design/methodology/approach – The approach of this paper is to present an extensive conceptual review of beneficence as it relates to leaders and managers and to suggest eight propositions identifying how beneficence can create competitive advantage. Findings – The findings of this paper include eight propositions about beneficence as a source of competitive advantage. Practical implications – The practical implications of this paper are for practitioners and scholars. This paper provides an opportunity for leaders to recognize the importance of translating good intentions into specific action in acting virtuously t...

Journal of Business Ethics, 2013

ABSTRACT Unethical conduct has reached crisis proportions in business (Walker et al., Wall Str J ... more ABSTRACT Unethical conduct has reached crisis proportions in business (Walker et al., Wall Str J East Edn, 258(37):A1–A10, 2011) and on today’s college campuses (Burke et al., CPA J, 77(5):58–65, 2007). Despite the evidence that suggests that more than half of business students admit to dishonest practices (McCabe et al. 2006), only about 5 % of business school deans surveyed believe that dishonesty is a problem at their schools (Brown et al., Coll Stud J A, 44(2):299–308, 2010). In addition, the AACSB which establishes standards for accredited business schools has resisted the urging of deans and business experts to require business schools to teach an ethics class, and fewer than one-third of businesses schools now teach a business ethics course at the graduate or undergraduate levels (Swanson and Fisher, Advancing Business Ethics Education, 2008). In this paper we briefly introduce the status of business ethics education and report the results of a survey of business students, deans of the top business schools, and business ethics subject matter experts about ten ethical outcomes. We then offer five specific recommendations to encourage business ethics faculty and decision makers to improve the teaching of business ethics.

Journal of Business Ethics, 2011

The ongoing cynicism about leaders and organizations calls for a new standard of ethical leadersh... more The ongoing cynicism about leaders and organizations calls for a new standard of ethical leadership that we have labeled ''transformative leadership.'' This new leadership model integrates ethically-based features of six other well-regarded leadership perspectives and combines key normative and instrumental elements of each of those six perspectives. Transformative leadership honors the governance obligations of leaders by demonstrating a commitment to the welfare of all stakeholders and by seeking to optimize long-term wealth creation. Citing the scholarly literature about leadership theory, we identify key elements of the six leadership perspectives that make up transformative leadership, suggest leaders who exemplify each perspective, describe the ethical foundations and message of each perspective, and offer ten propositions that scholars and practitioners can use to test the dimensions of this new transformative leadership model. Keywords Ethical leadership Á Transformative leadership Á Covenantal leadership Á Ethical stewardship Á Level 5 leadership Á Servant leadership Á Principle-centered leadership Á Transformational leadership Á Charismatic leadership According to a recent study conducted by Maritz Research, trust in leaders is distressingly low with only seven percent of employees believing that ''senior management's actions are completely consistent with their words'' and only 25% agreeing ''that they trust management to make the right decisions in times of uncertainty'' (Maritz Research 2010, p. 1). Despite the reality that today's business environment is more complex, more challenging, and more competitive than at any prior time in history (Cameron 2003), many organizational leaders struggle in retaining follower trust (Heavey et al. 2011), and continue to utilize traditional leadership models that often are ineffective (Covey 2004) and that frequently become the source of many organizational problems (Pfeffer 1998, Chapter 1). Despite the extensive leadership research that has been undertaken, the study of leadership continues to be ''riddled with paradoxes, inconsistencies, and contradictions'' (Brungardt 1996, p. 82), and today's leaders seem incapable of earning the trust of their employees or the support of society at large (Perucci 2009). This widespread decline in trust toward leaders and organizations (Taylor 2003; Bandsuch et al. 2008) has signaled the need for a new approach to leadership in a world that seemingly lacks a moral compass (Paine 2003). Freeman et al. (2006, p. 149) declared, ''Our current maps and mental models about leadership are failing us.'' To merit the trust of organizational stakeholders, the leaders of tomorrow's organizations must raise their standards, demonstrate their character, and meet the expectations of a cynical but increasingly complex world (Cameron 2003; Bennis and Nanus 2007). Rolf D. Dixon, a co-author and key contributor to this paper, past away in 2011 while this paper was under review.

Journal of Business Ethics, 2012

Individuals who demonstrate organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) contribute to their organiz... more Individuals who demonstrate organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) contribute to their organization's ability to create wealth, but they also owe their organizations a complex set of ethical duties. Although, the academic literature has begun to address the ethical duties owed by organizational leaders to organizational citizens, very little has been written about the duties owed by those who practice OCB to their organizations. In this article, we identify an array of ethical duties owed by those who engage in extra-role behavior and describe those duties in context with personality theory. We suggest that employees who understand the complex nature of OCB and the associated duties they owe to others are more likely to reach their potential and make greater contributions within their organizations.

The high performance work systems (HPWS’s) literature and practice has evolved rapidly since the ... more The high performance work systems (HPWS’s) literature and practice has evolved rapidly since the 1970’s. While no one agrees exactly with any single definition, it is safe to say that most scholars and practitioners would say the purpose of a HPWS is to help an organization achieve some type of optimal “fit” between people, technology, work, and information. Practitioners would demand that high performance work systems contribute to organizational efficiency, effectiveness, and health. Accordingly, they should care about productivity, quality, safety, absenteeism, costs, workplace organization, suggestions, explicit and tacit learning, and attracting retaining, and motivating a firstrate workforce. To most behavioral scientists, HPWS’s are really a unique way of thinking about organizations. More specifically, these HPWS's try to optimize the fit between social and technical subsystems rather than “force fitting” people into the technological system. The research record is rathe...

AbstractAlthough many scholars and practitioners acknowledge business ethics education to be an i... more AbstractAlthough many scholars and practitioners acknowledge business ethics education to be an important priority for business schools, they criticize the current approach to teaching business ethics at many schools as ineffective. This article introduces a new integrative model for teaching business ethics that integrates key elements of Bloom's Taxonomy, Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning, and Transformational Learning. Research briefly describes the current status of business ethics education and identifies nine elements of the proposed model of Transformative Learning. The identified propositions allow business faculty to use them to assess the application of Transformative Learning on business ethics education.KeywordsBusiness ethics education, transformative learning, Bloom's Taxonomy, Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning, and Transformational Learning.IntroductionScholars and business professionals alike have criticized business schools for being slow...

Journal of Management Development, 2016

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of trustworthiness at an organizationa... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of trustworthiness at an organizational level. A comparison of Chinese and US perspectives facilitated the identified insight into the nature of trustworthiness. Design/methodology/approach This paper is an exploratory study of cross-cultural perceptions of trustworthiness at an organizational level. A survey was administered to business school students, faculty members and industrial managers in a major Chinese city. Usable data collected from 398 respondents was analyzed identifying significant factors characterizing organizational trustworthiness. Findings Seven factors were identified that characterize organizational trustworthiness. These factors were significant for both US and Chinese respondents, with procedural fairness considered most important of the identified factors. Originality/value This paper contributes to trustworthiness literature at the organizational level. Prior empirical research is based on data coll...

International Business and Management, Feb 28, 2015

Although their competitors may copy their products and services, companies have found that they m... more Although their competitors may copy their products and services, companies have found that they may nonetheless maintain competitive advantage by creating difficult-toduplicate relationships between their employees and their customers (Stershic, 2001, p.42). Although advances in technology have enabled consumers to become informed shoppers and have made it easier to compare providers, products, and prices, discerning consumers are also more able to access the comments and opinions of other customers. Accordingly, organizations have begun to acknowledge that creating strong customer relationships is an important means of differentiating themselves from their competitors. Effective internal marketing strategies can be a vital tool for developing highly committed employees-the key to strengthening relationships with customers and achieving greater customer satisfaction, increased loyalty, and higher long-term profits. In this paper we offer eight propositions about effective internal marketing and suggest that highly committed employees, achieved by intelligent and effective internal marketing, can enable organizations to create the key relationships with customers that allow those organizations to achieve unprecedented excellence and competitive advantage.

Business and Management Research, 2015

ABSTRACT Current performance assessment programs for evaluating faculty effectiveness are severel... more ABSTRACT Current performance assessment programs for evaluating faculty effectiveness are severely limited at most academic institutions and are often attempted by occasional classroom visits and student evaluations which are typically non-specific to the course being taught and assume that students understand what constitutes effective teaching. Sometimes an additional effort is made to assign new and untenured faculty to a senior faculty mentor who may or may not make the effort to advise or consult the faculty being assessed. Occasionally, some universities may conduct training classes for faculty which offer ideas about improving teaching effectiveness.

This article introduces a new integrative model for teaching business ethics that integrates key ... more This article introduces a new integrative model for teaching business ethics that integrates key elements of Bloom's Taxonomy, Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning, and Transformational Learning. The identified propositions allow business faculty to use them to assess the application of Transformative Learning on business ethics education.

Although many scholars and practitioners acknowledge business ethics education to be an important... more Although many scholars and practitioners acknowledge business ethics education to be an important priority for business schools, they criticize the current approach to teaching business ethics at many schools as ineffective. This article introduces a new integrative model for teaching business ethics that integrates key elements of Bloom’s Taxonomy, Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning, and Transformational Learning. We briefly describe the current status of business ethics education and identify nine elements of the proposed model of Transformative Learning. After explaining these nine elements, we identify propositions that business faculty may use to assess the application of Transformative Learning on business ethics education.

Journal of Management Development, 2014

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to define "beneficence" as a management concept that is the... more Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to define "beneficence" as a management concept that is the action associated with "benevolence" the intention. This paper explains how beneficence is a critical element for leaders in building trust. The authors identify how beneficence honors the ethical duties owed to followers and creates competitive advantage for organizations. Design/methodology/approach -The approach of this paper is to present an extensive conceptual review of beneficence as it relates to leaders and managers and to suggest eight propositions identifying how beneficence can create competitive advantage. Findings -The findings of this paper include eight propositions about beneficence as a source of competitive advantage. Practical implications -The practical implications of this paper are for practitioners and scholars. This paper provides an opportunity for leaders to recognize the importance of translating good intentions into specific action in acting virtuously toward others. For scholars, this paper provides testable propositions for learning more about beneficence as a source of increased commitment, greater trust, and competitive advantage. Originality/value -Although benevolence has been acknowledged to be a foundation of trustworthiness, benevolence is an attitude or intention. This paper explains the importance of beneficence as the action derived from benevolence as an attitude or intention to do that which benefits others.

Journal of Business Ethics, 2012

ABSTRACT Individuals who demonstrate organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) contribute to thei... more ABSTRACT Individuals who demonstrate organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) contribute to their organization’s ability to create wealth, but they also owe their organizations a complex set of ethical duties. Although, the academic literature has begun to address the ethical duties owed by organizational leaders to organizational citizens, very little has been written about the duties owed by those who practice OCB to their organizations. In this article, we identify an array of ethical duties owed by those who engage in extra-role behavior and describe those duties in context with personality theory. We suggest that employees who understand the complex nature of OCB and the associated duties they owe to others are more likely to reach their potential and make greater contributions within their organizations.

Journal of Business Ethics, 2012

The ongoing cynicism about leaders and organizations calls for a new standard of ethical leadersh... more The ongoing cynicism about leaders and organizations calls for a new standard of ethical leadership that we have labeled ''transformative leadership.'' This new leadership model integrates ethically-based features of six other well-regarded leadership perspectives and combines key normative and instrumental elements of each of those six perspectives. Transformative leadership honors the governance obligations of leaders by demonstrating a commitment to the welfare of all stakeholders and by seeking to optimize long-term wealth creation. Citing the scholarly literature about leadership theory, we identify key elements of the six leadership perspectives that make up transformative leadership, suggest leaders who exemplify each perspective, describe the ethical foundations and message of each perspective, and offer ten propositions that scholars and practitioners can use to test the dimensions of this new transformative leadership model.

Journal of Business Ethics, 2013