Ethical Considerations in Organizational Conflict

Abstract

Ethical considerations are critical to decision-making in any organization. Decisions that impact internal and external stakeholders carry implications that account for employee conduct, personal values, institutional policies, and obligations to customers. Conflicts within an organization present a particularly unique set of dynamics and tensions that require ethical assessment to ensure a fair, equitable, and ethically acceptable work environment. Recognizing these ethical challenges, and ultimately addressing and resolving them, is incumbent upon all stakeholders to ensure the success of the organization and its stated mission to employees, clients, and the community it serves. This chapter explores commonly encountered forms of organizational conflicts with respect to ethical concerns, and the considerations for navigating such conditions through theoretical foundations and a practical lens. The discussion is then followed by a framework for advancing ethical conduct through institutional codes and policies. We conclude with a case study that examines the ethical challenge of fair resource allocation and just distribution of goods.