IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/gender/v24y2017i5p533-546.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ethical Praxis and the Business Case for LGBT Diversity: Political Insights from Judith Butler and Emmanuel Levinas

Author

Listed:
  • Carl Rhodes

Abstract

This paper critically reconsiders debates about the business case for workplace diversity as exemplified in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activism. These debates have long suggested that there is an oppositional distinction between justifying diversity on self‐interested business grounds and justifying it on the grounds of ethics, equality and social justice. This has led to an impasse between ethically driven diversity theory and activism, and the dominant business case approach commonly deferred to in managerial practice. As a way of mediating this impasse the contribution of this paper is to demonstrate how ‘ethical praxis’ can be deployed both despite and because of non‐ethically motivated approaches to ethics in business. Drawing on Judith Butler's and Emmanuel Levinas's considerations of the relationship between ethics and the practice of justice, it is argued that critiques of the business case for diversity rely on a pure ethics that does not adequately recognize its connection to lived politics. Conversely, support for the business case evinces a politics that has failed to remember its origin in ethics. The paper positions ethical praxis as a political intervention undertaken in the name of ethics and uses this to suggest that the business case, despite its ethical poverty, holds potential to create real opportunities for justice in organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • Carl Rhodes, 2017. "Ethical Praxis and the Business Case for LGBT Diversity: Political Insights from Judith Butler and Emmanuel Levinas," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(5), pages 533-546, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:gender:v:24:y:2017:i:5:p:533-546
    DOI: 10.1111/gwao.12168
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.12168
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/gwao.12168?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Debra E. Meyerson & Maureen A. Scully, 1995. "Crossroads Tempered Radicalism and the Politics of Ambivalence and Change," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 6(5), pages 585-600, October.
    2. repec:dau:papers:123456789/11417 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Sara Louise Muhr, 2008. "Othering diversity – a Levinasian analysis of diversity management," International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 3(2), pages 176-189.
    4. Nielsen, Richard P., 1993. "Organization Ethics from a Perspective of Praxis," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 3(02), pages 131-152, April.
    5. Hans Dijk & Marloes Engen & Jaap Paauwe, 2012. "Reframing the Business Case for Diversity: A Values and Virtues Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(1), pages 73-84, November.
    6. Alex Michalos, 2013. "The Business Case for Asserting the Business Case for Business Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(4), pages 599-606, June.
    7. Carl Rhodes & Robert Westwood, 2016. "The Limits of Generosity: Lessons on Ethics, Economy, and Reciprocity in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(2), pages 235-248, January.
    8. Cragg, Wesley, 2002. "Business Ethics and Stakeholder Theory," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(2), pages 113-142, April.
    9. Samuel A. Chambers, 2007. "'An Incalculable Effect': Subversions of Heteronormativity," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 55, pages 656-679, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Nathalie Amstutz & Melanie Nussbaumer & Hanna Vöhringer, 2021. "Disciplined discourses: The logic of appropriateness in discourses on organizational gender equality policies," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 215-230, January.
    2. Pérez-Samaniego, Víctor & Fuentes-Miguel, Jorge & Pereira-García, Sofía & López-Cañada, Elena & Devís-Devís, José, 2019. "Experiences of trans persons in physical activity and sport: A qualitative meta-synthesis," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 439-451.
    3. Eline Jammaers, 2023. "Theorizing Discursive Resistance to Organizational Ethics of Care Through a Multi-stakeholder Perspective on Disability Inclusion Practices," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(2), pages 333-345, March.
    4. Sivathaasan Nadarajah & Muhammad Atif & Ammar Ali Gull, 2022. "State-Level Culture and Workplace Diversity Policies: Evidence from US Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 177(2), pages 443-462, May.
    5. Mohammed Hossain & Muhammad Atif & Ammad Ahmed & Lokman Mia, 2020. "Do LGBT Workplace Diversity Policies Create Value for Firms?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 167(4), pages 775-791, December.
    6. Isabella Scheibmayr, 2024. "Organizing vulnerability exploring Judith Butler's conceptualization of vulnerability to study organizations," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1385-1408, July.
    7. Luigi Maria Sicca & Davide Bizjak & Antonio Fruttaldo, 2017. "LGBTIQ+ Perspectives in Institutional Contexts: Challenging Heteronormative Paradigms in the Workplace . LGBT+ Perspectives: The University of Essex Reader by Ilaria Boncori (Ed.). Napoli: Editoriale ," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(6), pages 675-677, November.
    8. Vinicius Galante, 2024. "“We all like you […], stay calm”—My journey from an unappreciated and not listened to a promising and supported researcher," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 1915-1930, September.
    9. Egan, Matthew & Voss, Barbara de Lima, 2023. "Redressing the Big 4’s male, pale and stale image, through LGBTIQ+ ethical praxis," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    10. Chloé Vitry, 2021. "Queering space and organizing with Sara Ahmed’s Queer Phenomenology," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 935-949, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Anne-marie Greene & Gill Kirton, 2024. "“Doing the Right Thing” and “Making a Difference”: The Role of Personal Ethical Values in Diversity and Inclusion Consulting," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 193(1), pages 179-191, August.
    2. Eline Jammaers, 2023. "Theorizing Discursive Resistance to Organizational Ethics of Care Through a Multi-stakeholder Perspective on Disability Inclusion Practices," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(2), pages 333-345, March.
    3. Tanja Rabl & María Carmen Triana & Seo-Young Byun & Laura Bosch, 2020. "Diversity Management Efforts as an Ethical Responsibility: How Employees’ Perceptions of an Organizational Integration and Learning Approach to Diversity Affect Employee Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 161(3), pages 531-550, January.
    4. Michel Anteby & Curtis K. Chan, 2018. "A Self-Fulfilling Cycle of Coercive Surveillance: Workers’ Invisibility Practices and Managerial Justification," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(2), pages 247-263, April.
    5. Elisa Alt & Justin B. Craig, 2016. "Selling Issues with Solutions: Igniting Social Intrapreneurship in for-Profit Organizations," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(5), pages 794-820, July.
    6. Silvija Vig & Ksenija Dumicic, 2016. "Impact of commitment to business ethics to nonfinancial business performance," Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems - scientific journal, Croatian Interdisciplinary Society Provider Homepage: http://indecs.eu, vol. 14(2), pages 165-181.
    7. Katherine C. Kellogg, 2012. "Making the Cut: Using Status-Based Countertactics to Block Social Movement Implementation and Microinstitutional Change in Surgery," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(6), pages 1546-1570, December.
    8. Michael D. Santonino III, 2024. "Humanistic Supervisors as Change Agents—The Core of an Organization," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 9(3), pages 417-430, December.
    9. Fracarolli Nunes, Mauro & Lee Park, Camila & Shin, Hyunju, 2021. "Corporate social and environmental irresponsibilities in supply chains, contamination, and damage of intangible resources: A behavioural approach," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    10. Joseph Petrick & Wesley Cragg & Martha Sañudo, 2011. "Business Ethics in North America: Trends and Challenges," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 104(1), pages 51-62, April.
    11. Bret Crane & Melissa Thomas-Hunt & Selin Kesebir, 2019. "To Disclose or Not to Disclose: The Ironic Effects of the Disclosure of Personal Information About Ethnically Distinct Newcomers to a Team," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(4), pages 909-921, September.
    12. Pascual Berrone & Jordi Surroca & Josep Tribó, 2007. "Corporate Ethical Identity as a Determinant of Firm Performance: A Test of the Mediating Role of Stakeholder Satisfaction," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 76(1), pages 35-53, November.
    13. Kristian Alm & David S. A. Guttormsen, 2023. "Enabling the Voices of Marginalized Groups of People in Theoretical Business Ethics Research," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(2), pages 303-320, January.
    14. Rosa Lombardi & Manlio Giudice & Andrea Caputo & Federica Evangelista & Giuseppe Russo, 2016. "Governance and Assessment Insights in Information Technology: the Val IT Model," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 7(1), pages 292-308, March.
    15. Sandrine Frémeaux, 2020. "A Common Good Perspective on Diversity," Post-Print hal-03232779, HAL.
    16. Jennifer J. Mease & Bronwyn Neal, 2023. "Paradox as resistance in male dominated fields and the value of (sur)facing enthymematic narratives," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 1334-1353, July.
    17. Richard P. Nielsen, 2016. "Action Research As an Ethics Praxis Method," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 135(3), pages 419-428, May.
    18. Arora Swapan Deep, 2023. "Contemporary challenges of consumption: a Kafkaesque and critical marketing perspective," International Journal of Contemporary Management, Sciendo, vol. 59(4), pages 58-73, December.
    19. Muzanenhamo, Penelope & Power, Sean Bradley, 2024. "ChatGPT and accounting in African contexts: Amplifying epistemic injustice," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    20. John F. Gaski, 2022. "Toward social responsibility, not the social responsibility semblance: marketing does not need a conscience," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 12(1), pages 7-24, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:gender:v:24:y:2017:i:5:p:533-546. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0968-6673 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.