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Synderesis vs. Consequentialism and Utilitarianism in Workplace Bullying Prevention

Author

Listed:
  • Jolita Vveinhardt

    (Vytautas Kavolis Interdisciplinary Research Institute, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania)

  • Mykolas Deikus

    (Faculty of Catholic Theology, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania)

Abstract

The existence of workplace bullying in modern organizations is, first of all, a serious moral challenge. Since bullying characterized by intense and long‐lasting persecution of the target causes serious negative consequences for organizations, there are proposals to base the prevention of this phenomenon on utilitarianism. However, some studies show that the ethics that judges the goodness of an action by consequences causes many problems at the level of interpersonal relationships. Therefore, in the context of workplace bullying, it is proposed to consider the scholastic idea of synderesis. The article theoretically examines three alternatives to bystanders’ decisions based on the ideas of consequentialism, utilitarianism, and synderesis: to act constructively actively (to support the victim), to act destructively actively (to support the persecutor), and to act destructively passively (not to intervene in the conflict). Considering that different schools of consequentialism and utilitarianism cannot guarantee constructive behaviour of bystanders, the decisions inspired by the conscience guided by synderesis can be a suitable alternative that can be easily implemented in practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Jolita Vveinhardt & Mykolas Deikus, 2025. "Synderesis vs. Consequentialism and Utilitarianism in Workplace Bullying Prevention," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 13.
    • Handle: RePEc:cog:socinc:v13:y:2025:a:8406
    DOI: 10.17645/si.8406
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dieter Zapf, 1999. "Organisational, work group related and personal causes of mobbing/bullying at work," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 20(1/2), pages 70-85, February.
    2. Travis Timmerman & Abe Zakhem, 2021. "Sweatshops and Free Action: The Stakes of the Actualism/Possibilism Debate for Business Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 171(4), pages 683-694, July.
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