Prof Fisher asks organizations to become more transparent

Prof Colin Fisher asks Organizations to become more transparent

Business Ethics and Social Responsibility are topics that have risen to the top of the public agenda in recent times on account of unethical practices followed by certain companies and the global financial crisis. The general scepticism about Business Ethics needs to be countered not only at the individual level of education and practice but also at the organizational level through transparency and debate. Prof Colin Fisher of Nottingham Business School, UK expressed this view in a special lecture delivered at Pearl School of Business, Gurgaon on 4 Nov 09.

According to him, one place to start the process of change is the MBA education. There has been much criticism that the MBA fosters a competence in managerial technique but ignores the context of social responsibility and ethical and philosophical traditions. In US some students of Harvard Business School have devised and promoted the MBA Oath which enjoins upon the MBA a standard of moral and ethical conduct.

But putting the responsibility for overcoming the problem on individual managers is only a part of the solution, according to Prof Fisher. Organizations have to become more transparent and open to challenge and debate. Anyone raising issues of morality and social responsibility at work should not be treated with scorn or suspicion. Corporations have to realise that the days of sole pursuit of maximising shareholder value are long past. They have to take liability for pollution, social damage and corporate manslaughter. It may call for modifying the concept of limited liability, Prof Fisher said.

Prof Colin Fisher has a Ph D from Cambridge University in Indian History. After many years in manager development, he has specialised in business and managerial ethics. His recent research focuses on the impact of management metrics. He has published books on business ethics, management research methods and public sector resource allocation.