Ethical Ideals Research Articles

Living and Learning With Integrity: A Pushing and Pulling Ground for Teachers

Teacher integrity is crucial for maintaining their own sense of ethical identity, professionalism, developing institutional culture of learning and sustainable development of schools. However, there are several elements related to socio-cultural norms, values and practices that support or resist the effective adoption of integrity at schools and in day to day life. This study explores how teachers’ professional integrity is shaped and practised at schools. Following the qualitative study design, I employed mostly literature review substantiated by in-depth interviews with six teachers from two schools in Kavre district. The findings reveal that school culture determines integrity of teachers. School environment, prescribed rights and duties of teachers and headteacher’s leadership shape the integrity of teachers. The social settings and its ingredients are pushing and pulling grounds that teachers address duly for effective implementation of integrity at schools. Since integrity is a social phenomenon deeply rooted in socio-cultural practices, the state needs to come up with more sensitive and inclusive code of conduct for responsive behaviours and better results that are contextually developed through the continuous participation of the concerned stakeholders of the schools.

Personal Characteristics of Russian Students with Different Types of Ethnic Identity

Introduction. The article deals with the problem of the relationship between personality traits and the type of ethnic identity in Russian students. The existing theoretical approaches to the concept and properties of ethnic identity are analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the consideration of ethnic identity types. Materials and Methods. An empirical study was carried out on the basis of National Research Ogarev Mordovia State University. 105 students became participants in the study. The following methods were used: the 16 PF questionnaire by R. Cattell (form C), the “Types of Ethnic Identity” method by G. U. Soldatova and S. V. Ryzhova, The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) – Jean S. Phinney, the Method for assessing the positivity and uncertainty of ethnic identity (A. N. Tatarko, N. M. Lebedeva). Mathematical processing of the obtained results was carried out using the correlation analysis of Pearson’s r-test and the Mann – Whitney U-test. Results. As a result of the study, positive correlations were revealed between personal characteristics and ethnic identity types of Russian students. Most students have a positive ethnic identity. They recognize themselves as representatives of their ethnic group, have positive feelings towards representatives of their nationality. At the same time, they adequately relating to other ethnic groups. There were no statistically significant differences between the features of the ethnic identity of Russian and Mordovian students. Discussion and Conclusion. Features of ethnic identity are largely due to the personal qualities of students. Students with a high level of conformism have a positive ethical identity, strive to combine a positive attitude towards their own and other ethnic groups. Students with pronounced personal dominance have a negative attitude towards representatives of other ethnic groups, prefer to communicate with people of their own ethnic group. Individuals striving for independence are more prone to ethnic isolationism, the recognition of the superiority of their people over other ethnic groups. Emotionally unstable students have a low level of ethnic nihilism, strive to reduce tension in relations with others, and seek more stable relationships with people outside of ethnic characteristics. Ethnic indifference is characteristic of persons with a high level of intelligence.

How subjective ethical congruence facilitates leadership identification construction: A followership perspective

AbstractThis study examines subordinate subjective congruence resulting from personal ethical identity and perceived ethical leadership (PEL) on followership behaviors, including: obedience, proactive, and constructive resistance behaviors through identification with supervisors. Using polynomial regressions, results from self‐reported data of 208 employees in China supported that higher level of identification with supervisor occurs because of the following: (1) ethical congruence rather than ethical incongruence; (2) high‐high rather than low‐low congruence; (3) incongruence when personal ethical identity is lower than PEL rather than when personal ethical identity is higher than PEL. Moreover, such perceived ethical congruence facilitates followership obedience and proactive behaviors but not constructive resistance behavior via identification with supervisors. Relevant theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

The effect of financial performance on islamic ethical identity disclosure of ASEAN sharia banks

This research aims to analyze the influence of Risk Profile, Good Corporate Governance, Earnings and Capital (RGEC) on the disclosure of Islamic ethical identity in Sharia banks in ASEAN. The method used in this analysis is descriptive analysis and regression testing on 23 Islamic banks from 11 ASEAN countries. The research results show that non-performing financing (NPF), which measures risk profile, negatively influences the disclosure of Islamic ethical identity. In contrast, audit committee competency (KAA), as an indicator of good corporate governance, has a positive influence. Likewise, the return on assets (ROA) ratio, which measures earnings, positively influences the disclosure of Islamic ethical identity. However, as a capital indicator, the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) does not have a significant influence. Based on this research, Sharia banks in ASEAN are expected to increase the optimization of their Islamic ethical identity disclosure through risk management, good corporate governance, improving financial performance, and paying attention to capital adequacy. However, this study has limitations, such as a limited sample size and high variability in the dependent variable. Therefore, further research is recommended to expand the sample, add variables, and reduce subjectivity in identifying disclosures of Islamic ethical identity.

The Impact of Mitigating Circumstances Procedures: Student Satisfaction, Wellbeing and Structural Compassion on the Campus

For several decades, universities have sought to promote better mental health amongst students. For example, universities now have formal institutional arrangements to postpone deadlines for students where there are mitigating circumstances, such as ill health. Such provisions might be understood as praiseworthy cases of institutional compassion. But, empirical research is needed to investigate how these measures play out in practice. This paper draws on ethnographic research in several UK universities to explore the experiences of staff responsible for the enactment of mitigating circumstance provisions. We find staff members sympathetic to the aims of the measures but also sceptical, and in some cases angry, because they find that the provisions have unwanted and undesirable effects. This paper uses the wider social science literature on bureaucracy to consider why this might be the case and raises questions about the capacity of institutions to enact ethical ideals.

The Viability of Doctoral Thesis and Oral Exams in Student’s Native Language

ABSTRACT The issue of English being the lingua franca in transnational higher education remains a debate, especially regarding fairness in doctoral examinations. The current study builds upon a recent publication that proposes examining doctoral students of an Anglophone doctoral program offered on an offshore campus in China to be held in the Chinese language with translation and interpretation. The current study explores the viability of this option for transnational doctoral programs from doctoral supervisors' and students' perspectives. This qualitative exploratory study recruited 13 full professors and 18 doctoral students to collect data using a hypothetical case scenario and in-depth face-to-face interviews. The qualitative data analysis utilized the six-phase framework of Clarke and Braun for the thematic analysis of the data. Four major themes in the findings suggest that such a radical provision might be an arduous process, if not impossible. The results are discussed regarding fairness in assessment, efforts to safeguard indigenous knowledge, and creating spaces for building knowledge from non-English speaking countries. This research sheds important light on the complexities and challenges involved in promoting fairness and inclusivity in transnational doctoral programs, highlighting the need for creative solutions that balance practical feasibility and ethical ideals.

Ethical Identity Construction in A Father’s Law from the Perspective of Dual Narrative Progression Strategy

Ethical Identity Construction in <i>A Father’s Law</i> from the Perspective of Dual Narrative Progression Strategy

Performance of Indonesia Sharia companies: Does corporate ethical identity matter?

Purpose - The development of Islamic finance has made many Indonesia sharia companies register themselves as part of the Indonesia Sharia Stock Index (ISSI). The government always encourages sharia economic growth that upholds ethics. From the Islamic perspective, ethics is the foundation of all aspects of life. This study aims to analyze the performance of Indonesia sharia companies, by linking the importance of Corporate Ethical Identity (CEI) which is implemented in corporate culture.Method - Quantitative research is reviewed through the annual reports of manufacturing companies registered at ISSI for the 2018 and 2019. Linear regression analysis, along with moderated regression analytics, was used to analyze data from 154 manufacturing companies.Result - The results of the study show that CEI has a positive influence on firm performance, and ownership structure as a moderating variable strengthens the influence of CEI on firm performance.Implication - Sharia companies in Indonesia are advised to increase CEI reporting so as to improve financial performance in accordance with sharia principles.Originality - This study represents the inaugural investigation into CEI within Islamic companies operating in Indonesia, with a specific emphasis on corporate culture. The novelty in this research is the focus on company culture, and what distinguishes it from the mentioned study is the utilization of the ownership structure concept as a moderating variable. It also incorporates the utilization of the ownership structure concept as a moderating variable.

Who to sacrifice? Modeling the driver’s dilemma

The “driver’s dilemma” presents an ethical conundrum in Highly Automated Vehicles (HAVs), where a decision is made between saving ten pedestrians or the vehicle’s passengers in life-or-death situations. This study delves into the driver’s dilemma by assessing respondents’ beliefs on whether passengers should be sacrificed to save pedestrians, as well as their willingness to purchase such vehicles. We conducted an original survey that collected approximately 7,000 responses, taking into account factors such as ethical identities, technology familiarity, and practical HAV benefits. Using structural equation models, our findings emphasize the driver’s dilemma, with utilitarianism and co-ridership significantly affecting the decision. Altruists generally favor saving pedestrians; however, altruistic individuals who believe that saving family members in vehicles over ten pedestrians is ethical are more inclined to purchase HAVs that prioritize their family members’ safety, even if it means sacrificing pedestrians. Nonetheless, the majority view protecting pedestrians as the ethical choice, and our results indicate that a social consensus on pedestrian safety could encourage the adoption of ethical HAVs. Our study underlines the need to balance individual preferences with socially desirable outcomes in HAV policy.

“I Am Not Just a Man”: Chinese Butterfly’s Identity Anxiety and Ethical Predicament in David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly

M. Butterfly is narrated through the memory of Western white man Rene Gallimard, which makes the audience focus on Gallimard’s behaviors and ignore the Oriental man Song Liling’s emotions, actions, and choices. However, there are many plots portraying Song as a Chinese Butterfly to deconstruct the stereotype of Madame Butterfly. This paper, from the perspective of ethical literary criticism, probes into Song’s brain texts formed in their growth and working experience and analyzes Song’s anxiety and confusion about his multiple and chaotic ethical identities, so as to demonstrate that Song is not a “dragon lady” or a “transvestite”. In China, Song is feminized and marginalized in society as “a son of a prostitute”, “a gay”, and “an Opera actor”. He wants to change the situation, so he becomes “a spy” for the Chinese government and “a lover” for Gallimard. Still, due to the failure of ethical enlightenment in childhood and the cruel social environment in China, Song is trapped in ethical predicaments of “to be or not to be”, struggling in the ethical conflicts between the honor of the individual and the interest of the nation, as well as between the desire for love and the mission from government. The song is a victim of the era and politics, and his identity anxiety and ethical predicament reflect David Henry Hwang’s position as an Asian American playwright and reveal his ethical appeal for gender equality, identity recognition and cultural confidence.

The lab, land, and longing: Discursive constructions of Australian identities in ‘future’ food consumption

Food consumption is being reconfigured as a consequence of consumers’ ethical concerns. While preferences and tastes may be influenced by broad ethical positions, constructions of social identity also reflect shifts in food consumption. Important tools within this nexus are ‘future foods’, produced through novel technologies such as artificial intelligence or genetic editing, supporting consumers in the construction of identity markers. Through 24 ( n = 121) focus groups in rural and urban Australia, we explore to what extent future foods contribute to alleviate tensions between broader ethical principles and consumer identities. We argue that the collective discourse around future foods has the potential to shift the culture of food ethics in the future, enabled through three moral identity markers. Specifically, identities of citizen-consumption that view ethics as ‘eating for change’; nationalism as a form of patriotic morality that encourages the consumption of national brands and protectionism; and nostalgic knowledge and historical identities of the past to reconfigure ethical ideals for the future. These discursive identity constructions shed light on how consumers may redefine food ethics in the future, legitimising citizenship through demonstrating virtue, patriotism as loyalty to social groups, and nostalgic capturing of history to ‘ethicise’ the future.

Український історичний роман: шляхи становлення та розвитку

The experience accumulated by the art of words never goes away. At a certain stage of literary development, it can be exhausted to a certain extent, only to be revived in a new context in a modified form. The relevance of the study of historical prose, in particular its ways of formation and development, specificity, themes, is quite natural, since works about the national past allow the reader to consciously or sporadically immerse himself in the meaning of life realities, in particular to understand the moral and ethical ideals of the Ukrainian people, the physical and spiritual endurance of the participants in the national liberation struggle, and the deep human values that are often much more expressive and accurate in historical prose than in sociological and historical research. The fiction model of the heroic past serves to shape historical thinking, to deepen an individual’s understanding of his or her own place in society, and to help individuals find ways to self-knowledge and self-affirmation. The article traces the genesis and main stages of formation of the Ukrainian historical novel, starting with the novel «Zynovii Bohdan Khmelnytskyi. Istorychna kartyna podii, kharakteriv, i zvychaiv XVII stolittia v Malorosii (Zynoviy Bohdan Khmelnytsky. A Historical Picture of Events, Characters, and Customs of the Seventeenth Century in Little Russia)» by Pavlo Biletsky-Nosenko — through the novel «Chorna rada. Khronika 1663 roku (Black Council. The Chronicle of 1663)» — to contemporary works about the past by Pavlo Zahrebelnyi, Roman Ivanychuk, Valerii Shevchuk, Yurii Mushketyk and others. The specifics of historical novel prose are elucidated, the essence of the concepts of «historical novel» and «artistic and historical truth» is revealed, the role of fictional conjecture and fiction is determined. The article summarises the views of domestic researchers of historical prose on its typology.

Nietzsche's Untimely Prophecy: Online Exemplars and Self‐Cultivation

AbstractDigital technologies are changing our understanding of ethical emulation. In this article, Matthew Dennis proposes that some social media technologies have given rise to a strikingly new set of ethical ideals, often concerned with the ideal of self‐cultivation. While there is relatively little philosophical discussion of these kinds of ideals, Dennis suggests that scrutiny of Friedrich Nietzsche's ethical philosophy offers a guiding account of why the ideal of self‐directed character change is important. He concludes by speculating on how the digital affordances of social media technologies will change the way in which ethical exemplars influence future generations.

An Ethical Literary Analysis of Edward’s Ethical Choices in The Cocktail Party

This paper examines Edward's ethical choices in T.S. Eliot's play, "The Cocktail Party," through the lens of ethical literary criticism. Edward, the protagonist, faces an emotional crisis in his relationships with his wife, Lavinia, and his lover, Celia, which sets the stage for his ethical dilemma. The study utilizes a qualitative research design, employing literary analysis and interpretation to delve deeper into Edward's ethical choices and their appropriateness within his particular situations and ethical environment. Drawing from previous scholarly work, particularly from scholars in China who have explored the ethical fables and perspectives within "The Cocktail Party," this paper builds upon the existing research by offering further insights into Edward's ethical journey. The analysis considers the interplay between Edward's marital and romantic ethical identities and his professional identity as a lawyer, which results in contradictions and conflicts, leading to ethical dilemmas. The study also explores the factors influencing Edward's ethical choices, including the disruption of ethical relationships and order within the play. By applying ethical literary criticism, the paper argues that Edward's ethical choices are not arbitrary but appropriate responses to his circumstances. Situational ethics and love norms are examined to understand the motivations and justifications behind Edward's decisions. Ultimately, the analysis provides a comprehensive exploration of the ethical themes within the play, shedding light on the complexities of decision-making processes and the moral dimensions of literary works.

Managers’ dispositions toward formal contracts: A cross-country examination

This study integrates institutional and dispositional theories to develop a multilevel model predicting that managers’ endorsement of formal contracts increases with the quality of formal institutions. This effect is contingent upon managerial dispositions of ethical idealism and interpersonal trust, which provide a morally driven override of uncertainty and a substitute source of certainty in business practices, respectively. We test our arguments on hand-collected data from 3,652 manager-negotiators in 16 countries. We find that managers endorse formal contracts when they are embedded in contexts with high quality contract enforcement institutions, but this effect diminishes substantially among ethically idealistic managers. These results suggest that an understanding of managers’ reliance on formal contracts requires multilevel theory informed by how managerial dispositions interact with the formal institutional context.

The Problem of Ethical Ideals in Hellenistic Philosophy and in Psychoanalysis

Abstract: Hellenistic philosophy invites comparison with psychoanalysis. The aim of its leading currents, Epicureanism and Stoicism, was explicitly therapeutic—to enable individuals to lead a good life. Pursuing this comparison, Freud may be regarded as a successor to Epicureanism because of his hedonistic theory of motivation, his materialistic outlook, and his critique of religion. However, both Epicureanism and classical Freudianism are faced with the problem of explaining how individuals can be motivated to pursue higher ethical and cultural ideals. In this regard the Stoic critique of Epicureanism reveals parallels with later developments in psychoanalytical theory, such as the work of Klein, Winnicott, and Hans Loewald. The work of Loewald is a special interest in this context, since he strives to give a coherent account of the problematic psychoanalytic concept of “sublimation,” which is often employed in attempts to explain the redirection of psychic energy toward higher goals. Loewald’s attendant challenge to the materialism and objectivism of much psychoanalytic theory suggests that writers such as Stephen Greenblatt, who emphasize only the affinities between Epicureanism and the modern world outlook, fail to tell the full story.

Exploring the Textual and Tactile Weave of Academic Subjectivities:

Within the neoliberal university, academics become positioned around market-driven managerialist ideologies and the techniques enacting those principles. Audit cultures actively and continuously measure and shape academic subjectivities defined by a specific kind of success. The market-driven individualistic model can conflict with ethical ideals and longings for self-expression, while the mismatch between institutional goals and personal values creates an academic self that is pulled in conflicting directions. We become subjects of the discourse but we can limit our subjectivity and develop authentic insight. In this paper, we engage in a process of embodied making. We create textual and tactile self-portraits as a way of pushing back at neoliberal subjectivities, and to make visible our multiple selves. Although we recognize that we are always a part of what we resist, we use making as a way to create micro-resistances for our own renewal. Our self-portrait assemblages and stories are ambiguous and fluid but capture a view of selves hidden beneath the professional self. We are reminded that we are creative beings, and that there is room within neoliberalism to open intentional spaces. We may not always succeed in seeing our contradictory identities, yet we are able to occasionally capture glimpses of our shifting selves.

The “Slovak Buddenbrooks”

Rich banks and rich businesspeople were and still are the showcase of every nation, and the titular business-oriented families combined doing business with the tools of economic nationalism, as well as their love for art with the support of Slovak and Czech painters. The behaviour of the Slovak business elites of rural origin and from smaller towns was influenced by various stimuli (the example of contemporary cities, the way of life and behavioural strategy of the nobility, foreign influence, and the wish to obtain noble status), and they obtained a civic character only gradually. The most important Slovak family banking and business house was created by members of the Makovický family. The Makovický family financially supported the national movement and all the Slovak national societies, too. On the other hand, no public activity, according to the Makovický family, could produce a loss. It was unclear where ethical idealism and material altruism began and ended.One part of the current text explores the original business philosophies of two prominent individuals who are often associated with the families: Slovak Ján Pálka (a member of the tanning dynasty) and the famous world-class Moravian manufacturer Tomáš Baťa. Although they were both involved in leather processing, their environments were characterised by different cultures, traditions and opportunities. Jan Pálka drew on various socio-philosophical and Utopian sources and relied on idealistic principles. In the spirit of economic nationalism, he strove to incentivise his workers to increase production efficiency by sharing the ownership of his factory and its profits in his own and the national collective interest. He went bankrupt and was, along with his theoretical model, relegated to the role of an admired visionary. In contrast, Tomáš Baťa was inspired by the American experience and the ideological impulses of Italian fascism. Even by 1914, he had pragmatically abandoned the use of all tools of economic nationalism and attempted to get as many state commissions as possible. The continuity of many similar businesses and their representatives was either disrupted by the totalitarian decisions of the powerful during World War II or shortly after at the hands of the Communists.

Orientasi Etika, Faktor Situasional dan Pengambilan Keputusan Etis dengan Komitmen Profesional Sebagai Pemoderasi

This study aims to empirically prove the effect of ethical orientation and situational factors on ethical decision making of tax consultants in Bali with professional commitment as a moderating variable. The research population of tax consultant members who are registered with the Indonesian Tax Consultants Association (IKPI) for the Bali Region is 278 people. The sampling technique used is saturated sampling technique with a total sample of 278 people. The research data was collected by distributing questionnaires and processed using the Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS) tool. The results of the analysis showed that ethical orientation of idealism, current information, moral intensity had a positive effect on ethical decision-making, while the ethical orientation of relativism, risk preference had a negative effect. on ethical decision making. In addition, professional commitment weakens the influence of ethical idealism orientation on ethical decision making, professional commitment strengthens the influence of relativism ethical orientation, and the current information on ethical decision making. Meanwhile, professional commitment cannot moderate the effect of risk preference and moral intensity on ethical decision making. The implications for tax consultants are to pay more attention to their ethical orientation and to pay attention to situational factors in order to create decisions that pay attention to ethics.&#x0D; Keywords: Ethical Decisions; Ethics; Situational Factors; Professional Commitment

Pandemic ethics and beyond: Creating space for virtues in the social professions.

During the pandemic, social and health care professionals operated in 'crisis conditions'. Some existing rules/protocols were not operational, many services were closed/curtailed, and new 'blanket' rules often seemed inappropriate or unfair. These experiences provide fertile ground for exploring the role of virtues in professional life and considering lessons for professional ethics in the future. This article draws on an international qualitative survey conducted online in May 2020, which aimed to explore the ethical challenges experienced by social workers during Covid-19. 607 social workers responded from 54 countries, giving written online responses. This article first summarises previously published findings from the survey regarding the range of ethical challenges experienced, then develops a new analysis of social workers' accounts of ethically challenging situations from a virtue ethics perspective. This analysis took a narrative ethics approach, treating respondents' accounts as stories featuring the tellers as moral agents, with implicit or explicit implications for their professional ethical identity and character. The article is illustrated with accounts from the 41 UK respondents, drawing particularly on two case examples. Ethical approval was gained from Durham University and anonymity was ensured for participants. This article explores the nature of the ethical space created during the pandemic showing how practitioners were able to draw more on 'inner resources' and professional discretion than usual, displaying virtues such as professional wisdom, care, respectfulness and courage as they took account of the specific contexts of their work, rather than simply adhering to blanket rules. Exploring practice through a virtue ethical lens provides valuable lessons for 'building back better' in social and health care professions.