Integrity Priorities During and After the Crisis
This book unequivocally acknowledges the insight that the understanding and application of integrity may well differ across the globe. This last section adds an additional contingency view element to it. Also, crisis management is likely to be highly situational and, therefore, must consider local elements for maximum impact. We thereby differentiate remedies in times of crises, especially after the financial crisis commencing in 2007 on one side, as well as initiatives which could be triggered in calmer times. The first contribution in this final section deals with key reflections on augmenting integrity after radical changes. The empirical foundation is based on the Turkish healthcare sector. It has gone through a period of radical change, which has affected the roles of physicians, units, and healthcare organizations. These changes aim to increase efficiency and effectiveness of the system and make health services more accessible to the public. As mentioned in the main principles of the Health Transformation Program, contributions of all stakeholders matter if this initiative is to bear fruits. As outlined, the implications are not always positive when it comes to integrity. Thus, the litmus test of organizational change seen from an integrity point of view is whether negative consequences are anticipated. If not, such an approach can only be interpreted as being unprofessional and lacking a holistic nature. The next crisis context is not as focused and actually deals with the main financial crisis haunting our economies since 2007. The authors link the collapse of the Icelandic economy to a lack of good business ethics and integrity. Such an unethical behavior was demonstrated by the Icelandic business elite, politicians, and civil servants. This represents a counterintuitive insight presented by the authors; as traditionally rating agencies (such as Transparency International) have always rated Iceland among the least corrupt countries in the world. Iceland even adorned the very top spot prior to the crisis. By adopting and maintaining a comprehensive ethical approach in conducting business, organizations can maintain their legitimacy, create long term success, sustain growth, and remain good corporate citizens. While these are general statements, the chapter delves deep when substantiating them. The section’s final chapter takes the crisis consideration to a higher level, and deals with a combination of political and religious conflict; along with elements of workforce diversity issues. In light of globalization processes, diversity of workforce and organizational membership are a reality in most parts of the world. The pervasiveness of this phenomenon notwithstanding, its ramifications on humanistic organizational practices, particularly on workplace integrity, have hardly been examined. We do not remain on the descriptive level in this context, but outline solutions. The underlying diversity amongst people and their often divergent agendas do not necessitate a fatalistic situation. Smart, active management can counterbalance some of the tendencies and overcome challenging situations. The authors thereby outline and discuss best practices. Based on the example of nurses’ teams consisting of Jews, Arabs, and immigrants from former Soviet Union in medical centers, as well as a diverse college students population, the chapter distills an integrity-oriented human resource management model, followed by a critical evaluation of the proposed framework.