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ABSTRACT. Despite the importance of ethics in corporate crisis management, they have received limited attention in the academic literature. This article contributes to the evolving conversation on ethics in crisis management by elucidating the ethics of "justice" and "care" and distinguishing between them. Examples of the two approaches are offered through consideration of cases in corporate crisis management, including the alleged glass contamination case faced by Gerber Products Company, and, the shooting tragedy at San Ysidro faced by McDonald's Corporation. It is argued that both an ethic of justice and an ethic of care can be appropriate approaches in corporate crisis management. Areas for future research are discussed.
KEY WORDS: corporate crisis, crisis management, ethic of care, ethic of justice
The term "organizational crisis" connotes different things to different people. Though scholars have offered a range of definitions (Caywood and Stocker, 1993; Fink, 1986; Heath, 1998; Seeger et al., 1998; Weick, 1988), none is unanimously agreed upon. However, in a recent integrative review, Pearson and Clair (1998) described the organizational crisis as a "low probability, highimpact event that threatens the viability of the organization and is characterized by ambiguity of cause, effect, and means of resolution, as well as by a belief that decisions must be made swiftly" (p. 60). Implied by this definition are common concerns about the potential of organizational crises to escalate, and to negatively impact the credibility and reputation of the organization.
The field of corporate crisis management, therefore, is concerned with managing organizations in such a way that potential crises can be averted, and that damage from actual crises can be minimized (Pearson and Clair, 1998). Attention is given not simply to intervening after a crisis has occurred, but also, to ongoing and strategic efforts at crisis prevention and preparation (Mitroff et al., 1996; Mitroff et al., 1987; Pauchant et al., 1992; Pearson and Mitroff, 1993).
Noteworthy among the discussions of leading scholars is the role of ethics in organizational crisis management. For example, Shrivastava (1993) alluded to ethics when he discussed the personal commitments needed not only to study crises, but also to make a difference in them. He argued that personal engagement, as well as integrity and courage are needed to broach crisis issues, and that speaking...