Content area
Abstract
It is suggested that many ethical violations by upper managers are the by-products of success - not of competitive pressures. First, success often allows managers to become complacent and to lose focus, diverting attention to things other than the management of their business. Second, success, whether personal or organizational, often leads to privileged access to information, people, or objects. Third, with success usually comes increasingly unrestrained control of organizational resources. Fourth, success can inflate a manager's belief in her personal ability to manipulate outcomes. Even an individual with a highly developed moral sense can be challenged by the opportunities resulting from the convergence of these dynamics. The inability to cope with and respond to the by-products of success is labeled the Bathsheba Syndrome, based on the traditional account of King David. Recommendations are offered for avoiding this syndrome.