Toward a “Thick” Theory of Organizational Moral Change: Reclaiming Moral Ontology through Aristotelian Rhetoric
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2026-07-30
Author(s)
Abstract
Modern organizations face what Taylor (1989) calls an “identity crisis” – a crisis marked by the erosion of shared moral frameworks that once oriented judgments about what it means to be good and live meaningfully. Although recent research has started to empirically explore and theorize how an organizational moral change unfolds, it mainly operates within a “thin” conception of morality, meaning that what counts as moral is essentially a procedural achievement of aligning moral perspectives around collectively endorsed norms, values, or principles of conduct. Yet this approach leaves unexplained how and why individuals come to experience certain goods as more compelling, meaningful, or worthy of pursuit than others. Moreover, whereas existing studies recognize the importance of discursive practices in enabling broader processes of moral change, they tend to adopt a largely instrumental view of language, reducing it to a means of negotiation, persuasion, and alignment.
Addressing these limitations, we develop a “thick” theory of organizational moral change where we approach morality as grounded in the qualitative distinctions that make some goods worthy of pursuit and emphasize the articulative function of language in disclosing and refining these distinctions. Integrating Taylor’s (1989) notions of the moral space with Aristotle’s (1991) theory of rhetoric, we develop a spatio-temporal model in which rhetoric, conceived as articulation work, enables organizational members to progressively orient the organization toward a shared moral horizon. Our model shows how, through the interplay of logos, pathos, and ethos appeals, these members 1) gradually refine their understanding of the self and the good (ethical dimension), 2) form a community of minds in which they become consubstantial (socio-moral dimension), and 3) organize their social existence toward a hypergood (political dimension).
Our “thick” theory deepens existing accounts of organizational change by shedding light on the sources from which morality derives its vitality and meaning. By positioning rhetoric as the primary vehicle through which substantive visions of the good are articulated and fused into an overarching moral horizon, we offer a unique account of how organizational moral substance is generated and sustained over time. In doing so, we invite scholars and practitioners to reimagine organizations as sites of moral becoming, where substantive visions of the good, the cultivation of moral character, and the shared social imaginaries that underpin communal life are continuously shaped through articulation work.
Addressing these limitations, we develop a “thick” theory of organizational moral change where we approach morality as grounded in the qualitative distinctions that make some goods worthy of pursuit and emphasize the articulative function of language in disclosing and refining these distinctions. Integrating Taylor’s (1989) notions of the moral space with Aristotle’s (1991) theory of rhetoric, we develop a spatio-temporal model in which rhetoric, conceived as articulation work, enables organizational members to progressively orient the organization toward a shared moral horizon. Our model shows how, through the interplay of logos, pathos, and ethos appeals, these members 1) gradually refine their understanding of the self and the good (ethical dimension), 2) form a community of minds in which they become consubstantial (socio-moral dimension), and 3) organize their social existence toward a hypergood (political dimension).
Our “thick” theory deepens existing accounts of organizational change by shedding light on the sources from which morality derives its vitality and meaning. By positioning rhetoric as the primary vehicle through which substantive visions of the good are articulated and fused into an overarching moral horizon, we offer a unique account of how organizational moral substance is generated and sustained over time. In doing so, we invite scholars and practitioners to reimagine organizations as sites of moral becoming, where substantive visions of the good, the cultivation of moral character, and the shared social imaginaries that underpin communal life are continuously shaped through articulation work.
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Event Title
Society for Business Ethics Annual Conference
Event Location
Sonesta Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA
Event Date
29th July - 1st August
Subject(s)
Division(s)