TY - JOUR
T1 - Compassion in the context of capitalistic organizations
T2 - evidence from the 2011 Brisbane floods
AU - Simpson, Ace Volkmann
AU - Cunha, Miguel Pina e
AU - Rego, Arménio
N1 - WOS:000360083100012
PY - 2015/9
Y1 - 2015/9
N2 - Despite common assumptions that capitalism and compassion are contradictory, we theorize that compassion (1) can be compatible with capitalism, and (2) may either manifest or be inhibited within capitalistic society through a range of organizational approaches. These, in turn, result in varying consequences for employees’ experiences, feelings, and behaviors. In this article, we examine the perceived support provided to employees by their organizations during the 2011 Brisbane flood. Analysis of interview data identifies a continuum of organizational responses: from neglect to ambiguity to compassionate care, each of which engendered various employee experiences, feelings, and behaviors toward themselves, their organizations, and the community at large. The empirical findings lead to theorizing that the perceived organizational responses are consonant with a range of capitalistic tendencies. Perceived organizational neglect is most consonant with neoclassical capitalism, understood as having a primary focus on self-interest and profit maximization. Perceived ambiguity tends to fit with a supplemental capitalism that adds social responsibility to the baseline of classical capitalism. Organizational compassionate care fits with a transformed or conscious capitalism that considers value creation in society to be an organization’s primary purpose.
AB - Despite common assumptions that capitalism and compassion are contradictory, we theorize that compassion (1) can be compatible with capitalism, and (2) may either manifest or be inhibited within capitalistic society through a range of organizational approaches. These, in turn, result in varying consequences for employees’ experiences, feelings, and behaviors. In this article, we examine the perceived support provided to employees by their organizations during the 2011 Brisbane flood. Analysis of interview data identifies a continuum of organizational responses: from neglect to ambiguity to compassionate care, each of which engendered various employee experiences, feelings, and behaviors toward themselves, their organizations, and the community at large. The empirical findings lead to theorizing that the perceived organizational responses are consonant with a range of capitalistic tendencies. Perceived organizational neglect is most consonant with neoclassical capitalism, understood as having a primary focus on self-interest and profit maximization. Perceived ambiguity tends to fit with a supplemental capitalism that adds social responsibility to the baseline of classical capitalism. Organizational compassionate care fits with a transformed or conscious capitalism that considers value creation in society to be an organization’s primary purpose.
KW - Capitalism
KW - Compassion
KW - Pro-social behavior
KW - Virtues
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84939569198&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10551-014-2262-0
DO - 10.1007/s10551-014-2262-0
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84939569198
SN - 0167-4544
VL - 130
SP - 683
EP - 703
JO - Journal of Business Ethics
JF - Journal of Business Ethics
IS - 3
ER -