An interpretive mixed-methods

analysis of ethics, spirituality

and aesthetics in the Australian
services sector
Theodora Issaand David Pick
School of Management, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
The aim of this article is to examine the usefulness of spirituality and aesthetics for generating new
perspectives and understandings with regard to business ethics. Using an interpretive mixed-methods
approach, data were collected through an online survey of 223 respondents and focus group interviews with
20 participants. Analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data suggests that the presence of aesthetic
spirituality and religious spirituality, along with the factors of optimism, contentment, making a difference
and interconnectedness, are signicantly associated with ethical practice in the workplace. These factors may
be focused upon when considering the ethical climate of organizations. Although this research does not
support universal conclusions, the relationship between ethics, spirituality and aesthetics identied in the
Australian services sector might be replicated elsewhere.
Introduction
There has been a rise in calls from many scholars of
business ethics for new research theories and
methods that make a useful contribution to improv-
ing business ethical practices and standards globally.
For example, Fry (2003), Giacalone & Jurkiewicz
(2003a,b), Giacalone et al. (2005) and Jurkiewicz &
Giacalone (2004) contend that attention should be
paid to spirituality and leadership in organizations,
while Gunther (2001, 2004) stresses the importance
of focusing beyond the bottom line. Indeed, Biber-
man (1999) maintains that business people should
focus on widening their understandings about the
purposes of business, expanding their attention
beyond the single bottom line to the welfare of their
employees and their contributions to wider social,
economic and environmental well-being. In this
respect, Ghoshal (2003) claims that management
research should cease focusing on solving negative
problems and join other scholars (e.g. Swanson &
Frederick 2003, Pfeffer 2005) in advocating for
management researchers to recognize that their
social and moral responsibility is equal to their
other business roles. More recently, Swanson et al.
(2007), Gerde & Spencer-Foster (2008), Mele (2008)
and Valentine & Fleischman (2008) maintain that
there is a need to look beyond the global nancial
crisis and instead assist in the shaping of tomorrows
business leaders through the principles and practices
of business ethics programmes. Indeed, Thomas
(2009) and Knights (2009) point out that attempts to
solve contemporary problems continue to use the
same thinking that created them in the rst place.
This mode of thinking is characterized by Cappelli
(2008) as having a narrow focus on aligning
executive incentives with shareholder interests. Ar-
guing that there has latterly been an excessive focus
r 2010 The Authors doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8608.2010.01605.x
Business Ethics: A European Review r 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 9600 Garsington Road,
Oxford, OX4 2DQ, UK and 350 Main St, Malden, MA 02148, USA 45
Business Ethics: A European Review
Volume 20 Number 1 January 2011
on individual nancial goals, at the expense of
managing in the best interests of the company
overall, Cappelli (2008) maintains that, together,
these are at the root of ethical deterioration.
In contrast to a largely bleak picture of the ethical
climate in business outlined by many authors, Paine
(2003) adopts a different perspective, identifying a
shift taking place as businesses begin to focus on
values as well as more traditional concerns. This
attention to values raises the issue of individual
decisions and actions in organizations. As Marsden
& Littler (2000) contend, the decisions of individuals
are guided by a set of personally held constructs that
they use to describe, categorize and evaluate reality.
Accessing this personal world is a difcult and
complex but necessary task if we are to understand
ethical transgressions in business and make inroads
into preventing or at least ameliorating their effects.
The aim of this paper is to examine aspects of this
personal world among people working in the
Australian services sector. This is achieved through
the use of spirituality and aesthetics in combination
to generate new perspectives on business ethics and
how these can be used in the search for how
individuals can act more ethically in the contem-
porary business world.
The literatures regarding spirituality and aes-
thetics in business are separate but related in that
both are associated with examining the inner world
of individuals. Some people in the modern work-
place have a need to develop meaning for their work
through their understanding and application of
spirituality. Parameshwar (2006) points out that
there has been an explosion in the literature relating
to this issue. Examples include: economic benets
(Fernando 2005), spirit and soul at work (Conger
1994, Mirvis 1997), transcendence (Ashforth 1994,
2001), purpose and meaning (Wong & Fry 1998),
relationship with the divine (Armstrong 1995),
personal spiritual transformation (Wilber 2000),
charismatic and transformational leadership in
organizations (Conger 1999), inner life (Roof
1999), spiritual consciousness (Mayer 2000), man-
agement values (Pfeffer 2003) and sustaining people
and organizations (McKee 2006), and leadership
(Fry 2003, 2005, Fry et al. 2005, Fry & Slocum
2008). Konz & Ryan (1999) argue that spirituality in
general, and in the workplace in particular, has
become an important topic. They contend that
spirituality is changing the fundamental nature of
work in that individuals are searching for meaning
in their work, a meaning that transcends economic
gain. According to Reave (2005), individuals are
looking to their organizational leaders to help them
in their search, and organizations in turn are being
challenged to maintain spirituality, which empha-
sizes support, integrity, compassion and honesty.
With regard to honesty, Bhide & Stevenson (1990)
contend that it is primarily a moral choice.
In spite of there being a wide body of research
relating to spirituality, there remains some doubt
over its exact meaning. This doubt is demonstrated
in the development of two distinct perspectives. The
rst is that spirituality is closely associated with
religion. Delbecq (1990) provides examples of
executives whose personal (mainly Christian), spiri-
tual traditions signicantly informed and shaped
their way of doing business. Nash (1994, 2000)
identies tensions that the faithful (spiritual)
individual in business faces that include the tension
between their love for God and the pursuit of prot,
and between faithful witness and secularity. Con-
cerning religiosity, a relationship has been estab-
lished between religiosity and moral identity. Vitell
et al. (2009) tap into religiosity as an antecedent to
moral identity and the mediating role of self-control
in this relationship.
The second is that spirituality is derived not from
religion or any religious backgrounds, but is more to
do with an ability to nd peace, tranquility, justice
and a capability to foster these in a fast-moving world
(Grifths 2008). However, regardless of whether
spirituality is dened as being religious or non-
religious, Giacalone & Jurkiewicz (2003a) conclude
that the degree of individual spirituality inuences
whether an individual perceives a questionable busi-
ness practice as ethical or unethical. In addition,
Ashmos & Dunchon (2000) indicate that there is
increasing evidence that a spirituality movement is
gaining momentum in businesses. It is a movement
that is sometimes referred to by the non-religious as
wellness management (Grifths 2008).
In dening aesthetics, Lash (1994) concludes that
it is something that ignites feelings within the
individual (a matter of taste and judgement) and
thus seems to be key to understanding behaviour
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and decision making. However, as Matravers (2002)
concludes, most people who have studied aesthetics
or aesthetic judgement will have wrestled with this
and lost because it is difcult to fully understand
and nd out what is really going on. In spite of this,
Zangwill (2003) notes that aesthetic judgement is
central to the notion of understanding the aesthetic
(e.g. properties, experiences and concepts), while
Lane & Klenke (2004) indicate that aesthetics play a
role in assisting individuals and business people with
their decisions by providing opportunities for
reecting on the circumstances that surround a
situation, and for consulting their inner selves.
Further, Ramirez (2005) demonstrates that the
pattern recognition of sense perception and the
forming of ideas as patterns are rst and foremost
aesthetic and tend to precede the other, more formal
conceptualization processes involved in cognition.
Although there is a call by different scholars such as
Lane & Klenke (2004) to examine aesthetics
especially with the ongoing dramatic technological
changes, ambiguity in organizations and corporate
life in general, the literature so far is thin on
denition and research evidence in relation to
management.
The literature that does exist characterizes aes-
thetics as including a number of emotional and
cognitive properties (Tateosian 2005). Taylor &
Hansen (2005) contend that organizational research
has long focused on the instrumental sphere and
more recently on morality. However, in the last
decade, there has emerged a eld that draws on the
aesthetic sphere of peoples existence in organiza-
tions. Hansen et al. (2007) suggest that aesthetics
relates to felt meaning generated from sensory
perceptions and involves subjective, tacit knowledge
rooted in feeling and emotion. However, they also
acknowledge that, while aesthetics is important in
the workplace, especially in relation to leadership, it
is little understood, particularly in relation to
business and corporate worlds.
Denitions of concepts
In the light of the denitional issues outlined above,
for the purposes of this research, a set of working
denitions of ethics, spirituality, aesthetics and
religiosity are presented below.
With regard to ethics, the denition provided by
Gini & Marcoux (2009) appears to be the most
appropriate as it deals with action rather than
adopting a solely theoretical/philosophical position.
Quoting Louis P. Pojman, Gini & Marcoux (2009:
1) state that,
The central purpose of ethics is to secure valid
principles of conduct and values that can be
instrumental in guiding human actions and produ-
cing good characters. As such it is the most
important activity known to humans for it has to
do with how we are to live.
Spirituality poses more of a challenge. The notion
of spirituality with a specic emphasis on the
human soul has recently gained in popularity. In
this paper, spirituality is connected to both religios-
ity and secularism. Religiosity refers to the propen-
sity of a person to identify with divine truth, miracle,
prayer and the individual as a spiritual person. The
difculty with researching religiosity arises from the
transformation of religion from the public realm
into the private, placing it beyond rational discourse
(Neusner 1988). Nevertheless, spirituality can be
connected to an ability to establish a meaningful
relationship between the inner-self, others and the
divine (God) through faith, hope and love. How-
ever, the question also arises as to how spirituality is
manifest in secular terms.
A connection between ethics and spirituality has
been established by Driscoll & McKee (2007), who
conclude that spirituality involves an understanding
of the source of personal values, and how these are
connected to ethics in the workplace. Moreover,
Driscoll & McKee (2007) contend that leaders can
inuence ethical thinking, attitudes and behaviour,
as managers must tap into the soul in order to
empower employees. This concurs with Saraswatis
(2000) conclusion that, in order for human beings to
progress and to develop spiritually, there has to be
stamina in all dimensions of life, including stamina
of mind, belief and work.
As for workplace spirituality or spirituality in the
workplace, Jurkiewicz & Giacalone (2004) dene
this as:
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. . . a framework of organisational values evi-
denced in the culture that promotes employees
experience of transcendence through the work
process, facilitating their sense of being connected
in a way that provides feelings of compassion and
joy.
Providing a denition of aesthetics poses an equal
challenge to that presented by spirituality. Taylor &
Hansen (2005) conclude that the study of aesthetics
requires something new of researchers in four broad
areas: (1) intellectual analysis of instrumental issues,
(2) artistic form used to look at instrumental issues,
(3) intellectual analysis of aesthetic issues and (4)
artistic form used to look at aesthetic issues. Thus,
aesthetics is dened in terms of sustainability,
excellence, judgement, context, compassion, com-
munity, beauty, art, harmony and balance, with
religiosity identied as relating to divine truth,
miracle, prayer and the individual as a spiritual
person.
Methodology
An interpretive mixed-methods approach was de-
ployed in the collection and analysis of data. The
usefulness of the interpretive approach is outlined by
Richardson & Fowers (1998), who contend that it
offers a relatively coherent framework that goes
beyond scientism and constructionism and beyond
individualism and post-modernism. This is impor-
tant because this research seeks to provide a more
integrative perspective on the issue of business
ethics. When used in combination with a mixed-
methods research design, opportunities arise for the
generation of new understandings. As Tashakkori &
Teddlie (2009) argue, using a mixed-methods
approach gives latitude to use those analytical tools
required to answer research questions that are often
difcult to address adequately using more conven-
tional approaches. It is argued here that spirituality
and aesthetics as inner values are difcult to
measure, especially with the use of either quantita-
tive or qualitative techniques alone.
In this research, quantitative data were collected
using an online survey, while qualitative data were
gathered through both an online survey and focus
group interviews. The online survey is composed of
60 items divided into four sections with ve-point
Likert-type scale response options. A fth section
was included to gather demographic data. Partici-
pants were also provided with opportunity and
space to make comments about their responses. The
statements of this online survey were partly derived
from Boudreaus (2003) questionnaire and the other
items based on the work of Ashmos & Dunchon
(2000), Reave (2005) and Tateosian (2005). The
survey respondents were drawn from different
organizations and diverse ranks of the Australian
services sector, focusing mainly on education, health
care and nancial (public and private). According to
the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2008a, b),
the services sector forms 75% of total employment,
with an average growth of 2.5% per annum,
indicating the importance of this sector to the
nation.
Of the 464 people invited to participate in the
survey, 223 responded, representing a 48% response
rate, 39% of whom were males, 52% female, with
9% not disclosing (Table 1). These proportions are
to be expected as the main areas of employment in
the services sector (e.g. health and community
services and education) include a high proportion
of occupations in which women form a majority
(ABS 2005). In addition, some 55.5% of respon-
dents stated their age. Those in the 2030 age group
formed the largest proportion, followed by those in
the 3140 age group. The least represented were
those aged above 60. Further, 86% of the respon-
dents stated their qualications, which varied from
high school to postgraduate level, with the highest
percentage being postgraduate (39%). This is to
some extent higher than the percentage for the wider
Australian population. This is likely due to the high
proportion of tertiary qualied people working in
the organizations represented in the sample. Ac-
cording to the ABS (2008b), 20% of those aged 15
and over hold a bachelor degree. However, this
variation may be a reection of the age groups
captured in this survey, as the proportion of the
population under 40 years of age having a university
degree is signicantly higher than that in older age
brackets. For example, the ABS (2008b) put the
proportion of those aged 2534 years having a
university degree at 29% while in the 55 to 64 age
group, the proportion is 18%. Thus, it can be
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concluded that the general demographic prole of
this sample is broadly representative of the services
sector workforce in Australia.
While the quantitative data generated a set of
statistically signicant components, they lacked a
degree of detail about their precise nature and their
relevance to practice situations. This problem was
addressed by further exploration, explanation and
triangulation achieved through the collection of
qualitative data. Some of the data were collected by
providing space in the online survey for participants
to add comments to their responses; however, the
main source was focus group interviews.
Focus group interviews were held with twenty
participants drawn from the Australian services
sector. Using e-mail, invitations were sent to those
who expressed interest in the topic when the online
survey was administered. All those who accepted the
invitation were present at, and participated in, the
discussions. Table 2 provides the full details of the
participants age category and position. The major-
ity of those participating were executives, head ofce
managers, directors or representatives of senior
managers. This might indicate that the topic is of
interest to those in leadership positions in the
industry, especially with the ongoing unfolding
events.
An examination of the reliability of the survey
responses through the calculation of Cronbach a for
the survey revealed an a of 0.920. Scholars disagree
over what might be considered an acceptable value.
Hair et al. (1998) consider that a value of between
a 50.60 and 0.70 is deemed the lower limit of
acceptability. On the other hand, Field (2005)
indicates that a value of a between 0.7 and 0.8
would be considered acceptable. This suggests that
the survey has a high degree of reliability in terms of
its internal consistency.
The rst stage of the quantitative analysis
involved exploring the data to produce a description
and the summary. Following this, the analysis
moved to the multivariate stage, where several trials
were carried out using diverse rotations and extrac-
tion methods. This was conducted using Floyd &
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Table 1: Demographic prole of online survey
participants
N Percentage (%)
Gender
Male 80 39
Female 108 52
Total 188 91
Education
Holders of a university
undergraduate degree
78 38
Holders of a university
postgraduate degree
81 39
TAFE graduate 10 5
High school graduate 19 9
Total 188 91
Age range
2030 36 17
3140 33 16
4150 25 12
5160 22 11
Over 60 5 3
Total 121 59
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Table 2: Age and occupations of focus group
participants
Age category Participant position
Focus group (1)
5465 Executive manager
2534 Executive co-ordinator
3544 Head ofce manager
4554 Emergency physician
Focus group (2)
2534 Research
5465 Associate professor
2534 Research
5465 Vice president
2534 Relief teacher
4554 Director
Focus group (3)
3544 Doctor/psychiatrist
2534 Orientation and transition ofcer
2534 Unit co-ordinator
4554 University lecturer
3544 University lecturer
Focus group (4)
5465 Academic director
2534 Account manager
5465 Post graduate co-ordinator
651 Associate professor
2534 Development manager
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Business Ethics: A European Review r 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 49
Widamans (1995) approach of exploring specic
areas such as the method of factor extraction,
criteria for retaining factors (e.g. eigenvalues),
percentage of variance accounted for by the
unrotated factors, rotation method (and rationale)
and variance explained by factors after rotation.
From this analysis, eight components emerged with
as that ranged between 0.931 and a low of 0.720.
The process leading to these eight components will
be elaborated upon in the next section. The results
of the quantitative analysis were then used as a basis
for focus group interviews. The interviews were
audio taped and analysed using the NVivo
s
qualitative analysis software package. This stage of
the analysis focused on identifying the patterns,
trends and themes that rened, dimensionalized,
amplied and triangulated the quantitative analysis.
Results and discussion
Using principal component analysis extraction, with
the varimax rotation method Kaiser Normalization,
eight major components were generated: (1) aes-
thetic spirituality, (2) religious spirituality, (3)
optimism, (4) harmony and balance, (5) truth
seeking, (6) pursuit of joy peace and beauty, (7)
making a difference and (8) professionalism. The
rst three components explained 39.12% of the total
variation and the rst eight components explained
63.30%, which, as argued by Field (2005), is
considered acceptable. These eight components were
then tested for validity and reliability; high as were
recorded as outlined in Table 3.
These eight components are depicted in Figure 1.
As a result of the qualitative analysis, the eight
components identied above were reduced to six (see
Figure 2). A further reliability test of these
components recorded an a that ranged between a
high of 0.918 (aesthetic spirituality) and a low of
0.720 (interconnectedness). This suggests that these
are highly consistent and could be used as a basis for
further research into ethical business practice.
It was clear from the focus group interviews that
there is a resurgence of interest in business ethics
among the participants.
I think there should be (ethical behaviour) . . . I am
not sure . . . but I think there is a delusion of
morals . . . only personal gains affecting how those
objectives are being achieved.
(FG1)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Table 3: Statistical details of the components identied
Component a Variation (%) Cumulative variation explained (%)
Aesthetic spirituality 0.931 21.49 21.49
Religious spirituality 0.903 9.79 31.28
Optimism 0.846 7.84 39.12
Harmony and balance 0.853 6.04 45.16
Pursuit of joy, peace and beauty 0.842 4.63 55.29
Truth seeking 0.852 5.50 50.66
Making a difference 0.744 4.41 59.70
Professionalism 0.720 3.60 63.30
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aesthetic
spirituality
(Alpha 0.918)
Religious
spirituality
(Alpha 0.838)
Inter-
connectedness
(Alpha 0.720)
Business
ethical
practices
Optimism
(Alpha 0.815)
Making a
difference
(Alpha 0.744)
Contentment
(Alpha 0.842)
Figure 1: Eight components quantitative analysis
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There is a severe lack of accountability . . . they are
giving them the product knowing that they are
unable to repay . . . some kind of moral blindness
there . . . or they just did not see it at all, or the
nancial incentives . . . I work in human resources
. . . what is happening in the mining industry . . . we
have an ethical obligation towards people . . . now
we have plenty of people coming down from the
mines . . . and their jobs are gone due to economic
slow-down . . . casual people who supported us in
the boom time. We should be looking after them
now.
(FG2)
In this respect, Sanchez & Sotorrio (2007) conclude
that a good company reputation in the community
creates value to this organization. However, the
participants in the focus groups argued that what is
being witnessed in the marketplace is a result of the
failure of ethics, as individuals were contemplating
their own remuneration without any consideration
of any issues relating to ethics and their responsi-
bilities towards their clients or the society as a
whole.
I think it is also true that the nancial crisis . . .
happened because of triggered by [a] failure of
ethics.
(FG3)
They were not contemplating ethics. Ethical dil-
emmas were not solved properly that resulted in
this crisis.
(FG4)
People were thinking of their commission . . .
without any thought whatsoever as to what are
the consequences.
(FG5)
With regard to spirituality and aesthetics, the
interviews revealed that they were considered
important but that the relationship is complex and
sometimes ambiguous. For the majority, the idea of
spirituality was not strongly associated with religion
and was not considered common in the workplace,
but for others, it was simply derived from religion.
While there was an indication of religiosity in that
for some, spirituality relates to miracles, God,
prayer, divine truth and faith, most participants
associated with spirituality in a way more akin to
aesthetics.
[Talking about Spirituality and spiritual person]
Characteristics of the person towards others and
towards nature, and the interactions . . . how
people interact with others and with nature.
(FG6)
In the aesthetic spirituality . . . Sense of fairness
you cannot have a real spirituality if your boss is
unfair.
(FG7)
I totally agree with this . . . Fairness or lack of
fairness sometimes would make problems in the
company . . . but how many people [are fair] . . .
then go out and think about that.
(FG8)
If someone has, all those factors [honesty, integ-
rity, compassion, support] will have fairness . . .
[fairness] will come directly.
(FG9)
While in the literature spirituality and religion are
often used interchangeably, in this research, there
was a clear understanding expressed about the
difference between religious spirituality and aes-
thetic spirituality. Aesthetic spirituality was sum-
marized by participants as being composed of
honesty, integrity, support, compassion, harmony
and balance, which were mainly the components
Aesthetic
spirituality
(Alpha 0.931)
Religious
spirituality
(Alpha 0.903)
Professionalism
(Alpha 0.720)
Business
ethical
practices
Optimism
(Alpha 0.846)
Making a
difference
(Alpha 0.744)
Pursuitof
joy, peace
and beauty
(Alpha 0.842)
Harmony
and Balance
(Alpha 0.853)
Truth
seeking
(Alpha 0.852)
Figure 2: Six components quantitative and qualitative
analysis
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that were identied by Reave (2005) as being
components of spirituality at the workplace. Re-
ligious spirituality was described as being spiritual,
having prayer as a major part of an individuals life,
believing in miracles and valuing, aiming for and
pursuing truth, including divine truth. The results
indicated that these were identied by a spirituality
derived from religion.
Spirituality and aesthetics formed the two most
important components, with high as and strong
factor loadings on their dimensions in the quantita-
tive analysis, conrmed by the qualitative analysis.
However, it is clear that the other six components
identied in the quantitative analysis also need to
be considered. With regard to optimism, this
component reects the respondents belief that
changes for the better can transpire in the indivi-
duals with time.
If you bring your body, mind and soul to work . . .
would anyone else bring them too or would they
step on your soul?
(FG10)
You do the right thing, and one day they will
change . . . when I started work, they would come
and they should leave [on time] and with [urgent
things needed to be done] when time comes for
them to leave no matter what . . . they will leave . . .
This is a horrible thing . . . I will attend no matter
if it is time to me to go . . . and now even the new
generation that is coming in work they just follow
through . . . so, others will do the right things . . .
(FG11)
[I have a belief that people might follow and
change] I believe that those who are surrounded by
people who are acting ethically . . . I believe that if
you behave ethically does not mean that you are
weak . . . But people would nd that you are
capable of doing things . . . I agree I am seeing
people watch what is happening around them and
to some degree some times . . . good examples . . .
like hard work.
(FG12)
A diverse number of scholars relate optimism to
spirituality and well-being in multidiscipline litera-
ture. For example, Mitroff & Denton (1999) relate
optimism to the denition of spirituality that
includes hope, kindness, caring and love. Similar
expressions are also evident in the works of
Cacioppe (2000a, b), who contends that spirituality
is inextricably connected with caring, hope, love and
optimism, while Magaletta & Oliver (1999) establish
a relationship between the ability of hope, self-
efcacy and optimism for the prediction of general
well-being.
While the quantitative analysis reveals that har-
mony and balance is a stand-alone component, the
qualitative data from the focus group interviews
suggest that it has a close association with aesthetics,
These two, harmony and balance, might be
describing aesthetics.
(FG13)
You might need to take it [i.e. harmony and
balance] to aesthetics.
(FG14)
In view of the qualitative data, harmony and
balance was considered as an element of aesthetic
spirituality. Harmony and balance have been well
researched and their connections to aesthetics and
business ethics are well established. Besides the work
of Reave (2005), mentioned earlier, Ottensmeyer
(1996) refers to the art of management, a strategy in
harmony with its environment, or a beautifully
designed workspace, and likewise, where harmony
and balance do not exist, dissatisfaction among
employees increases. The language of art, artistry
and beauty, which incorporate harmony and bal-
ance, has become a reality in and for organizations.
In this respect, Brady (1986) went a step further,
relating ethics to art, stating that ethics thus becomes,
in part, a form of art, giving added credibility to the
commonly heard phrase the art of managing.
Baumeister & Exline (1999) relate harmony to
morality, which in turn relates to ethics as outlined
by Fisher & Lovell (2006), establishing a connection
between harmony and ethical business practices.
The qualitative data collected from the online
survey and the focus group interviews suggest that
the pursuit of joy, peace and beauty seems to be
related closely to religious spirituality. For example,
I believe that peace, beauty and joy are to be found
eventually in eternity. While that doesnt mean I
am searching for it in life, ultimately I believe I will
nd it in its fullness in the afterlife.
(OS1)
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However, there were also those who related closely
to the aesthetic ability of recognizing beauty in
nature and humanity.
Recognizing or appreciating the creativity of
others as well.
(FG15)
The people who are more analytical will be more
aesthetic . . . Engineers . . . you know . . . the
buildings that they do, they look at it aesthetically.
(FG16)
Absolutely they have smiling faces always . . .
beautiful . . . [peace, joy, beauty].
(FG17)
It is clear that the participants in this research
considered these joy, peace and beauty, to con-
tribute signicantly to creating an ethical climate in
business, and in this study, is summarized as
contentment. This is because studies of joy, peace
and beauty in the literature and feelings of joy, peace
and beauty are connected to self-acceptance. John-
son & Chappel (1994) and Poage et al. (2004)
provide evidence of a relationship between spiri-
tuality and contentment.
The qualitative data with regard to the pursuit of
truth revealed the perception that there is a strong
connection to ethical practices:
Is it the searching for it . . . for it [truth] that sort of
the impossible dream things . . . we know there is
nothing like that . . . but our searching towards it is
ethical.
(FG18)
All searching for the truth . . . it makes you feel
better, it is not just satisfying some desire . . . but
for all of us as human satises us.
(FG19)
Truthfulness was considered important:
We must be truthful.
(FG20)
I think you need to be truthful . . . truthfulness
expected from people you work with.
(FG21)
However, the precise meaning of truth to partici-
pants was less clear:
Things can be true or not true an adjective . . .
but there is nothing named truth.
(FG22)
Not meaning to be post-modern, what is truth in
this case? Are you talking about the true nature of
the universe (not so important in the work place)
or the true motivations behind an action/the true
events from an historical event?
(OS2)
From the qualitative analysis, it emerged that those
associating pursuit of truth with religion seemed to
associate stronger with the component than those
who had a more secular relativistic perspective. It
was therefore considered more appropriately as a
dimension of religious spirituality.
The importance of truth to ethics as revealed in this
research reects that proposed in the literature. For
example, Bhide & Stevenson (1990) connect truth-
seeking with morality and, more recently, Eaglestone
(2004) argued that truth is one of the most
elementary concepts that individuals have; indeed,
without a sense of truth individuals would have no
concepts at all. It seems that any discussion of means,
ends, values and representation relies on in some way,
or is involved with, ideas about truth and truthfulness.
The idea of making a difference clearly emerged
from comments on the online survey. Respondents
there focused on personal responsibility:
I am responsible for ensuring people are given the
best event I can organize within limited budgets. It
brings a high level of satisfaction.
(OS3)
I believe that I am responsible for how I am
around others, and will attempt to bring joy to
those that I work with, however, how this is
perceived is then on the person I am interacting
with, if they choose not to act that way, that is not
my responsibility.
(OS4)
This factor was also strongly recognized by focus
group participants, particularly in their perceptions
of the inuence of others on the development of
individuals.
I [understand] the importance of being personally
responsible as a person.
(FG23)
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I believe that I am responsible for how I am
around others.
(FG24)
From the qualitative analysis, it is evident that
making a difference is an aim for those who
participated in the research. However, this was
qualied in that an individual can attempt to make a
difference, but it is a two-way process, depending on
co-operation to ensure the development of indivi-
duals within the workplace. Some participants
emphasized the importance of efforts exerted to
ensure a change for the better (i.e. making a
difference) to individuals and in turn to the
organization; others indicated that it is not their
responsibility to ensure that others react to the
efforts exerted.
These results are similar to Nassor (2007), who
contends that individuals do not simply need to look
within to understand how values should be applied
to human conduct, but to look out, and to face up to
the duties of being a creature for whom social
interactions are denitive. Individuals, who dene
themselves and their responsibilities, identify the
company they want to keep.
With regard to professionalism, the focus group
participants clearly felt that this was not an
appropriate term for this component.
Professionalism . . . is a huge terminology . . . for
me . . . [it] indicates how or what I see connecting
the relationships.
(FG25)
Professionalism is a word hard to dene . . .
treating people well . . . does it really lead to
professionalism?
(FG26)
Professionalism interconnectedness.
(FG27)
Professionalism is an accepted set of behaviour . . .
specic to its context . . . accepted set looking at
that point generally . . . also interaction, rather
than professionalism . . . being diplomatic being
applicable for a situation . . . professional in a
relationship.
(FG28)
While the comments and the discussions in the focus
groups indicate that this component is important, it
is more indicative of interconnectedness rather
than professionalism. This is a point taken up by
Grace & Cohen (2005), who identify structural
differences between being professional and running
a business or being at the workplace. However, in
contrast to Cacioppe (2000a), who uses intercon-
nectedness in relation to spirituality, this research
identies it as a separate component.
The above analysis provides strong evidence of
the presence of aesthetic spirituality and religious
spirituality coupled with optimism, contentment,
making a difference and interconnectedness in
promoting and encouraging business ethical practice
in the workplace. These components, however,
should not be seen as being denitive but rather as
a list of higher priority qualitative components,
identiably different but still interrelated.
Implications and future research
This research has theoretical, practical and metho-
dological implications. With regard to theory, much
of the research into spirituality is compelling, but
there are still large gaps in the understanding of this
concept. Dent et al. (2005) consider that spirituality
and its relationship with workplace leadership is an
important issue for management practitioners and
researchers. They contend that the study of spiri-
tuality is still in its infancy and as such is marked by
differences in the denitions and other basic
characteristics. This research allowed a better
understanding of spirituality by including religiosity
and aesthetics. Greater understanding might be
achieved through further research paying attention
to the inuences of factors (intrinsic and extrinsic)
that inuence the components identied in this
research. This is particularly the case with respect to
demographics, culture, belief, background, religion,
income, occupation and industry (see Figure 3).
The practical implications of the ndings illustrate
the contribution made by this research towards
identifying components and dimensions that con-
tribute to business ethical practice. In addition, a
research tool has been proposed that may be used by
both practitioners and academics to assist in future
research in various contexts.
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The mixed-methods approach has assisted in
reducing the limitations that would attach to each
of the techniques if used in isolation. Although this
mixed-methods approach is still being developed
and rened, future research in different industries
and countries has the potential to provide more
insights into the causal relationships surrounding
ethics, aesthetics and spirituality.
Conclusion
Although much of the research into ethics, aesthetics
and spirituality in business is compelling, there are
still large gaps. This research has taken a step
forward by providing a better understanding of the
factors that support ethics in the workplace, and
ethical business practices. The main limitation of
this research is that it was conducted in only one
country (Australia), which has limited the inferences
that could be drawn from the analysis and the
generalization to other contexts and countries.
While this research is limited to the Australian
services context, in applying an interpretive mixed-
methods approach, the results draw attention to
what Weick (1995, 1999) describes as the need for an
internal focus and deeper awareness when theorizing
in attempts to assist in the denition of new
approaches that have the potential to contribute to
the corporate world. This contribution is achieved
through identifying those factors that may be
focused on when considering the ethical climate of
organizations. This research also offers evidence of
the relationship between ethics, spirituality and
aesthetics in the Australian business context that
can be replicated elsewhere.
Further research is required in that ethics is in
many ways inuenced by internal factors such as an
individuals personal philosophies and belief systems
and external factors such as the nature of the society
and the culture of the organization they work in, as
well as demographic factors such as age, gender,
cultural background and social class.
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