Emotion and Ethics in Business: The Case of Ethical Dilemma

This article explores two phenomena involved in business ethics: emotions and dilemmas. We analyze the role of emotions in moral philosophy and its practical application in organizations. The interest in emotions reappears because of the role they play in the management of a dilemma, where emotions can be perceived as a catalyst or as a choice mechanism between alternative options in the process of resolving a dilemma. Suggesting a typology of dilemmas inspired by Lemmon, we present a theoretical model linking together emotions and reason depending on the nature of the dilemma. Five types of dilemmas are described in this article. We classify them around two axes: the nature of the situation and the nature of norms involved in these situations. The role of the faculties of emotion and reason will be explored according to the nature of the dilemma. At the end of the article, a series of research propositions concerning the attitude of the individual towards their emotions and their reason will be formulated for future research.