2. Deal with the Residue Brief Overview INTERGON Dealing With Sustainability Issues Dr Lionel Boxer CD lionel.boxer@rmit.edu.au Centre for Management Quality Research Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology All diagrams from Boxer, L.J. (2005) The Sustainable Way, Brolga Publishing, Melbourne

3. Deal with the Residue Brief Overview INTERGON OUTLINE Sustainability is an OEI issue You need to change the mood Mood can be changed by speaking in a new way – positioning theory Fitting it all together Stop people rationalising

4. Deal with the Residue Brief Overview INTERGON 1. INTRODUCTION OEI is obligatory & externally imposed Obligatory - i.e. dont want to do it Externally imposed - i.e. others expect it People would rather not be bothered There are other things that are more important in the short term There is a mood that obstructs change

5. Deal with the Residue Brief Overview INTERGON Mood is socially constructed by altering four components: rights duties moral order actions Local System of Rights Duties & Obligations Local Moral Order Public & Private Actions Underlying Mood 2. You need to change the mood

6. Deal with the Residue Brief Overview INTERGON 3. Speak in a new way PositionsStory-line Speech Acts Discursive Action Position Self Position Other Discursive action (conversation) occurs when people interact. The components are: Positions brought to conversation Story lines engaged in Speech acts employed The outcome of discursive action is positioning of those involved in the discursive action and a changed mood.

7. Deal with the Residue Brief Overview INTERGON 3. Barriers to changing mood Foucault (1983, p 187) says, people know what they do; they frequently know why they do; but what they dont know is what they do does. Peters (1999, p. xi-xii) says, we get caught up in filling targets, achieving objectives, and meeting deadlines and forget to examine the wider consequences of what we are doing. Crosby (1979, p. 13) says, the problem of quality is not what people dont know about it; the problem with quality is what they think they know about it. Wilson (1991, p. 127) says, intellectual laziness and common sense are the same thing. Common sense is just the trade name of the firm.

8. Deal with the Residue Brief Overview INTERGON 4. Fitting it all together Local System of Rights Duties & Obligations Local Moral Order Public & Private Actions Positioning Theory Framework Conversation occurs within a social order. More commonly known as culture. My measure of culture is mood or happening. Local System of Rights Duties & Obligations Local Moral Order Public & Private Actions Underlying Mood Field of Power Underlying Mood Story-line Positions Conversation Speech Acts Knowledge (truth) Moral Agent (ethics) personal force Self Knowledge (truth) Moral Agent (ethics) personal force Other A culture embracing positive hope and opportunity Plan Check Do Act Underlying Mood

9. Deal with the Residue Brief Overview INTERGON Mood is socially constructed by altering four components: rights duties moral order actions Local System of Rights Duties & Obligations Local Moral Order Public & Private Actions Underlying Mood 5. Stop people rationalising

10. Deal with the Residue Brief Overview INTERGON 5. Stop people rationalising Managers rationalise bad behaviour by: Suggesting it is within limits … Suggesting it is in the best interest … Suggesting it will not be found out … Suggesting it will be condoned … Gellerman (1986)

11. Deal with the Residue Brief Overview INTERGON 5. Stop people rationalising Researchers disserve management: Use inappropriate approaches Make unbiased assumptions Introduce new truths Ignore social constructionism Ghoshal (2005)

12. Deal with the Residue Brief Overview INTERGON 4. Stop people rationalising Throw out old discourse Introduce new discourse about good ethics Not much more than common sense Confirm we really know ethics correctly Check what we are rewarding people to do Stop inappropriate incentives / behaviour Ensure there is a reality check

13. Deal with the Residue Brief Overview INTERGON 4. Stop people rationalising It is about leadership Influence what is within your sphere Introduce appropriate discourse Engage with individuals Be honest Talk about rights, duties, moral order, actions Align incentives systems with desired mood Reality check

14. Deal with the Residue Brief Overview INTERGON Local System of Rights Duties & Obligations Local Moral Order Public & Private Actions Underlying Mood Field of Power Underlying Mood Story-line Positions Conversation Speech Acts Knowledge (truth) Moral Agent (ethics) personal force Self Knowledge (truth) Moral Agent (ethics) personal force Other A culture embracing positive hope and opportunity Plan Check Do Act Questions?