Participative management is an ethical imperative

Abstract

Sashkin presents a model of participative management and contends that when value biases are absent and the need for skillful application and management are taken into account, participative management is effective. When properly implemented, participative management fulfills three basic human work needs--the need for autonomy or control over one's behavior, the need for completion or achievement of a whole task, and the need for interpersonal contact in the context of work. Failure to fulfill these needs can have serious consequences: Employees may be harmed both psychologically and physically. Thus organizations may be killing their employees--but not with kindness. Sashkin argues that it is unethical to manage in any way but participatively if one adheres to the fundamental values of Western civilization. Thus participative management is an ethical imperative. With this in mind, he provides some action guidelines for managers, organizations, and management educators.