REBUTTAL TO A SUBJECTIVIST CRITIQUE OF AN OBJECTIVIST APPROACH TO INTEGRITY IN ORGANIZATIONS

In their critique of Becker's article on integrity in organizations, B arry and Stephens argue that the Objectivist approach is illegitimate, inferior to subjectivist perspectives of business ethics, and unmindf ul of the role of social power in organizations. We respond to these c riticisms by demonstrating that Barry and Stephens' critique rests upo n the fallacious argument from authority, a misunderstanding of altrui sm and egoism, and a failure to distinguish between economic and socia l power. In so doing, we explain why the Objectivist perspective is va lid and why it is superior to subjective, relativistic misconceptions of integrity.