The psychodynamics of ethical behavior in organizations

There are many aspects of organizational life-ethics prominent among them-i n which things, and particularly behavior are not what they seem. A psychod ynamic approach to these apparent paradoxes helps greatly in shedding light on these areas. Much as a psychodynamic approach to organizational analysi s has helped us see many aspects of organizational life that were less visi ble, so too can this approach aid us in understanding what fosters ethical behavior in organizations-and also what does not. Thus, in this article, th e authors seek to develop a psychodynamic understanding of ethical behavior in organizations.