Parable of the Sadhu

McCoy argues that the "lesson" of the sadhu lies in understanding how the "individual" ethics failed (both him and Stephan) in their response to the sadhu because they had no leader and no collective ethic to guide them in making a decision.

"Not every ethical dilemma has a right solution. Reasonable people often disagree; otherwise there would be no dilemma. In a business context, however, it is essential that managers agree on a process of dealing with dilemmas."

Questions to think about:

What are the pracdtical limits of moral imagination and vision?
Is there a collective or institutional ethic beyond the ethics of the individual?
At what level of effort or commitment can one discharge one's ethical responsibilities?

The lesson to be learned is a complex corporate situation, the individual requires and deserves the support of the group. If people cannot find such support from their organization, they don't know how to act. If such support is forthcoming, a person has a stake in the success of the group, and can add much to the process of establishing and maintaining a corporate culture. It is management's challenge to be sensitive to individual needs, to shape them, and to direct and focus them for the benefit of the group as a whole.