Crises, business decisions and virtue : a managerial reading of biblical famine narratives

Introduction: Management is a complex issue that necessitates an ethical approach, especially in times of crisis. Indeed, precisely when the decisions to be made are placed in a highly disrupted context, the importance of a managerial class emerges that is not only technically trained but morally cultivated and, therefore, capable of grasping the various social and ethical implications of the decisions made. Aim of the work: This paper, adopting the theoretical framework of virtue ethics, aims to analyze biblical famine narratives to identify the moral characters of corporate decision-makers. Methodological approach: The research adopts textual analysis applied to selected biblical texts as an investigative tool.

Main findings: This analysis makes it possible to highlight the virtues of the “good decision-maker” who makes wise decisions for himself and for the community; from the results of the analysis follow some practical implications in the managerial sphere, contributing to the debate on the virtuousness of organizations. Originality: The paper is characterized by its exploratory nature, analyzing ancient texts in an original way on the basis of the theoretical framework of virtue ethics in order to draw some considerations relevant to the current business context. [Publisher's text]