Ethical Management in Tunisian Companies: Bridging the Gap between Awareness and Practice

Abstract : In response to environmental demands, companies are increasingly compelled to integrate ethics into all managerial practices to ensure their survival. This study explores the explicit and implicit factors that promote the development of ethical management. We conducted exploratory research based on semi-structured interviews with six managers and six subordinates from four Tunisian companies. Our empirical findings reveal that all respondents are convinced of and aware of the importance of ethics in the business world. However, explicit factors-such as ethical codes and ethics training-are absent, while implicit factors-such as fair compensation and ethical culture-are only partially present. The insights from this research can be valuable for business leaders aiming to establish a strong corporate culture centered on ethical values, thereby fostering the practical implementation of ethical management.