The Theatre of Alignment: Organisational Pretence as Strategic Risk

This paper examines how modern organisations increasingly substitute the performance of ethical alignment for the practice of ethical behaviour. It introduces the concept of the Theatre of Alignment to describe how language, reasoning, and governance systems are used to sustain an appearance of integrity while discouraging dissent and masking moral failure. Drawing on organisational behaviour, legitimacy theory, and moral philosophy, the paper shows how managerial reward structures, impression management, and defensive routines combine to erode trust and learning. The study concludes by outlining pathways toward authentic alignment through ethical reflexivity, distributed responsibility, and truth-telling cultures.