Business Ethics in Brazil: Analyzing Discourse and Practice of the Brazilian Contractors Involved in Operation Lava Jato

Flavia Cavazotte (), Marcos Cohen () and Mariana Brunelli
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Flavia Cavazotte: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
Marcos Cohen: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
Mariana Brunelli: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro

A chapter in Corporate Social Responsibility in Brazil, 2019, pp 251-275 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract The Operation Lava Jato (Operation Car Wash), initiated in 2014 by the Ministry of Finance and carried out by the Brazilian Government Agency for Law Enforcement and Prosecution of Crimes, brought to light the unethical practices of several national contractors, despite their declared commitment to social responsibility and ethical management—a corporate conduct epitomized in the popular saying: “Do what I say; don’t do what I do”. In this chapter, we analyze such disconnection between discourse and practice vis-a-vis the literature on leadership and business ethics, Brazilian culture and historical analyses of the Brazilian contractors industry. We examine the official discourse of a Brazilian contractor, as observed in documents retrieved from websites and statements to the press, and its practices, as depicted in the media and documented in testimonies already conducted by the federal courts and attached to the original case-files. Specifically, we aim to contribute to the reflection on management and ethics in Brazil by identifying and discussing the factors that seem to have promoted such disconnection, including aspects of national culture and the institutional environment, together with organizational culture and leadership.

Keywords: Corporate social responsibility; Business ethics; Ethical leadership; Brazilian contractors; Operation Lava Jato (car wash) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-90605-8_12

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