The Nurturing of Immoral Executives: ‘Jumpers’ Covertly Concealed Managerial Ignorance

Abstract
‘Jumping’ between firms causes job-knowledge gaps that encourage use of covertly concealed managerial ignorance (hereafter CCMI), defending authority by either detachment and/or autocratic seduction-coercion. CCMI use causes distrust and ignorance cycles, which engender mismanagement that bars performance-based promotion and encourages immoral careerism (Im-C). Such careerism is a known managerial malady, but explaining its emergence proved challenging as managerial ignorance is often concealed as a dark secret on organizations’ dark side by conspiracies of silence. A 5-year semi-native anthropological study of five ‘jumper’-managed automatic processing plants and their parent inter-kibbutz co-operatives found a positive correlation between ‘jumper’ statuses, experience of ‘jumps’ and practicing CCMI and Im-C. ‘Jumpers’ large knowledge gaps deter ignorance exposure, encourage CCMI and together with related factors generate Im-C. These findings suggest that ‘jumping’ careers tend to nurture immoral executives. Remedies for this corporate malady are suggested, as well as further study of ‘jumping’ and CCMI and Im-C.

Keywords
‘Jumping’ career advance, covertly concealed managerial ignorance, immoral careerism, managerial vulnerable involvement, distrust and ignorance cycles.

Cite this paper
Reuven Shapira, The Nurturing of Immoral Executives: ‘Jumpers’ Covertly Concealed Managerial Ignorance, SCIREA Journal of Sociology. Vol. 3 , No. 2 , 2019 , pp. 60 - 92 .

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