Abstract:

Too often lack of ethical behaviour or misconduct in large organizations like DND is attributed to the questionable actions of a few individuals, so-called “bad apples.” However, there are systemic factors in organizations that are often overlooked as the cause of ethical failings or misconduct and that can actually cause greater damage to the organization than individual misbehaviour. I will talk about how military culture affects ethical behaviour in the larger DND organization. While part of DND, the military has its own distinct roles and culture that impact on the behaviour of both civilian and military members of DND. I will focus on those systemic aspects of Canadian Armed Forces culture that have had the greatest impact on ethical behaviour in DND.

Zoom link to attend: https://zoom.us/j/92846041514?pwd=d3dpcnc1emVLWm9tWkhXbE5NNk1UQT09

Meeting ID: 928 4604 1514
Passcode: 006179

Bio:

Allan English teaches Canadian Military History in the Queen’s University History Department. His book Understanding Military Culture: A Canadian Perspective was published in 2004 and he continues to research and publish in that area. Over his 30-year academic career, he has taught various courses related to military culture, organizational change, and ethics and the military profession at the undergraduate and graduate levels at Queen’s University and the Royal Military College of Canada and to senior and general/flag officers at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto. His latest research examines systemic obstacles to
culture change in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), especially that change intended to reduce the incidence of sexual misconduct in the CAF. His latest work is as co-editor and chapter author in the book Why We Fight: New Approaches to the Human Dimension of Warfare (2020).