Life is like a play and we all are players in our life, I believe. We have several roles in our life. But, what happens if the demands of several roles conflict? Role conflict occurs when others have conflicting expectations toward a given person. Managers often face conflicting demand between work and family. Undoubtedly, multiple roles have become more common in these days because we should do many tasks at one time and others expect us more and more roles.
Role conflict also happens when ethics collide with other's expectations. If your superior requests that you should do something unethical for your company, what do you do?
In other words, what do you do if you are told to be loyal for your company despite being unethical or illegal.
Japanese business person, especially business men, had been under pressure of that situation. Unfortunately, some business men were involved in organizational illegal act and got arrested. Others managed to resign from their firms before going in for crime.
Generally speaking, we had been instilled that we should be broad-minded enough to show tolerance toward all sorts of men. However, it is thing of the past. Now, we must be unbiased; we call what is right right, and wrong wrong. Otherwise, we could be pushed into a corner due to the strict legislation against corporate crime. Theoretically, you could be charged in embezzlement if you used your company's stationery for private!
All in all, “gray area” has been rapidly disappearing in every field. Like it or not, we should understand and cope with this trend. As the saying goes, “the wise man keeps away from danger.”