No ball!: Ethical management and social capital in West Indian society

Cricket is a game that is highly symbolic of modern West Indian achievement. In this paper the 'no ball' in cricket is used as a metaphor to highlight the importance of ethical management and leadership in creating influence and growth in these Caribbean nation states. Such ethical leadership can be instrumental in addressing issues of productivity and transforming of the workplace. Business reversals and general meltdown as in the case of billionaire Allen Stanford may be attributable to lack of oversight by an impartial umpire commissioned to identify and rectify the 'no ball' of unfair business dealing. Values of social justice and redressing the disadvantage wrought by the unidentified 'no ball' are concepts at the heart of the movement to independence in modern Caribbean nation states, as seen in the influence of trade unions on the evolution of that movement in most islands. Ethical leadership is one aspect of social responsibility and creating legitimacy that empowers institutions. The paper also defines the concept of social capital and attempts to relate trust and reciprocity to West Indian society. The implications of identifying unfair advantage and calling the 'no ball' are highlighted in the context of altering issues of social justice, trust and mutuality in the culture and management.