Weaving the embodied fabric of moral imagination

implications for women in business

Mollie Painter-Morland

pp. 133-142

in: R. E. Freeman, Sergiy Dmytriyev, Andrew C. Wicks (eds), The moral imagination of Patricia Werhane, Berlin, Springer, 2018

Abstract

In this chapter, the main themes emerging from Werhane's work on women in business are discussed and interrogated. It is argued that when placed within the context of Werhane's broader oeuvre and her own professional practice, the full potential of her ideas may be unleashed. In this regard, Werhane's work on mental models, moral imagination and systems thinking seem particularly promising. The chapter further suggests that some of the tensions that remain in Werhane's own work may in fact beckon towards the need to re-conceptualize gendered notions such as "vision" and "emotion". Some suggestions are made regarding further research that is needed to resolve some of these tensions and to further develop Werhane's insights. In conclusion, it is suggested that Werhane's life as public intellectual may hold some of the keys to unlock a more meaningful understanding of what "women's leadership" may mean.