This paper explains the empirically observed coexistence and interaction of aesthetic experience and moral value systems of decision makers in organizations. For this purpose we develop the concept of "aesthetic rationality" which is described as a type of rationality that serves to encourage sustainable behavior in organizations, and to extend the commonly held, "instrumentally rational" view of organizations. We show that organizations regularly exhibit not only an instrumental rationality, but also an "aesthetic rationality" which is manifested in their products, processes and practices. We describe aesthetics, its underlying moral values, and its evolutionary roots as a basis for defining the concept of aesthetic rationality. We examine its links with human resources, organizational design, and other organizational elements. We examine these implications, identify how an aesthetic-driven ethic provides a potential for sustainable behaviour in organizations, and suggest new directions for organizational research.