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Susceptibility to the ‘Dark Side’ of Goal-Setting: Does Moral Justification Influence the Effect of Goals on Unethical Behavior?

Author

Listed:
  • Karen Niven

    (University of Manchester)

  • Colm Healy

    (University of Manchester)

Abstract

Setting goals in the workplace can motivate improved performance but it might also compromise ethical behavior. In this paper, we propose that individual differences in the dispositional tendency to morally justify behavior moderate the effects of specific performance goals on unethical behavior. We conducted an experimental study in which working participants, who were randomly assigned to a specific goal condition or to a condition with a vague goal that lacked a specific target (i.e., ‘do your best’), completed two tasks in which they had the opportunity to act unethically. In an ethical dilemma task, participants in the specific goal condition were more likely to advocate using unethical methods. However, in an anagram task, only those with high moral justification overstated their performance to a greater degree in the specific goal condition. As such, individuals may not be equally susceptible to the ‘dark side’ of goal-setting.

Suggested Citation

  • Karen Niven & Colm Healy, 2016. "Susceptibility to the ‘Dark Side’ of Goal-Setting: Does Moral Justification Influence the Effect of Goals on Unethical Behavior?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 137(1), pages 115-127, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:137:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-015-2545-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-015-2545-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Hina Fayyaz & Ajmal Waheed, 2023. "Organization-Set High-Performance Goals and Employee Expediency Syndrome: An Underlying Mechanism of Supervisor Expediency and Illegitimate Tasks," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, April.
    4. Alexander Newman & Huong Le & Andrea North-Samardzic & Michael Cohen, 2020. "Moral Disengagement at Work: A Review and Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 167(3), pages 535-570, December.
    5. WeiWei Chen & Hsiao-Ching Lee, 2018. "How to explain service failure? Impacts of justifications," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 12(2), pages 331-356, June.
    6. Welsh, David & Bush, John & Thiel, Chase & Bonner, Julena, 2019. "Reconceptualizing goal setting’s dark side: The ethical consequences of learning versus outcome goals," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 14-27.
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