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An Examination of the Relationship Between Ethical Work Climate and Moral Awareness

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  • Craig VanSandt
  • Jon Shepard
  • Stephen Zappe

Abstract

This paper draws from the fields of history, sociology, psychology, moral philosophy, and organizational theory to establish a theoretical connection between a social/organizational influence (ethical work climate) and an individual cognitive element of moral behavior (moral awareness). The research was designed to help to fill a gap in the existing literature by providing empirical evidence of the connection between organizational influences and individual moral awareness and subsequent ethical choices, which has heretofore largely been merely assumed. Results of the study provide evidence that ethical work climate (EWC) is a primary predictor of individual moral awareness, and that the influence of social factors often overrides the effects of individual differences in a work group setting. Implications for future research are provided. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2006

Suggested Citation

  • Craig VanSandt & Jon Shepard & Stephen Zappe, 2006. "An Examination of the Relationship Between Ethical Work Climate and Moral Awareness," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 68(4), pages 409-432, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:68:y:2006:i:4:p:409-432
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-006-9030-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. James Weber & Virginia Gerde, 2011. "Organizational Role and Environmental Uncertainty as Influences on Ethical Work Climate in Military Units," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 100(4), pages 595-612, June.
    2. Lynn Godkin, 2015. "Mid-Management, Employee Engagement, and the Generation of Reliable Sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 130(1), pages 15-28, August.
    3. Ernest Kumi, 2013. "Are Demographic Variables Predictors of Work Deviant Behavior?," International Journal of Management Sciences, Research Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 1(1), pages 1-10.
    4. Sebastian Goebel & Barbara E. Weißenberger, 2017. "The Relationship Between Informal Controls, Ethical Work Climates, and Organizational Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 141(3), pages 505-528, March.
    5. Selma Kadic-Maglajlic & Milena Micevski & Nick Lee & Nathaniel Boso & Irena Vida, 2019. "Three Levels of Ethical Influences on Selling Behavior and Performance: Synergies and Tensions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(2), pages 377-397, May.
    6. Kubilay Gok & John J. Sumanth & William H. Bommer & Ozgur Demirtas & Aykut Arslan & Jared Eberhard & Ali Ihsan Ozdemir & Ahmet Yigit, 2017. "You May Not Reap What You Sow: How Employees’ Moral Awareness Minimizes Ethical Leadership’s Positive Impact on Workplace Deviance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 146(2), pages 257-277, December.
    7. David Dawson, 2018. "Organisational Virtue, Moral Attentiveness, and the Perceived Role of Ethics and Social Responsibility in Business: The Case of UK HR Practitioners," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(4), pages 765-781, April.
    8. Ahmed Musbah & Christopher J. Cowton & David Tyfa, 2016. "The Role of Individual Variables, Organizational Variables and Moral Intensity Dimensions in Libyan Management Accountants’ Ethical Decision Making," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 134(3), pages 335-358, March.
    9. Paramita, Widya & Zulfa, Naila & Rostiani, Rokhima & Widyaningsih, Yulia A. & Sholihin, Mahfud, 2021. "Ethics support through rapport: Elaborating the impact of service provider rapport on ethical behaviour intention of the tourists," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    10. K. Praveen Parboteeah & Matthias Weiss & Martin Hoegl, 2024. "Ethical Climates Across National Contexts: A Meta-Analytical Investigation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 189(3), pages 573-590, January.
    11. K. Parboteeah & Hsien Chen & Ying-Tzu Lin & I-Heng Chen & Amber Lee & Anyi Chung, 2010. "Establishing Organizational Ethical Climates: How Do Managerial Practices Work?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 97(4), pages 599-611, December.
    12. Shinaj Valangattil Shamsudheen & Aishath Muneeza, 2022. "Depicting ethical dilemma in Islamic financial institutions; addressing the gender heterogeneity," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 12(1), pages 29-54, March.
    13. Agnihotri, Arpita & Bhattacharya, Saurabh & Gupta, Suraksha, 2023. "Do morally disengaged employees withdraw from customer-oriented citizenship behavior in response to customers’ uncivil behavior?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    14. Evelyne Rousselet & Bérangère Brial & Romain Cadario & Amina Béji-Bécheur, 2020. "Moral Intensity, Issue Characteristics, and Ethical Issue Recognition in Sales Situations," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 163(2), pages 347-363, May.
    15. Mustafa Fedai Cavus & Mehmet Bicer, 2016. "Relationship between Organizational Ethical Climate and Innovative Behavior: An Example from Turkey," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 6(10), pages 117-127, October.
    16. Rachel E. Sturm, 2017. "Decreasing Unethical Decisions: The Role of Morality-Based Individual Differences," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 142(1), pages 37-57, April.
    17. Nicole Andreoli & Joel Lefkowitz, 2009. "Individual and Organizational Antecedents of Misconduct in Organizations," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 85(3), pages 309-332, March.
    18. John Pearce, 2013. "Using Social Identity Theory to Predict Managers’ Emphases on Ethical and Legal Values in Judging Business Issues," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 112(3), pages 497-514, February.
    19. Diana M. Hechavarría & Steven A. Brieger, 2022. "Practice rather than preach: cultural practices and female social entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 1131-1151, February.
    20. Kristen DeTienne & Bradley Agle & James Phillips & Marc-Charles Ingerson, 2012. "The Impact of Moral Stress Compared to Other Stressors on Employee Fatigue, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover: An Empirical Investigation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 110(3), pages 377-391, October.
    21. Sora Lee & Jaewon Yoo, 2021. "What Makes Employees Behave Innovatively? Empirical Evidence from South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-17, December.

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    ethical work climate; moral awareness;

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