Do ethics matter? A moderated model for effects of ethical climates on unethical behavior in organizations

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McCorvey, K. (2020). Do ethics matter? A moderated model for effects of ethical climates on unethical behavior in organizations. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

This research empirically examined the impact of psychological ethical climates on unethical behavior within organizations via a survey-based quantitative study of working adults in U.S. firms. Ethical climate types within an organization were hypothesized to influence individual propensity to engage in unethical behavior as reflected by moral disengagement, ethical judgments, and unethical pro-organizational behavior. The moderating influence of moral identity and situational strength on these relationships was also hypothesized. Results showed that egoism climate was positively correlated and principle climate was negatively correlated with the unethical behaviors in this study. Further, egoism climate was found to have the strongest and most consistent correlations with these behaviors, whereas benevolence climate was found to have no significant correlations with these behaviors. Moral identity internalization, but not moral identity symbolization, was found to have significant correlations with unethical behavior as well as moderating effects on the relationships between ethical climates and unethical behavior. Findings suggest that further study of egoism climates and moral identity internalization is of particular importance for researchers seeking to better understand the individual and contextual factors that influence unethical behavior and for organizations seeking to minimize unethical behavior and maximize desirable outcomes. Theoretical and practical implications and future research directions are discussed.

Details
Author

McCorvey, Kellie

Title

Do ethics matter? A moderated model for effects of ethical climates on unethical behavior in organizations

Physical Description

1 online resource (195 pages) : PDF

Date

2020

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

This research empirically examined the impact of psychological ethical climates on unethical behavior within organizations via a survey-based quantitative study of working adults in U.S. firms. Ethical climate types within an organization were hypothesized to influence individual propensity to engage in unethical behavior as reflected by moral disengagement, ethical judgments, and unethical pro-organizational behavior. The moderating influence of moral identity and situational strength on these relationships was also hypothesized. Results showed that egoism climate was positively correlated and principle climate was negatively correlated with the unethical behaviors in this study. Further, egoism climate was found to have the strongest and most consistent correlations with these behaviors, whereas benevolence climate was found to have no significant correlations with these behaviors. Moral identity internalization, but not moral identity symbolization, was found to have significant correlations with unethical behavior as well as moderating effects on the relationships between ethical climates and unethical behavior. Findings suggest that further study of egoism climates and moral identity internalization is of particular importance for researchers seeking to better understand the individual and contextual factors that influence unethical behavior and for organizations seeking to minimize unethical behavior and maximize desirable outcomes. Theoretical and practical implications and future research directions are discussed.

Genre

doctoral dissertations

Subjects--Topics

Industrial management

Degree

Ph.D.

Keywords

Ethical Climate
Ethical Judgments
Moral Disengagement
Moral Identity
Unethical Behavior
Unethical pro-Organizational Behavior

Subject Area

Business Administration

Advisor(s)

Woehr, David

Committee Members

Stanley, Laura
Pieper, Torsten
Silver, Reginald

Degree Note

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2020.

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Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

McCorvey_uncc_0694D_12338

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:1869