BA 300 Unit 1: Group and Organizational Influences (Pressures T&N pp. 207, 199-201, 211, 215-218) & (Culture (T&N, pp. 128-129, 132-137, and 139-142)

"Everyone's doing it"

"_________ ______ ______": Individuals are much more likely to engage in unethical behavior if their peers are doing it -the refrain so frequently used to rationalize (or justify or even encourage) unethical behavior

stories

*Informal systems* Organizational _______ explain and give meaning to the organizational culture → They may be anecdotes about the organization's founder or about a sequence of events drawn from the organization's history -The best _______ are simple ones based on real people and experiences that tap into the company's values and employees' pride.

criticism

*Values, Mission Statements, and Credos* -stated values that are inconsistent with management practice can quickly generate employee _________

Group norms

-"Everyone's doing it" -Rationalizing unethical behavior -Pressures to go along these all have to do with *group norms* OR *Organizational effects*

Organizational effects

-Rewards & Punishments -Roles at Work -Diffusion of Responsibility these all have to do with *group norms* OR *Organizational effects*

performance management

-an effective ________ _______ system is a key component of the ethical culture -the system plays an essential role in alignment or misalignment of the ethical culture because people pay close attention to what is measured, rewarded, and disciplined

rituals

-annual family picnics and "bring your child to workdays" -fun, team‐building retreats -award ceremonies These are all examples of what informal culture system?

1. taken away, 2. shared with others in decision-making groups, 3. obscured by the organizational hierarchy, 4. or diluted by psychological distance to potential victims

4 reasons why individuals may not feel personally responsible for their organizational actions: responsibility is diffused because it is...

when it is explicitly a part of their job -- research has found that although reporting a peer's misconduct is a distasteful and difficult act, people are more likely to report a peer if doing so is explicitly made a part of their role via an honor code or code of conduct → in other words, if their job requires them to report misconduct when they see it, they're more likely to do so

Are people more likely to engage in whistle-blowing when it is explicitly a part of their job or not explicitly a part of their job?

Whistle-blowing

Conflicting roles can lead to unethical behavior but roles can also support ethical behavior. What is one example of a role that encourages ethical behavior?

conflicting roles

Ex. say you receive an accounting degree and you have certain accounting ethics that you should be following BUT at the same time your job description, boss, and/or organization is putting pressure on you to behave in a different way. This is an example of...

heroes

In an ethical culture, _______ should personify the organization's values → they are symbolic figures who set standards of performance by modeling certain behaviors, and they can be the organization's formal leaders. -it could be the current CEO of the organization or one of the founders who is no longer even present in the organization

informal -- Employees experience the "real" organization through informal systems, and information about them is carried through informal communication systems such as the grapevine and water cooler gatherings. In this way, people come to know what behaviors are "really" rewarded, how decisions are "really" made, and what organizational leaders "really" care about and expect.

It's particularly important to note that employees are more likely to believe the messages carried by the *formal/informal* system

-role models/heroes -rituals -stories/myths

List a few examples of informal culture systems

informal

Mentoring occurs at all levels in the organization and is an *formal/informal* process of socialization whereby a more senior person takes a junior person under his or her wing, providing information, career strategies, rules of the road, and so on.

role models

Much socialization about ethics is informally conducted by _______ ______ and mentors → ______ ______ may be senior managers, immediate superiors, or just more experienced coworkers (same answer for both blanks)

ostracism/ostracized

Not going along puts the individual in the uncomfortable spot of being perceived as some sort of goody-goody who is highly ethical but also unlikeable, and certainly not someone who can be trusted. The result can be _______ from the group → many people will go along with unethical behavior because of their need to be accepted

down

Organizations today are developing structures designed to remove bureaucratic layers, push responsibility *up/down*, and empower individuals to make decisions at every organizational level

-Rewarded -Punished

People Do What is ________ and Avoid Doing What is ______

consensus

People are more likely to recognize issues as being ethical ones if there is social ______ in their peer group that the issue raises ethical concerns. BUT if, instead, everyone agrees that a particular behavior is not a problem because "everyone is doing it", it's more likely that ethical concerns just won't come up

-goals -goal setting

People will go the extra mile to achieve _____ set by managers: in combination with rewards, ______ ______ is one of the most powerful motivational tools

greater

The rationalization to do something unethical becomes easier and easier the *greater/lesser* the distance between the individual decision maker and the actual outcome

False: especially if this information *isn't explicit* → the more ambiguous the situation, the more people search for clues

True/False: people in work organizations are constantly on the lookout for information about rewards and punishments -- especially if this information is explicit

true

True/False: researchers have found that employees may be less likely to report problems to management if they are intently focused on achieving a task → in addition, attempting to achieve a task goal increases risky behavior, whereas falling short of the goal can lead to increased lying performance

1. Selection & Training 2. Performance Management 3. Authority Structure

What are the 3 main categories under *Formal Systems* (Organizational Culture)?

1. Role models / Heroes 2. Norms & Rituals 3. Myths & Stories

What are the 3 main categories under *Informal Systems* (Organizational Culture*?

informal norms -- are frequently the most influential behavior guides and clues to the culture

Which is more influential to behavior: formal rules (regulations, codes, credos) OR informal norms?

Norms

______ are standards of daily behavior that are accepted as appropriate by members of a group. -They exert a powerful influence on individual behavior in organizations, and they can serve to support an ethical or unethical culture

Norms

______ in the local work group provide powerful behavioral guidance and most people want to fit into the behavior context that surrounds them

selection systems

_______ _______ are the formal systems that are in place for recruiting and hiring new employees. -they are vital to hiring people who fit the culture of the firm. Ex. background checks, check references, administer integrity tests, check social media sites, survey applicants, etc.

rewards and discipline

_______ and ______ are probably the most important influences on people's behavior at work

performance management

________ __________ systems involve the formal process of articulating employee goals, identifying performance metrics, and then providing a compensation structure that rewards individual (and frequently team) effort in relation to those goals

Rituals

________ are a way of affirming and communicating culture in a very tangible way → Organizations have meetings, parties, banquets, barbecues, and awards ceremonies that all convey messages about what's valued in the organization

diffusion

________ of responsibility in groups is used to explain the results of classic research on the likelihood that bystanders will help a seizure victim → this research suggests that when others are present, individuals are less likely to help the person in need.

Division

_________ of responsibility is essential for the kind of specialization required in modern jobs. BUT this means that organizational members often do their jobs with blinders on; they see only what's directly ahead of them, and no one sees (or takes responsibility for) the whole picture

groupthink

a major characteristic of __________ is individual group members' tendency to conform to the decision they think most of the group's members prefer → individual group members may find it difficult to express disagreement and tend to censor themselves even if they disagree with the group decision

real

alignment of the goals and rewards with the organization's values is essential because employees will generally do what's measured and rewarded, and they'll assume that the behaviors that are rewarded represent the "______" ethical culture

measured and rewarded

because people "do what is ___________ and _________" the best way for an organization to design a comprehensive performance management system is to spend time identifying which factors drive the results the organization strives to achieve

responsible/responsibility

for a relationship to exist between what people think is right and what they do, they must feel _________ for the consequences of their actions. Therefore, the sense of personal _________ is a prerequisite for moral action

pressure

for other behaviors, the "everyone is doing it' refrain represents not just a justification but actual _________ to go along with the group norms → the argument is used to encourage those who are reluctant: "Aw c'mon, everybody does it!"

unethical

for some behaviors, the refrain "everyone is doing it" is used primarily to rationalize behavior that's guided by ________ group norms. Ex. the employee who inflates his/her expenses reports believes that it's justified first because everyone else is doing it (and getting away with it).

outcome

goals focus attention on the desired _______ (meeting the sales target), and they lead individuals to strategize about how to achieve the goals that have been set

strong

if the policies and codes are followed in daily behavior and people are held accountable to them, this is an example of a *weak/strong* ethical culture in alignment

diffused

in organizations, the individual often becomes disconnected from the consequences of his or her actions and doesn't feel personally responsible for them → responsibility becomes ___________: no individual feels the need to take responsibility, so in the end, no one does; unethical behavior is then more likely

integrity

keep in mind that with both of these levels (group norms and organizational effects) that ________ (doing what you believe is right and ethical) helps insulate/protect you from these external pressures

bureaucratic/bureaucracy

most modern organizations are _______, meaning that they have a hierarchy of authority, a division of labor or specialization, standardization of activities, and a stress on competence and efficiency. Certain characteristics of a __________ can present problems for the organization's ethical culture, especially if employees feel that they should just do as they're told and not "rock the boat"

illusion of morality

one important symptom of groupthink is the group's "______ ___ _________" , the sense that the group simply wouldn't do anything wrong. Ex. A group of managers makes a decision to market a new drug despite disturbing evidence that it may cause dangerous side effects. The "_______ ___ _______" is expressed by a group member who states that the company has a well-earned reputation and would never do anything to hurt its customers.

personally responsible

people are much more likely to act ethically if they perceive themselves as _______ __________ for the outcomes of their decisions and actions → that means they also need to have the relevant information

divided

responsibility in organization is often so _______ that individuals see themselves as only a small cog in a large machine.

explicit

rewards are often tied to *implicit/explicit* goals (e.g. sandy will win a trip to the Caribbean by hitting a particular sales target within a particular period of time)

formal

socialization into the ethical culture is often begun through _________ orientation programs for new employees and is reinforced through ongoing training → the organization's cultural values and guiding principles can be communicated in orientation programs

-more -higher -lower

the *more/less* a firm demands unquestioning obedience to authority, the *higher/lower* the unethical conduct among employees, the *higher/lower* their tendency to seek advice about ethical issues, and the lower the likelihood that employees would report ethical violations or deliver "bad news" to management

says

the essential question is whether consistency exists between what the organization _______ (e.g. values statements, codes) and what it actually measures, rewards, and punishes

Reinforcement Theory

the theory that behavior is a function of its consequences, that behaviors followed by positive consequences will occur more frequently, and that behaviors followed by negative consequences, or not followed by positive consequences, will occur less frequently; people are more likely to behave in ways that are rewarded, and they're less likely to do what is punished.

obedience

unquestioning _________ to authority means that employees are not expected to think for themselves, to question bad orders, or to take responsibility for problems they observe → a "do as you're told" and "don't ask any questions" culture that expects unquestioning _________ from employees can become involved in serious ethical problems

culture

value and mission statements and credos are generally statements of guiding beliefs; most companies have them but it is important that the values and mission statements be closely aligned with other dimensions of the __________