Ethics Chapter 5

Age

Older employees with more experience have greater knowledge to deal with complex industry-specific ethical issues. Younger managers are far more influenced by organizational culture than older managers.

Under current law

Managers can be held liable for the unethical and illegal actions of subordinates

Gender

Women are generally more ethical than men. More sensitive to ethical scenarios and less tolerant of unethical actions.

"Spheres of Influence"

Workplace Family Religion Legal System Community Profession

Opportunity

describes the conditions in an organization that limit or permit ethical or unethical behavior Results from conditions that either provide rewards, whether internal or external, or fail to erect barriers against unethical behavior.

Normative Approaches

how organizational decision makers should approach an issue

Ethical Culture

reflects the integrity of decisions made and is a function of many factors, including corporate policies, top management's leadership on ethical issues, the influence of coworkers, and the opportunity for unethical behavior

External Control

see themselves as going with the flow because that is all they can do. They believe the events in their lives are due to uncontrollable forces.

Ethical Awareness

the ability to perceive whether a situation or decision has an ethical dimension

Ethical Issue Intensity

the relevance or importance of an event or decision in the eyes of the individual, work group, and/or organization. Reflects the ethical sensitivity of the individual and/or work group facing the ethical decision-making process.

Immediate Job Context

where they work, whom they work with, and the nature of the work Includes the motivational "carrots and sticks" superiors use to influence employee behavior. Carrots or Positive Reinforcement: Pay raises,bonuses,public recognition Sticks or Negative Reinforcement: Demotions,Firing,Reprimands,Pay penalties

Corporate Culture

A set of values,norms,and artifacts,including ways of solving problems that members (employees) of an organization share.

Individual Factors

People base their ethical decisions on their own values and principles of right or wrong

Moral Intensity

Relates to a person's perception of social pressure and the harm his/her decision will have on others

Locus of Control

Relates to individual differences in relation to generalized belief about how you are affected by internal vs external events or reinforcements. The concept relates to how people view themselves in relation to power.

First step in ethical decision making

To recognize that an ethical issue requires an individual or work group to choose among several actions that various stakeholders inside or outside the firm will ultimately evaluate as right or wrong.

Internal Control

believe they control the events in their lives by their own effort and skill, viewing themselves as masters of their destinies and trusting in their capacity to influence their environment.