Two studies analyzed the factor structure of the 8-item Multidimensional Ethics Scale (MES) (Reidenbach and Robin, 1988, 1990), a 30-item MES (the 30 items used to develop the 8-item measure), and a Perceived Moral Intensity Scale. Factor analyses supported a 3-factor structure for the 8-item MES, marginally supported a 5-factor structure (but more strongly suggested a 1-factor structure) for the 30-item MES, and supported a 3-factor structure for the Perceived Moral Intensity Scale. These scales were then used in a third study that examined the effect of manipulated and perceived moral intensity (Jones, 1991) on participants' ethical judgment of actions taken in 18 scenarios of an arguably ethical nature. A within-subject design found that manipulated moral intensity had a significant effect on ethical judgment, but perceived moral intensity did not. When ethical judgment (as measured by the three factors of the 8-item MES) was regressed on age, gender, major, perceived moral intensity factors, and interactions between age, gender, major and perceived moral intensity factors, the variance accounted for (R2) was significant for each of the three ethical judgment factors in both high and low intensity conditions using a between-subjects design, but was only significant for one of the ethical judgment factors (Moral Equity), and this only for low intensity scenarios, using a within-subject design. One explanation for the difference in effect appears to be that the means for the three perceived moral intensity factors were significantly different for the low versus high intensity condition using the between-subjects design, but the means of two of the three factors were not significantly different using the within-subject design. Three explanations for this were suggested: perceived moral intensity may not have reached a necessary threshold due to explicit referents for comparison; cognitive demand may have been greater when two versions of a single scenario were being evaluated; and, the online administration of the study may have introduced greater error variance than the in-person paper-pencil administration. Ethical judgment was found to be a more robust predictor of intention than perceived moral intensity using a within-subject design. Suggestions were made for future research. / Ph. D.

<p>Drawing from literature on job performance, moral intensity (Jones, 1991), and job characteristics theory (Grant, Fried, & Juillerat, 2011; Hackman & Oldham, 1976; Oldham & Fried, 2016), I propose a core feature of work that is not currently recognized or studied in extant work design research: the degree of moral imperativeness and aspiration. That is, jobs differ in how much their performance (i.e., task execution) is a moral imperative or aspiration. I first distinguish the moral imperativeness and aspiration of task execution (MITE and MATE) from related concepts such as task significance (Hackman & Oldham, 1975), prosocial characteristics of work (Grant, 2007, 2008a), and moral intensity of a task (Opoku-Dakwa, 2017, 2018). I then develop and validate a scale. In Study 1, I used job incumbents to provide empirical support that moral imperativeness and aspiration of task execution is distinguishable from related constructs, converge with theoretically-relevant constructs, and predict work criteria as experienced by job incumbents. In Study 2, I used naïve raters to judge the moral imperativeness and aspiration of work tasks at the task level to provide further evidence that they tap objective aspects of occupations.</p>

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We examine the moderating role of the situational and organizational contexts in determining unethical managerial behavior, applying the case-survey methodology. On the basis of a holistic, multiple-antecedent perspective, we hypothesize that two key constructs, moral intensity and situational strength, help explain contextual moderating effects on relationships between managers'; individual characteristics and unethical behavior. Based on a quantitative analysis of 52 case studies describing occurrences of real-life unethical conduct, we find empirical support for the hypothesized contextual moderating effects of moral intensity and situational strength. By examining these complex contextual moderators, we aim to contribute to organizational ethics research as we shed light on the critical role that context may play in influencing unethical managerial behavior.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-16T14:48:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1424253 bytes, checksum: 37c409a3e0ed4fc732e9d7bbfbf6e35c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The main goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between moral intensity of marketing decisions and the ethical intentions of managers that work in tourist activities. The ethical subject has been emphasized in the managerial field over the last 30 years, in the understanding that a best ethical behaviors would generate higher business profits. However after the 1980´s, approaches aiming social benefits began to gain importance, supporting other areas of knowledge like tourism. This area (Tourism) presents strong presence in level of society, by involving various types of exchanges, whether of information, ideas, products, services etc., and also for constituting an economically important industry. Based on these understandings, the specific objectives of this research were outlined, which involved, in particular, the development of a scale for measuring the moral intensity construct (latent variable) about the perspective of tourism decision makers. The construct of moral intensity is part of the Theory of Moral Intensity developed by Jones (1991), which includes six main components: magnitude of the consequences, social consensus, probability of effect, temporal immediacy, proximity and concentration of the effect. This survey included three samples: two of them were formed by students and the other one by managers of tourism firms. The first sample was composed by 137 undergraduate students in tourism and the second one by 103. For the group of managers, 61 individuals were interviewed. This study was based on a quantitative approach, with sampling based on convenience and accessibility, and used specific statistical procedures for measuring the constructs of formative nature. Overall, the main goals were achieved, with the validation of items and scenarios developed in a consistent way. Some of the observed results indicate that the variable social consensus influences the ethical intentions in almost all the tourist groups of decision makers, including the current and future ones. Another finding refers to the possibility of the characteristics of moral intensity to be considered independent of a single variable measure of the moral intensity construct, since they together did not indicate to statistically form the moral intensity. At the end of the work were presented suggestions for future studies. / O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi avaliar a relação entre a intensidade moral de decisões de marketing e as intenções éticas dos gestores que atuam em atividades turísticas. A temática ética ganhou ênfase na esfera gerencial, no entendimento de que melhores condutas éticas gerariam maiores lucros empresariais. Porém, após os anos 1980, abordagens visando benefícios a nível social passaram a ganhar importância, respaldando outras áreas do conhecimento como o Turismo. Esta área (Turismo) apresenta forte presença em nível de sociedade por envolver diversos tipos de trocas, sejam elas de informações, idéias, produtos, serviços etc., e constituir uma indústria economicamente relevante. Tendo por base estes entendimentos é que foram delineados os objetivos específicos desta pesquisa, que passou pelo desenvolvimento da escala de mensuração da intensidade moral sobre a perspectiva dos gestores de turismo. O construto intensidade moral faz parte da Teoria da Intensidade Moral de Jones (1991), que está fundamentada em seis componentes principais, sendo eles: magnitude das consequências, consenso social, probabilidade de efeito, imediatismo temporal, proximidade e concentração do efeito. Assim, a pesquisa contou com três amostras, sendo duas delas formadas por estudantes e uma pelos gestores da atividade turística. A primeira amostra foi composta por 137 alunos da graduação em turismo e a segunda por 103. Para o grupo dos gestores foram entrevistados 61 indivíduos. Este estudo teve como base um enfoque quantitativo, com uma amostragens por conveniência e acessibilidade, fundamentado em procedimentos estatísticos específicos para a mensuração de construtos de natureza formativa. De forma geral, os objetivos do trabalho foram alcançados, com a validação dos itens e cenários desenvolvidos de maneira consistente. Alguns dos resultados observados, indicam que a variável consenso social foi a que demonstrou exercer influência, em praticamente todos os grupos e cenários turísticos, sobre as intenções éticas de decisores atuais e futuros. Outra constatação refere-se à possibilidade de as características da intensidade moral serem independentes de uma medida geral do construto intensidade moral, visto que as mesmas em conjunto não indicaram constituir uma variável geral de intensidade moral como esperado. Ao final do trabalho, foram apresentadas as sugestões para futuros trabalhos.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T12:36:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1424251 bytes, checksum: f7ccb9a9909eca3b7e8a652fa0966c0d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The main goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between moral intensity of marketing decisions and the ethical intentions of managers that work in tourist activities. The ethical subject has been emphasized in the managerial field over the last 30 years, in the understanding that a best ethical behaviors would generate higher business profits. However after the 1980´s, approaches aiming social benefits began to gain importance, supporting other areas of knowledge like tourism. This area (Tourism) presents strong presence in level of society, by involving various types of exchanges, whether of information, ideas, products, services etc., and also for constituting an economically important industry. Based on these understandings, the specific objectives of this research were outlined, which involved, in particular, the development of a scale for measuring the moral intensity construct (latent variable) about the perspective of tourism decision makers. The construct of moral intensity is part of the Theory of Moral Intensity developed by Jones (1991), which includes six main components: magnitude of the consequences, social consensus, probability of effect, temporal immediacy, proximity and concentration of the effect. This survey included three samples: two of them were formed by students and the other one by managers of tourism firms. The first sample was composed by 137 undergraduate students in tourism and the second one by 103. For the group of managers, 61 individuals were interviewed. This study was based on a quantitative approach, with sampling based on convenience and accessibility, and used specific statistical procedures for measuring the constructs of formative nature. Overall, the main goals were achieved, with the validation of items and scenarios developed in a consistent way. Some of the observed results indicate that the variable social consensus influences the ethical intentions in almost all the tourist groups of decision makers, including the current and future ones. Another finding refers to the possibility of the characteristics of moral intensity to be considered independent of a single variable measure of the moral intensity construct, since they together did not indicate to statistically form the moral intensity. At the end of the work were presented suggestions for future studies. / O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi avaliar a relação entre a intensidade moral de decisões de marketing e as intenções éticas dos gestores que atuam em atividades turísticas. A temática ética ganhou ênfase na esfera gerencial, no entendimento de que melhores condutas éticas gerariam maiores lucros empresariais. Porém, após os anos 1980, abordagens visando benefícios a nível social passaram a ganhar importância, respaldando outras áreas do conhecimento como o Turismo. Esta área (Turismo) apresenta forte presença em nível de sociedade por envolver diversos tipos de trocas, sejam elas de informações, idéias, produtos, serviços etc., e constituir uma indústria economicamente relevante. Tendo por base estes entendimentos é que foram delineados os objetivos específicos desta pesquisa, que passou pelo desenvolvimento da escala de mensuração da intensidade moral sobre a perspectiva dos gestores de turismo. O construto intensidade moral faz parte da Teoria da Intensidade Moral de Jones (1991), que está fundamentada em seis componentes principais, sendo eles: magnitude das consequências, consenso social, probabilidade de efeito, imediatismo temporal, proximidade e concentração do efeito. Assim, a pesquisa contou com três amostras, sendo duas delas formadas por estudantes e uma pelos gestores da atividade turística. A primeira amostra foi composta por 137 alunos da graduação em turismo e a segunda por 103. Para o grupo dos gestores foram entrevistados 61 indivíduos. Este estudo teve como base um enfoque quantitativo, com uma amostragens por conveniência e acessibilidade, fundamentado em procedimentos estatísticos específicos para a mensuração de construtos de natureza formativa. De forma geral, os objetivos do trabalho foram alcançados, com a validação dos itens e cenários desenvolvidos de maneira consistente. Alguns dos resultados observados, indicam que a variável consenso social foi a que demonstrou exercer influência, em praticamente todos os grupos e cenários turísticos, sobre as intenções éticas de decisores atuais e futuros. Outra constatação refere-se à possibilidade de as características da intensidade moral serem independentes de uma medida geral do construto intensidade moral, visto que as mesmas em conjunto não indicaram constituir uma variável geral de intensidade moral como esperado. Ao final do trabalho, foram apresentadas as sugestões para futuros trabalhos.

Data Analytics (DA) has been blamed for contributing to discriminatory managerial decisions in organizations. To date, most studies have focused on the technical antecedents of such discriminations. As a result, little is known about how to ameliorate the problem by focusing on the human aspects of decision making when using DA in organizational settings. This study represents an effort to address this gap. Drawing on the cognitive elaboration model of ethical decision-making, construal level theory, and the literature on moral intensity, this study investigates how the availability and the design of demographic transparency (a form of decisional guidance) can lower DA users’ likelihood of agreement with discriminatory recommendations of DA tools. In addition, this study examines the role of user’s mindfulness and organizational ethical culture on this process. In an experimental study users interact with a DA tool that provides them with a discriminatory recommendation. The results confirm that demographic transparency significantly impacts both recognition of the moral issue at hand and perceived proximity toward the subject of the decision, which in turn help decrease the likelihood of users’ approval of the discriminatory recommendation. Moreover, the results suggest that user’s mindfulness and organizational ethical culture enhance the positive impacts of demographic transparency. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Following the collapse of Arthur Andersen in the Enron debacle, whistle-blowing within audit firms has taken on greater importance. Given the profession's requirements to be confidential, independent and to act in the public's interest, there is a need for a model that addresses auditors' whistle-blowing intentions. This thesis presents a conceptual model on whistle-blowing intentions among external auditors, where individual-led antecedents influence whistle-blowing intentions, but are moderated by isomorphic and issue-specific factors. Survey questionnaires were administered to 226 external auditors, and 18 individual interviews as well as 2 focus groups were conducted in Barbados. Results indicated that individual antecedents (attitudes, perceived behavioural control, independence commitment, personal responsibility for reporting, and personal cost of reporting) were significantly related to internal whistle-blowing, but only perceived behavioural control was significantly related to external whistle-blowing. Partial support was found for the moderating effects of perceived organizational support, moral intensity, team norms and group cohesion on the relationships between the majority of the independent variables (attitudes, perceived behavioural control, independence commitment, personal responsibility for reporting and personal cost of reporting) and internal whistle-blowing. However, partial support was found for the moderating effects of perceived organizational support, moral intensity, team norms iii and group cohesion on the relationships between fewer independent variables and external whistle-blowing. Overall, respondents preferred anonymous internal channels of reporting, and showed a general reluctance to report externally. The presence of an open-door policy, ethics partners, hotline, on-going training and clearly defined policies could encourage whistle-blowing. Further implications for research and practice are discussed.

Given that computer hacking cause huge loss among firms, it¡¦s necessary to understand how individuals engage to commit it. Most of previous research on computer hacking, discuss the reasons by motivation, deterrence theory, moral intensity and social learning theory. However, those perspectives were adopted in researches independently. Thus, there is a need for research to combine these perspectives to create a completed, empirical model to explain the hacker¡¦s intention. Based on motivation theory, moral intensity, deterrence theory, and social learning theory, an empirical study of the intention of computer hacking was conducted. Moreover, we found the key factor ignored in the past, severity level of computer hacking, which will change the way of other factors affecting the intention. Data collected from 473 individuals in Taiwan confirmed our hypotheses and tested against the research model. The results support the proposed model in predicting intention to commit computer hacking. This study demonstrated that intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, moral intensity, punishment certainty, punishment severity, and social influence were key factors that resulted in intention of computer hacking. In addition, severity level of computer hacking was a strongly significant moderator in all factors to intention. Lastly, several implications of information security management and direction to reduce computer hacking rate for practices are discussed.

In this research, a model for ethically questionable decision-making is developed by amalgamating several decision-making theories. The variables of interest are the techniques of neutralization, perceived moral intensity, Machiavellianism, unethical intentions, and ethical judgment. Using a sample of 276 U.S. marketing professionals, partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to validate the model. Findings reveal that U.S. marketing professionals rationalize their ethically questionable intentions through their: (1) perception of moral intensity (i.e., minimizing the harms on others, perceiving their self-interest as most salient, and indifference to social consensus), (2) reliance on various neutralization techniques, and; (3) judgment of their ethically questionable intentions as ethical. After controlling for the Machiavellian personality trait, Machiavellianism did not have a profound effect on the decision-making process, which implies that marketers, in general, are capable of the cognitive distortions found in this study. The main contribution to knowledge is the synthesis of the techniques of neutralization and the perceived moral intensity construct. Through this amalgamation, knowledge of the intermediary steps in the decision-making process has emerged. A contribution to knowledge involves testing the relationship between Machiavellianism and unethical intentions through the mediating variable of the techniques of neutralization. Through this investigation, it was found that the Machiavellian personality is inconsequential to the decision-making process. As a contribution to managerial knowledge, it was found that through cognitive distortions, marketers are capable of various illicit behaviours, which have been shown to be costly to not only stakeholders, but also to the profitability and reputations of organisations.