This dissertation 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 fill a gap in the existing literature by providing empirical evidence of the connection between organizational influences and individual ethical choices, which has heretofore largely been merely assumed. Additional aspects of moral behavior beyond moral judgment, as suggested by the Four Component Model (Rest, 1994) were investigated. Extensively relying on the work of Victor and Cullen (1987, 1988), Rest (1979, 1986, 1994), and Blum (1991, 1994), seven hypotheses were formulated and tested to determine the nature of the direct relationship between the organizational level Ethical Work Climate and individual level moral awareness, and that relationship as moderated by four demographic and individual variables. Seven of the climate types identified by Cullen, Victor, and Bronson (1993) were replicated in the present study. All three of the hypotheses pertaining to the direct relationship between Ethical Work Climate and moral awareness were supported, as were three of the four hypotheses related to the moderating variables. These results provide evidence that Ethical Work Climate is a primary predictor of individual moral awareness, and that social influence often overrides the effects of individual differences is a work group setting. Implications for future research are provided. / Ph. D.

Numerous research studies have concluded that values drive perceptions, responses to situations, judgments, interactions among people, and behaviors. In addition, studies have found that congruence or agreement between individual values and organizational values can increase job satisfaction and commitment. Minimal research has explored the concept of value congruence between substance abuse counselors and their treatment settings, and its impact on perceived ethical work behaviors and organizational commitment. This study explored how the extent of fit between individual and organizational values impacts ethical work behaviors and organizational commitment of substance abuse counselors.

Moral distress is a complex and challenging problem that may cause negative biopsycohosical and professional outcomes for critical care nurses. The purpose of this work was to explore the relationship between the ethical climate of the work environment and moral distress as experienced by critical care nurses; and to explore relationships among mediators of stress (nurse characteristics e.g. education (BSN, nonBSN), years certified as a critical care nurse, and tolerance of ambiguity) and their relationship with perceived stress, moral distress, health status and salivary alpha amylase. A descriptive correlational cross-sectional design was used for this pilot study of 100 critical care nurses working in adult intensive care units in one large academic medical center. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to characterize the sample and the model variables. Regression analysis using a stepwise regression model building technique was used to determine predictors of the study outcomes (moral distress, health status, and salivary alpha amylase). The findings demonstrate that the ethical characteristics of the work environment and perceived stress were predictive of moral distress, psychological/emotional outcomes and stress symptoms. Other variables thought to mediate these relationships were not significant. Future research is needed to find ways to prevent moral distress from occurring and to support nurses dealing with moral distress.

The current study analyzes the impact of ethical work climates (caring, law and code, rules, instrumental and independence climates) and perceptions of organizational justice (distributive, procedural and interactional justice) on workplace deviance (organizational and interpersonal deviance) which is associated with huge financial, social and psychological costs for the organizations and organizational members. The findings of the research are based on a quantitative survey conducted among 219 employees in a public organization. The results obtained after controlling the significant effect of demographic variables revealed that it was only the perceptions of procedural justice that had a significant negative impact on organizational deviance. Distributive and interactional justice predicted neither interpersonal nor organizational deviance. Among the ethical work climates, caring climate was found to be the only ethical climate type that predicted organizational deviance. The remaining types of ethical work climates had significant relationships with neither one of the interpersonal or organizational deviance. Results also showed that ethical work climate was a better predictor of organizational deviance than interpersonal deviance.

No description available.

Bakgrund: Enhetschefen har inte bara ett komplext uppdrag för egen del, utan är också en viktig del för sina medarbetares och brukares välmående och miljö, samt hur verksamheten speglas och speglar sociala regler utåt. Detta sätter stora krav på förmågan att balansera många olika arbetsuppgifter i relation till människors livsvillkor och kan därmed försätta enhetschefen i etiska situationer som skapar stress. Därav finns en relevans i att undersöka etisk stress hos enhetschefer. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur arbetsvillkor kan medföra etisk stress hos enhetschefer inom kommunal äldreomsorg. Metod: Med studiens kvalitativa ansats har sex individuella semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförts med informanter från två olika kommuner. Intervjuerna spelades in och transkriberades för analys med tematisk ansats. Till studiens teoretiska utgångspunkter antog forskarna en sensitiv ansats till Karasek och Theorells krav- kontroll- och stödmodell samt delar av socialpedagogisk handlingsdimension där fokus lades på delaktighet, lärande och erkännande. Dessa fick fungera som analysverktyg i relation till befintlig forskning på området.  Resultat: Studien uppmärksammar en okunskap om etisk stress hos informanterna. Det framkommer hög arbetsbelastning samt begränsningar till ett närvarande ledarskap, vilket skapar stress för samtliga informanter. Informanterna har utvecklat en viss acceptans för att bibehålla och hantera sitt uppdrag. Studien resulterar i att informanterna kommer till insikt att de inte bara utmanas i etiska dilemman som skapar stress, utan också dagligen utsätts för etisk stress.

No description available.