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.

Morally worthy actions are morally exemplary actions. They are the result of an agent manifesting his virtue. However, the details are controversial. What should the morally exemplary agent care about and what does it mean to be morally aware? In this paper, I examine these questions and present a novel account of morally worthy action.

<p>The aim of this research was to examine whether a significant relationship exists between ethical decision-making had an impact on HR employees within a retail organisation. The questionnaire for the South African Board for People Practices, and the Ethical Position Questionnaire was administered to a sample of 150 employees in a large retail organisation within the Western Cape &ndash / South Africa. The researcher used a non-probability sampling technique specifically, a convenience sampling approach. The results of this study indicate that there is a statistically significant correlation between moral awareness and decision-making amongst HR employees. However with regards to gender there seems to be no statistical significant relationship amongst HR employees and ethical decision-making. Similarly results also indicated that there was no significant relationship between ethical ideology and ethical decision-making. Notwithstanding the limited generalisability of this study, implications for research and practice are suggested and recommendations are made to facilitate improved functioning.</p>

<p>The aim of this research was to examine whether a significant relationship exists between ethical decision-making had an impact on HR employees within a retail organisation. The questionnaire for the South African Board for People Practices, and the Ethical Position Questionnaire was administered to a sample of 150 employees in a large retail organisation within the Western Cape &ndash / South Africa. The researcher used a non-probability sampling technique specifically, a convenience sampling approach. The results of this study indicate that there is a statistically significant correlation between moral awareness and decision-making amongst HR employees. However with regards to gender there seems to be no statistical significant relationship amongst HR employees and ethical decision-making. Similarly results also indicated that there was no significant relationship between ethical ideology and ethical decision-making. Notwithstanding the limited generalisability of this study, implications for research and practice are suggested and recommendations are made to facilitate improved functioning.</p>

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / The aim of this research was to examine whether a significant relationship exists between ethical decision-making had an impact on HR employees within a retail organisation. The questionnaire for the South African Board for People Practices, and the Ethical Position Questionnaire was administered to a sample of 150 employees in a large retail organisation within the Western Cape - South Africa. The researcher used a non-probability sampling technique specifically, a convenience sampling approach. The results of this study indicate that there is a statistically significant correlation between moral awareness and decision-making amongst HR employees. However with regards to gender there seems to be no statistical significant relationship amongst HR employees and ethical decision-making. Similarly results also indicated that there was no significant relationship between ethical ideology and ethical decision-making. Notwithstanding the limited generalisability of this study, implications for research and practice are suggested and recommendations are made to facilitate improved functioning. / South Africa

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Business ethics is a fragmented and well covered scientific field. This Master thesis study concerns two type of organizations, namely family businesses (FB’s) and venture capital firms (VCF’s), in relation to the ethical decision-making process, which is a relatively undiscovered field. The study is conducted in the way it sheds a light on the influences on a manager when taking decisions concerning ethical considerations. Important scholars such as Colby and Kohlberg (1987) and Rest et al. (1999) framed the field of moral development of individuals, and what makes managers unaware of their unethical decisions (Bazerman, 2008). However, a manager’s possibility to take decisions is also influenced by organizational factors and actors. The type of management and ownership structure, and the expectations these actors have with regard to profits, as well as situational factors such as business strategy, maturity of the company, human and financial resources and market position are shaping the environment and possibility for managers to pursue ethical behavior because they affect the decision-making process.The purpose of this study is to understand how managers in FB’s and VCF’s manage ethical considerations. The creating of the conceptual framework was used as a foundation to visualize how ethical behavior is constructed, while the focus laid on the influences and possibility to take decisions including ethical considerations and content. While performing this research, we have conducted eight semi-structured interviews with managers in three VCF’s and two FB’s in Sweden. The respondent companies and interviewees remain anonymous. We did that to increase the chance of honest and unbiased answers since we saw a risk to receive adjusted and image improving responses.The empirical findings show that the VCF’s do not pay attention to ethical considerations in the same extent as FB’s do. Discovered reasons were lack of time and know-how, financial and human resources, business maturity and the fact that they were to generate a high ROI to the venture capitalist. Such a relationship makes the managers focus on profit maximization and short term objectives rather than ethical considerations. The two FB’s did have an ethical code of conduct with the employees and was constructed in order to fulfill acceptance, integration and efficiency with this management tool. The ethical codes of conduct were created with the goal to steer behavior and ensure ethical commitment in certain areas of interest. The major finding is that situational factors either suffocate or give room for ethical considerations in companies when taking decisions.In particular, this research contributes to the field of business ethics and VCF’s in general, but also with regard to FB’s. The results of this thesis are constructed in the decision-making model which is different than the ethical decision-making model we constructed based on the theoretical research. However, reality did not allow us to recognize the fragmented patterns we interpreted from the theory. We therefore created a new top-down model which takes the need for a decision in companies into account, the actors and factors in the organization, the situational factors that influence the happenings in the organization and the outcome of the decision, which possibly contains ethical considerations and content. With the improved model we visualize the decision-making process while taking influences towards ethical decision-making into consideration and visualize organizational reality as we discovered it.Key words: business ethics, ethical considerations, ethical code of conduct, moral awareness, ethical decision-making, ethical behavior, family business, venture capital firm, profit maximization, shareholder preferences.

No description available.

This dissertation is an inquiry into the concept of value creation, motivated by a need for orientation in our demanding times. Based on the idea that true value only arises out of human (inter)subjective evaluations, we apply a psychological perspective on individual and collective value creation, thereby investigating a micro-foundation of value, as well as its application and operationalization. The dissertation is a cumulative dissertation that begins with an introductory chapter followed by four independent, yet connected studies. In Study 1, we develop a conceptual foundation for all other studies that involves a micro-foundation of value and value awareness as the competency to recognize fundamental evaluation categories as relevant. In Study 2, we conceptually delineate organizational public value and organizational reputation, two concepts of strategic relevance to organizations, that share similarities, but differ in fundamental dimensions. In Study 3 we operationalize value awareness through a practice-oriented instrument that helps individuals reflect, understand and develop their value awareness. In Study 4, we empirically investigate the link of an organization’s corporate social responsibility and work addiction via work meaningfulness and organizational identification, as well as value awareness. The studies are diverse and have multiple implications for research and practice. Overall, we suggest that individuals and collective entities should develop and operationalize their consideration of value creation on the level of (inter)subjective human experience. To realize actual value creation, many additional factors are important, but more value awareness could play a central role in increasing the chances of finding and creating more value for ourselves, others, and society as a whole.:INTRODUCTION Abstract Motivation and Purpose Theoretical Basis Research Objectives and Studies Excursion: The Leipzig Leadership Model Discussion of Findings Implications for Research Implications for Practice Conclusion References STUDY 1: MORE VALUE AWARENESS FOR MORE (PUBLIC) VALUE: RECOGNIZING HOW AND FOR WHOM VALUE IS TRULY CREATED 68 Abstract STUDY 2: SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONAL REPUTATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL PUBLIC VALUE Abstract Introduction Organizational Public Value and Organizational Reputation Comparing Public Value and Reputation Implications Conclusion References STUDY 3: THE VALUE AWARENESS PROFILE AS A NEW INSTRUMENT FOR INCREASING INDIVIDUAL VALUE AWARENESS: FOUNDATIONS AND FIRST EXPERIENCES Zusammenfassung Einleitung Theoretische Grundlagen: Wertschöpfung und Wertbewusstsein Wertbewusstsein messen und schaffen: Das Value Awareness Profile Evaluierung des Instruments auf Basis erster Anwendungserfahrungen Ergebnisdarstellung, Typifikation und Hypothesen Diskussion Fazit Literaturverzeichnis STUDY 4: TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING? ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CSR AND EMPLOYEE WORK ADDICTION Abstract Introduction The Positive Outcomes and Potential Risks of CSR for Employees Work Addiction: The Best-Dressed Mental Health Problem in Business Development of Hypotheses Method Results Discussion and Conclusion References