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The development of an ethical integrity test

Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT : This study investigated the growing phenomenon of counterproductive work behaviour, and how personality and integrity affects this. It was deemed important to establish what contributes to counterproductive work behaviour.
The aim of this study was to develop a new ethical integrity test and to investigate existing relationships between constructs that play a significant role in behavioural integrity. These constructs include honesty, conscientiousness, and counterproductive work behaviour. This study was therefore undertaken to develop an ethical integrity test and to determine the initial construct validity of the new test. Based on existing literature, a theoretical model depicting how the different constructs are related to one another was developed and various hypotheses were formulated.
Data for the purpose of the quantitative study were collected by means of an electronic web-based questionnaire. A total of 318 completed questionnaires were returned. The final questionnaire comprised the newly developed ethical integrity test, HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised (HEXACO-PI-R), and the Interpersonal and Organisational Deviance Scale.
The postulated relationships and the conceptual model were empirically tested using various statistical methods. Reliability analysis was done on all the measurement scales and satisfactory reliability was found. The content and structure of the measured constructs were investigated by means of confirmatory factor analyses. The content and structure of the newly developed Ethical Integrity Test was also investigated by means of exploratory factor analysis. The results indicated that reasonable good fit was achieved for all the refined measurement models. Subsequently, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to determine the extent to which the conceptual model fitted the data obtained from the sample and to test the hypothesised relationships between the constructs. The results indicated positive relationships between honesty and ethical integrity; conscientiousness and ethical integrity; and conscientiousness and honesty. Furthermore, the results indicated negative relationships between ethical integrity and counterproductive work behaviour; as well as honesty and counterproductive work behaviour.
The present study contributes to existing literature on counterproductive work behaviour by providing insights into the relationships between honesty, conscientiousness, ethical integrity. This study developed an Ethical Integrity Test based on recent ethics literature. Preliminary evidence of reliability and construct validity for the Ethical Integrity Test was found. The limitations and recommendations present additional insights and possibilities that could be explored through future research studies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Hierdie studie ondersoek die groeiende verskynsel van teenproduktiewe gedrag in die werksomgewing en hoe persoonlikheid en integriteit dit beïnvloed. Dit was dus belangrik om vas te stel wat tot teenproduktiewe werksgedrag bydra. Die doel van hierdie studie was om 'n etiese integriteitstoets te ontwikkel en bestaande verwantskappe tussen konstrukte wat 'n beduidende rol in teenproduktiewe werksgedrag speel, te ondersoek. Hierdie konstrukte sluit eerlikheid, konsensieusheid en integriteit in. Hierdie studie is dus uitgevoer om meer duidelikheid oor hierdie aspekte te verkry, sowel as om ‘n etiese integriteitstoets te ontwikkel. ‘n Teoretiese model wat voorstel hoe die verskillende konstrukte aan mekaar verwant is, is op grond van die navorsing oor die bestaande literatuur ontwikkel. Verskeie hipoteses is hiervolgens geformuleer.
Data vir die doel van die kwantitatiewe studie is deur middel van ‘n elektroniese web-gebaseerde vraelys ingesamel. ‘n Totaal van 318 voltooide vraelyste is terug ontvang. Die finale vraelys is uit drie subvraelyste saamgestel, naamlik die nuut ontwikkelde etiese integriteitstoets, HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised (HEXACO-PI-R), en die Interpersonal and Organisational Deviance Scale.
Die gepostuleerde verwantskappe en die konseptuele model is empiries met behulp van verskeie statistiese metodes getoets. Betroubaarheidsanalise is op die betrokke meetinstrumente uitgevoer en voldoende betroubaarheid is gevind. Die inhoud en die struktuur van die konstrukte wat deur die instrumente gemeet is, is verder deur middel van verkennende en bevestigende faktorontledings ondersoek. Die resultate het redelike goeie passings vir al die hersiene metingsmodelle getoon. Daarna is struktuurvergelykingsmodellering (SVM), gebruik om te bepaal tot watter mate die konseptuele model die data pas, en om die verwantskappe tussen die verskillende konstrukte te toets. Die resultate het positiewe verwantskappe tussen eerlikheid en etiese integriteit; konsensieusheid en etiese integriteit; asook konsensieusheid en eerlikheid getoon. Die resultate het verder negatiewe verwantskappe tussen etiese integriteit en teenproduktiewe werksgedrag; asook eerlikheid en teenproduktiewe werksgedrag getoon. Hierdie studie dra by tot die bestaande literatuur betreffende teenproduktiewe werksgedrag, deurdat dit insig bied in die aard van die verwantskappe tussen die konstrukte. ‘n Etiese Integriteit Toets is ontwikkel gebasseer op onlangse etiek literatuur. Voorlopige bewyse van betroubaarheid en konstruk geldigheid is bewys in hierdie studie. Die beperkings en aanbevelings van die studie dui op verdere insigte en moontlikhede wat in toekomstige navorsing ondersoek kan word.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/98098
Date12 1900
CreatorsDu Toit, Danielle
ContributorsEngelbrecht, Amos Schreuder, Stellenbosch University. Economic and Management Sciences. Department Industrial Psychology
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Formatxv, 155 pages : illustrations (some colour)
RightsStellenbosch University

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