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The Effect of Ethical Signals on Recruitment Outcomes: Two Studies with Convergent Results

The applicant decision making process is a complex one. During the recruitment
process, signals from the organization provide information to the candidates and affect
important recruitment outcomes. Ethics is one area the organization can utilize to
communicate information regarding the organizational culture and environment.
Drawing on signaling theory, this research suggests that ethical signals during the
recruitment process affect recruitment outcomes through the mediating effect of the
perception of the organization as ethical. Additionally, two important moderators, self-importance
of moral identity and cognitive moral development, were examined. Using a
study in the field as well as a rigorous laboratory study, this research found results
generally consistent with the hypothesized relationships. Specifically, ethical
organizational practices were related to attraction in both studies. Ethical recruitment
practices were related to attraction in the laboratory study. Furthermore, the
organizational practices/attraction relationship was partially mediated by the perception
of the organization as ethical. Finally, some support was found for the cognitive moral
development, self-importance of moral identity, and performance moderators. Practical
implications and areas for future research are discussed.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2009-08-7113
Date2009 August 1900
CreatorsDegrassi, Sandra W.
ContributorsWoodman, Richard W.
Source SetsTexas A and M University
Languageen_US
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeBook, Thesis, Electronic Dissertation, text
Formatapplication/pdf

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