Morehead State University
Exploring the Impact of Codes of Ethics on Personal Actions in Business
Institution
Morehead State University
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Lindsey Godwin
Abstract
In the aftermath of recent business ethics scandals, there has been a surge of corporate interest in creating and promoting internal codes of ethics. In this rush of ethical awareness, one question still looms in the minds of corporation, "Do these codes actually affect employee behavior?" Prior research has provided mixed results in exploring this topic, with some empirical work suggesting that codes of ethics actually have no impact on employee behavior. Building on and extending prior studies done by Cleek and Leonard (1998) and Ford, Gray and Landrum (1982), this project seeks to further explore the impact of codes of ethics on employee behavior. Using an experiential design, this project involves manipulating the attribution particular behaviors as to being within or outside the scope of an organization's code of ethics to determine the impact such attribution has on the respondent's reported behavior. Our research also includes looking at the impact of other variables, such as perceived organizational support and ethical climate, to determine how these forces may also impact reported compliance or defiance of ethical codes at work.
Exploring the Impact of Codes of Ethics on Personal Actions in Business
In the aftermath of recent business ethics scandals, there has been a surge of corporate interest in creating and promoting internal codes of ethics. In this rush of ethical awareness, one question still looms in the minds of corporation, "Do these codes actually affect employee behavior?" Prior research has provided mixed results in exploring this topic, with some empirical work suggesting that codes of ethics actually have no impact on employee behavior. Building on and extending prior studies done by Cleek and Leonard (1998) and Ford, Gray and Landrum (1982), this project seeks to further explore the impact of codes of ethics on employee behavior. Using an experiential design, this project involves manipulating the attribution particular behaviors as to being within or outside the scope of an organization's code of ethics to determine the impact such attribution has on the respondent's reported behavior. Our research also includes looking at the impact of other variables, such as perceived organizational support and ethical climate, to determine how these forces may also impact reported compliance or defiance of ethical codes at work.