Learning from Ethical Failure: How Ethical Errors Can Contribute to Later Ethical Conduct
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Junior
Major
Psychology
Minor
General Business
Institution
Morehead State University
KY House District #
99
KY Senate District #
27
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Dr. Johnathan Nelson
Department
College of Business and Technology
Abstract
High standards of ethical behavior are a highly regarded in organizations. As such, a wide variety of educational, professional development, and organizational practices are implemented in an effort to support ethical conduct and prevent unethical behavior from occurring. However, despite these efforts, ethics scandals still occur. When such ethical failings occur, organizations often respond with a zero-tolerance approach in an effort to protect the reputation of the organization. However, while unethical behavior should not be ignored and be punished, these individuals will still remain in the workforce, even if with a different organization. Thus, it is important to help individuals learn from ethical errors; like other errors in organizations, ethical errors while problematic, can be used as a learning opportunity for offending individuals and organizations as a whole. To examine how ethical errors can contribute to ethical learning and behavior, we conducted a qualitative research study to examine how individuals can learn from ethical failure. Participants were asked to describe ethical errors that contribute to later ethical decision making, motivation, and behavior. They were asked how ethical errors could be learned from. We discuss the implications of how ethical errors can contribute to ethical learning opportunities on ethics management practices and positive organizational scholarship.
Learning from Ethical Failure: How Ethical Errors Can Contribute to Later Ethical Conduct
High standards of ethical behavior are a highly regarded in organizations. As such, a wide variety of educational, professional development, and organizational practices are implemented in an effort to support ethical conduct and prevent unethical behavior from occurring. However, despite these efforts, ethics scandals still occur. When such ethical failings occur, organizations often respond with a zero-tolerance approach in an effort to protect the reputation of the organization. However, while unethical behavior should not be ignored and be punished, these individuals will still remain in the workforce, even if with a different organization. Thus, it is important to help individuals learn from ethical errors; like other errors in organizations, ethical errors while problematic, can be used as a learning opportunity for offending individuals and organizations as a whole. To examine how ethical errors can contribute to ethical learning and behavior, we conducted a qualitative research study to examine how individuals can learn from ethical failure. Participants were asked to describe ethical errors that contribute to later ethical decision making, motivation, and behavior. They were asked how ethical errors could be learned from. We discuss the implications of how ethical errors can contribute to ethical learning opportunities on ethics management practices and positive organizational scholarship.