Skip to main content
Log in

The Effect of Cognitive Moral Development and Supverisory Influence on Subordinates' Ethical Behavior

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The paper examines how supervisory influence and cognitive moral development influence subordinates' ethical decision-making and ethical behavior. The proposed interactive effect these major variables have on subordinates' ethical considerations are examined with respect to: (1) before an ethical dilemma occurs, (2) when faced with an ethical dilemma, (3) during the decision process, and (4) after ethical or unethical behavior has been executed. Propositions are presented and implications for research and practice are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andrews, K. R.: 1989, 'Ethics in Practice', Harvard Business Review, 99-104.

  • Ashford, S. J. and L. L. Cummings: 1983, 'Feedback as an Individual Resource: Personal Strategies of Creating Information', Organizational Behavior and Human Performance 32, 370–398.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartunek, J. M.: 1981, 'Why Did You Do That? Attribution Theory in Organizations', Business Horizons 24(5), 66–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumhart, S. J.: 1961, 'How Ethical are Businessmen?', Harvard Business Review 39, 6–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blasi, A.: 1980, 'Bridging Moral Cognition and Moral Action: A Critical Review of the Literature', Psychological Bulletin 88, 1–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bommer, M, C. Cratto, J. Gravander and M. Tuttle: 1987, 'A Behavioral Model of Ethical and Unethical Decision Making', Journal of Business Ethics 6(4), 265–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brady, F. N. and M. J. Hatch: 1992, 'General Causal Models in Business Ethics: An Essay on Colliding Research Traditions', Journal of Business Ethics 11, 307–315.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenner, S. N. and E. A. Molander: 1977, 'Is the Ethics of Business Changing?', Harvard Business Review 55, 57–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cavanagh, G. F. and D. J. Fritzsche: 1985, 'Using Vignettes in Business Ethics Research', in L. E. Preston (ed.), Research in Corporate Social Performance and Policy 7, 279-393.

  • Cavanagh, G. F., D. J. Moberg and M. Velasquez: 1981, 'The Ethics of Organizational Politics', Academy of Management Review 6, 363–374.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dieterly, D. and B. Schneider: 1974, 'The Effect of Organizational Environment on Perceived Power and Climate: A Laboratory Study', Organizational Behavior and Human Performance 11, 316–377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elm, D. R. and J. Weber: 1994, 'Measuring Moral Judgment: The Moral Judgment Interview or the Defining Issues Test?', Journal of Business Ethics 13, 341–355.

    Google Scholar 

  • Everett, L., D. Thorne, and C. Danehower: 1996, 'Cognitive Moral Development and Attitudes Toward Women Executives', Journal of Business Ethics 15, 1227–1235.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferrell, O. C. and L. G. Gresham: 1985, 'A Contingency Framework for Understanding Ethical Decision Making in Marketing', Journal of Marketing 49, 87–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleishman, E. A.: 1953, 'Leadership Climate, Human Relations Training, and Supervisory Behavior', Personnel Psychology 6, 205–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Florin-Thuma, B. C. and J. Boudreau: 1987, 'Performance Feedback Utility in a Small Organization: Effects on Oganizational Outcomes and Managerial Decision Processes', Personnel Psychology 40, 693–713.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forsyth, D. R.: 1992, 'Judging the Morality of Business Practices: The Influence of Personal Moral Philosophies', Journal of Business Ethics 11, 461–470.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frederiksen, N., O. Jensen, and A. E. Beaton: 1972, Prediction of Organizational Behavior (Pergamon, Elmsford, NY).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fritzsche, D. J.: 1991, 'A Model of Decision-Making Incorporating Ethical Values', Journal of Business Ethics 10, 841–852.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fritzsche, D. J. and H. Becker: 1984, 'Linking Management Behavior to Ethical Bhavior: An Empirical Investigation', Academy of Management Journal 27, 166–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldman, S. A. and J. Arbuthnot: 1979, 'Teaching Medical Ethics: The Cognitive-Developmental Approach', Journal of Medical Ethics 5, 171–181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grover, S. L.: 1993, 'Why Professionals Lie: The Impact of Professional Role Conflict on Reporting Accuracy', Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 55, 251–272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, J. L. and M. Sulaiman: 1996, 'Ethical Orientations of Managers in Malaysia', Journal of Business Ethics 15, 735–748.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guzzo, R. A., R. D. Jette and R. A. Katzell: 1985, 'The Effects of Psychologically Bsed Intervention Programs on Worker Productivity: A Metaanalysis', Personnel Psychology 38, 275–291.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heider, F.: 1958, The Psychology of Interpersonal Behavior (John Wiley and Sons, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunt and Vitell, S.: 1986, 'A General Theory of Marketing Ethics', Journal of Business Macromarketing (Spring), 5–16.

  • Ilgen, D. R. and J. M. Feldman: 1983, 'Performance Appraisal: A Process Focus', in L. L. Cummings and B. M. Staw (eds.), Research in Organizational Behavior (JAI Press, Greenwich, CT), pp. 141–197.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, G. E. and M. J. Kavanagh: 1996, 'An Experimental Examination of the Effects of Individual and Situational Factors on Unethical Behavioral Intentions in the Workplace', Journal of Business Ethics 15, 511–523.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, H. H. and J. L. Michela: 1980, 'Attribution Theory and Research', Annual Review of Psychology, 457–501.

  • Kennedy, E. J. and L. Lawton: 1996, 'The Effects of Social and Moral Integration on Ethical Standards: A Comparison of American and Ukrainian Business Students', Journal of Business Ethics 15, 901–911.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knouse, S. B. and R. A. Giacalone: 1992, 'Ethical Decision-Making in Business: Behavioral Issues and Concerns', Journal of Business Ethics 11, 369–377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohlberg, L.: 1969, 'Stage and Sequence: The Cognitive-Developmental Approach to Socialization', in D. A. Goslin (ed.), Handbook of Socialization: Theory and Research (Rand-McNally, Chicago), pp. 347–480.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohlberg, L.: 1973, 'The Claim to Moral Adequacy of a Highest Stage of Moral Judgment', The Journal of Philosophy 70, 630–646.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohlberg, L.: 1976, 'Moral Stages and Moralization: The Cognitive-Developmental Approach', in T. Lickona (ed.), Moral Development and Bhavior: Theory, Research, and Social Issues (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohlberg, L.: 1984, The Philosophy of Moral Development (Harper & Row, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kopelman, R. E.: 1986, 'Objective Feedback', in E. A. Locke (ed.), Generalizing from Laboratory to Field Settings (Lexington Books, Lexington MA), pp. 119–145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landy, F. J. and J. L. Farr: 1983, The Measurement of Work Performance: Methods, Theory, and Aplications (Academic Press, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Larson, J. R.: 1989, 'The Dynamic Interplay Between Employees' Feedback-Seeking Strategies and Supervisors' Delivery of Performance Feedback', Academy of Management Review 14(3), 408–422.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lifton, P. D.: 1985, 'Individual Differences in Moral Development: The Relation of Sex, Gender, and Personality to Morality', Journal of Personality 53, 306–334.

    Google Scholar 

  • McElroy, J. C. and C. B. Shrader: 1986, 'Attribution Theories of Leadership and Network Analysis', Journal of Management 12, 35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meglino, B. M., E. C. Ravlin and C. L. Adkins: 1989, 'A Work Values Approach to Corporate Culture: A Field Test of the Value Congruence Process and Its Relationship to Individual Outcomes', Journal of Applied Psychology 74(3), 381–387.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, R. S. and S. E. Radloff: 1996, 'Attitudes Towards Business Ethics Held by South African Students', Journal of Business Ethics 15, 863–869.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mischel, W.: 1979, 'On the Interface of Cognition and Personality', American Psychologist 34(9), 740–754.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, T. R. and R. E. Wood: 1980, 'Supervisors' Responses to Subordinates' Poor Performance: A Test of an Attributional Model', Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 123–128.

  • Nakano, C.: 1997, 'A Survey Study on Japanese Managers' Views of Business Ethics', Journal of Business Ethics 16, 1737–1751.

    Google Scholar 

  • Near, J. P. and M. P. Miceli: 1985, 'Organizational Dissidence: The Case of Whistle-Blowing', Journal of Business Ethics 4, 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newstrom, J. W. and W. A. Ruch: 1975, 'The Ethics of Management and the Management of Ethics', MSU Business Topics (Winter), 29–37.

  • Posner, B. and W. Schmidt: 1982, 'What Kind of People Enter the Public and Private Sectors? An Updated Comparison of Perceptions, Stereotypes, and Values', Human Resource Management 21, 35–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Posner, B. Z. and W. H. Schmidt: 1984, 'Values and the American Manager: An Update', California Management Review 26(3), 202–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rachels, J.: 1992, The Elements of Moral Philosophy, 2nd ed. (Random House, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rest, J. R.: 1979, Revised Manual for the Defining Issues Test: An Objective Test of Moral Judgment Development (Minnesota Moral Research Projects, Minneapolis).

    Google Scholar 

  • Schein, E.: 1985, Organizational Culture and Leadership: A Dynamic View (Jossey-Bass, San Francisco).

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt, N. W. and R. J. Klimoski (eds.): 1991, Research Methods in Human Resources Management (South-Western, Cincinnati).

    Google Scholar 

  • Shepard, J. M. and L. Hartenian: 1991, 'Egoistic and Ethical Orientations of University Students Toward Work-related Decisions', Journal of Business Ethics 10, 303–310.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snarey, J. R.: 1985, 'Cross-Cultural Universality of Social-Moral Development: A Critical Review of Kohlbergian Research', Psychological Bulletin 97, 202–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soutar, G., M. M. McNeil and C. Molster: 1994, 'The Impact of the Work Environment on Ethical Dcision Making: Some Australian Evidence', Journal of Business Ethics 13, 327–339.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stratton, W. E., W. R. Flynn and G. A. Johnson: 1981, 'Moral Development and Decision-Making: A Study of Student Ethics', Journal of Enterprise Management 3, 35–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strong, K. C. and G. D. Meyer: 1992, 'An Integrative Descriptive Model of Ethical Decision-Making', Journal of Business Ethics, 89–94.

  • Taylor, M. S., C. D. Fisher and D. R. Ilgen: 1984, 'Individuals' Reactions to Performance Feedback in Organizations: A Control Theory Perspective', in K. Rowland and G. Ferris (eds.), Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, Vol. 2 (JAI Press, Greenwich, CT), pp. 81–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thoma, S. J.: 1985, 'Estimating Gender Differences in the Comprehension and Preference of Moral Issues', Developmental Review 6, 165–180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyagi, P. K.: 1985, 'Relative Importance of Key Job Dimensions and Leadership Behaviors in Motivating Salesperson Work Performance', Journal of Marketing 49, 76–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trevino, L. K.: 1992, 'Moral Reasoning and Business Ethics: Implications for Research, Education, and Management', Journal of Business Ethics 11, 445–459.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trevino, L. K.: 1986, 'Ethical Decision Making in Organizations: A Person-Situation Interactionist Model', Academy of Management Review 11(3), 601–617.

    Google Scholar 

  • Victor, B. and J. B. Cullen: 1988, 'The Organizational Bses of Ethical Work Climates', Administrative Science Quarterly 33, 101–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wahn, J.: 1993, 'Organizational Dependence and the Likelihood of Complying with Organizational Pressures to Behave Unethically', Journal of Business Ethics 12, 245–251.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, O. C., G. A. Churchill and N. M. Ford: 1979, 'Where Do We Go From Here? Selected Conceptual and Empirical Issues Concerning the Motivation and Performance of the Industrial Sales Force', in G. Albuam and G. A. Churchill (eds.), Critical Issues in Sales Management: State-of-the-Art and Future Research Needs (University of Oregon Press, Eugene, OR), pp. 10–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber, J.: 1993, 'Emphasizing the Ethical in Ethical Work Climates: A Normative Reformulation of Victor and Cullen' Ethical Climate Typology and Ethical Climate Questionnaire', A Paper Presented at the Annual National Academy of Management Meetings, Atlanta Georgia.

  • Weber, J. and S. Green: 1991, 'Principled Moral Reasoning: Is It a Viable Approach to Promote Ethical Integrity?', Journal of Business Ethics 10, 325-333.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, R. and R. Lippitt: 1968, 'Leader Bhavior and Member Reaction in Three “Social Climates”', in D. Cartwright and A. Zander (eds.), Group Dynamics: Research and Theory, 3rd ed. (Harper & Row, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wimalasiri, J. S., F. Pavri and A. A. K. Jalil: 1996, 'An Empirical Study of Moral Reasoning Among Managers in Singapore', Journal of Business Ethics 15, 1331–1341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wimbush, J. C.: 1991, 'Ethical Climates and Ethical Behavior', An Unpublished Dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wimbush, J. C. and D. R. Dalton: 1997, 'Base Rate or Employee Theft: Convergence of Multiple Methods', Journal of Applied Psychology 82, 756–763.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wimbush, J. C. and J. M. Shepard: 1994, 'Toward an Understanding of Ethical Climate: Its Relationship to Ethical Behavior and Supervisory Influence', Journal of Business Ethics 13, 637–647.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wimbush, J. C., J. M. Shepard and S. E. Markham: 1997a, 'An Empirical Examination of the Multidimensionality of Ethical Climate in Organizations', Journal of Business Ethics 16, 67–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wimbush, J. C., J. M. Shepard and S. E. Markham: 1997b, 'An Empirical Examination of the Relationship Between Ethical Climate and Ethical Behavior from Multiple Levels of Analysis', Journal of Business Ethics 16, 1705–1716.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wines, W. A. and N. K. Napier: 1992, 'Toward an Understanding of Cross-Cultural Ethics: A Tentative Model', Journal of Business of Ethics 11, 831–841.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zey-Ferrell, M. and O. C. Ferrell: 1982, 'Role-Set Configuration and Opportunity as Predictors of Unethical Behavior in Organizations', Human Relations 35(7), 587–604.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wimbush, J.C. The Effect of Cognitive Moral Development and Supverisory Influence on Subordinates' Ethical Behavior. Journal of Business Ethics 18, 383–395 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006072231066

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006072231066

Keywords

Navigation