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Training professional managers in decision-making about real life business ethics problems: The acquisition of the autonomous problem-solving skill

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Abstract

In the present study business managers in Kabi Pharmacia Company were trained in the use of the autonomous method in their decision-making about solving real life business ethics problems. According to the psychological theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, and Kohlberg, it is possible to promote the acquisition of the autonomous ethical skill by instruction and training. Indeed, participation in a one-day educational programme which focused on the training of the autonomous cognitive ability and not on the transfer of moral content, was sufficient to provide a shift in the mode of decision-making about business ethics problems towards the autonomous ethical function. This change was still stable one month later. A test was constructed by items representing current business ethics conflicts in order to assess ethical function.

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Iordanis Kavathatzopoulos is Asc. Professor of Psychology at the Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Sweden. His research focuses mainly on education and ethical development, and on structure and dynamics of work organisation. He has published recently in theJournal of Moral Education and in theJournal of Business Ethics.

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Kavathatzopoulos, I. Training professional managers in decision-making about real life business ethics problems: The acquisition of the autonomous problem-solving skill. J Bus Ethics 13, 379–386 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00871765

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