The development and initial validation of the work convictions questionnaire (WCQ) to measure approaches to ethical decision making in the workplace: Part 2

  • Estelle Boshoff Department of Industrial Psychology University of the Free State
  • Tina Kotzé UFS Business School, University of the Free State
  • Petrus Nel Department of Industrial Psychology, University of the Free State

Abstract

Researchers have indicated that the individual’s ethical decision-making approach influences the manner in which ethical problems are managed and decisions are made. It became apparent from the literature that there is a need for the development of a reliable and valid work ethics questionnaire that determines individuals’ ethical decision-making approaches. A work ethics questionnaire, the Work Convictions Questionnaire (WCQ), based on six main approaches that influence ethical decision making, was developed and administered to a sample of 524 respondents. Both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to evaluate the psychometric properties of the WCQ. Two competing conceptualisations of the WCQ (one factor and six factors) were evaluated. From the statistical analyses, the six-factor structure exhibited an acceptable fit and high reliability. It can therefore be concluded that the WCQ provides a reliable and valid measure for the six approaches to ethical decision making. 

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Published
2015-01-12
Section
Articles