Skip to main content
Log in

Organizational dependence and the likelihood of complying with organizational pressures to behave unethically

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

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a survey completed by 565 human resource professionals in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. The major result suggests that individuals who are more dependent on their employing organizations are more likely to comply with organizational pressures to behave unethically. Factor analysis of our dependent measure of ethical organizational behavior suggested that two distinct constructs were being tapped; furthermore, different variables were found to predict each. The potential for conceptualizing unethical organizational behavior as multidimensional is 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

  • Akaah, I. P.: 1989, ‘The Influence of Non-Anonymity Deriving from Feedback of Research Results on Marketing Professionals' Research Ethics Judgements’,Journal of Business Ethics 9, pp. 949–959.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baba, V. V. and R. Knoop: 1987, ‘Organizational Commitment and Independence Among Canadian Managers’,Relations Industrielles 42, pp. 325–342.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barach, J.: 1985, ‘The Ethics of Hardball’,California Management Review 27(2), pp. 132–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Betz, M., L. O'Connell and J. M. Shepard: 1989, ‘Gender Differences in Proclivity for Unethical Behavior’,Journal of Business Ethics 8, pp. 321–324.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bommer, M., C. Gratto, J. Gravander and M. Tuttle: 1987, ‘A Behavioral Model of Ethics and Unethical Decision Making’,Journal of Business Ethics 6, pp. 265–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carroll, A. B.: 1975, ‘Managerial Ethics: Post-Watergate View’,Business Horizons 28, pp. 75–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crittenden, V. L., W. F. Crittenden and J. M. Hawes: 1986, ‘Ethical Standards of Marketing Students’, in N. K. Malhotra, (ed.),Developments in Marketing Science (Academy of Marketing Science, Atlanta), pp. 164–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubinsky, A. J. and B. Loken: 1989, ‘Analyzing Ethical Decision Making in Marketing’,Journal of Business Research 19, pp. 83–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossman, B.: 1988,Corporate Loyalty: A Trust Betrayed (Penguin, Markham).

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris, J.: 1990, ‘Ethical Values of Individuals at Different Levels in the Organizational Hierarchy of a Single Firm’,Journal of Business Ethics 9, pp. 741–750.

    Google Scholar 

  • House, R. T. and S. Kerr: 1973, ‘Organizational Independence, Leader Behavior, and Managerial Practices: A Replicated Study’,Journal of Applied Psychology 58, pp. 173–180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackall, R.: 1988,Moral Mazes: The World of the Corporate Manager (Oxford University Press, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, T.: 1991, ‘Ethical Decision Making by Individuals in Organizations: An Issue-Contingent Model’,Academy of Management Review 16, pp. 366–395.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanter, R.: 1977,Men and Women of the Corporation (Basic Books, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, S., R. J. House and L. A. Wigdor: 1971, ‘Some Moderating Effects of Organizational Independence’,Proceedings of the Academy, Eastern Academy of Management, pp. 40–49.

  • Kidwell, J. M., R. E. Stevens and A. L. Bethke: 1987, ‘Differences in Ethical Perceptions Between Male and Female Managers: Myth or Reality?’,Journal of Business Ethics 6, pp. 489–493.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, J. P. and N. J. Allen: 1984, ‘Testing the “Side-bet Theory” of Organizational Commitment: Some Methodological Considerations’,Journal of Applied Psychology 69, pp. 372–378.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, M.: 1992,A Cross-National Comparison of Business Ethics in Canada and Japan, Unpublished Masters Thesis, University of Saskatchewan.

  • Mitchell, W., P. Lewis and N. Reinsch, Jr.: 1992, ‘Bank Ethics: An Exploratory Study of Ethical Behaviors and Perceptions in Small, Local Banks’,Journal of Business Ethics 11, pp. 197–205.

    Google Scholar 

  • Modic, S.: 1987, ‘Forget Ethics — and Succeed?’,Industry Week 235(2), pp. 17–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, P. R., J. E. Smith and J. M. Daley: 1992, ‘Executive Attitudes, Organizational Size and Ethical Issues: Perspectives on a Service Industry’,Journal of Business Ethics 11, pp. 11–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennings, J. M.: 1970, ‘Work-Value Systems of White Collar Workers’,Administrative Science Quarterly 15, pp. 69–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Posner, B. Z. and W. H. Schmidt: 1984, ‘Values and the American Manager: An Update’,California Management Review 26, pp. 202–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Posner, B. Z. and W. H. Schmidt: 1987, ‘Ethics in American Companies, a Managerial Perspective’,Journal of Business Ethics 6, pp. 383–391.

    Google Scholar 

  • Senger, J.: 1971, ‘Managers' Perceptions of Subordinates' Competence as a Function of Personal Value Orientations’,Academy of Management Journal 14, pp. 415–423.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stead, W. E., D. Worrell and J. G. Stead: 1990, ‘An Integrative Model for Understanding and Managing Ethical Behavior in Business Organizations’,Journal of Business Ethics 9, pp. 233–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trevino, L. K.: 1986, ‘Ethical Decision Making in Organizations: A Person-situation Interactionist Model’,Academy of Management Review 11, pp. 601–617.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsalikis, J. and M. Ortiz-Buonafina: 1990, ‘Ethical Beliefs' Differences of Males and Females’,Journal of Business Ethics 9, pp. 509–517.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waters, J., F. Bird and P. Chant: 1986, ‘Everyday Moral Issues Experienced by Managers’,Journal of Business Ethics 5, pp. 373–384.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zey-Ferrell, M., K. M. Weaver and O. C. Ferrell: 1979, ‘Predicting Unethical Behavior Among Marketing Practitioners’,Human Relations 32, pp. 557–569.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

The author is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. She has recently obtained her Ph.D. in Organizational Analysis.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wahn, J. Organizational dependence and the likelihood of complying with organizational pressures to behave unethically. J Bus Ethics 12, 245–251 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01686452

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01686452

Keywords

Navigation