Abstract

Poor ethical decision–making costs industry billions of dollars a year and damages the images of corporations. Thus, by answering the question ‘Why do individuals behave as they do when confronted with ethical issues?’ ethical theory can provide businesses with a means to create a more ethical climate and a more successful operation. This study tested the Ethical Decision–Making Model with accountability , which uses theory that suggests that ethical behavior is influenced by the individual, the issue, social relationships , and the organization in which the employee is embedded . The results showed that individuals’ thought processes , personalities , and gender influence how they respond to ethical dilemmas, as well as the salience of the moral issue and the environmental context