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Journal of Business Ethics

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01-08-2013

The Dissolution of Ethical Decision-Making in Organizations: A Comprehensive Review and Model

Authors: Ralph W. Jackson, Charles M. Wood, James J. Zboja

Published in: Journal of Business Ethics | Issue 2/2013

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Abstract

The purpose of this research is to present the major factors that lead to ethical dissolution in an organization. Specifically, drawing from a wide spectrum of sources, this study explores the impact of organizational, individual, and contextual factors that converge to contribute to ethical dissolution. Acknowledging that ethical decisions are, in the final analysis, made by individuals, this study presents a model of ethical dissolution that gives insight into how a variety of elements coalesce to draw individuals into decisions that result in the ethical undoing of an otherwise healthy organization. ENRON, TYCO and WorldCom did not happen in a vacuum. Nor can such debacles be explained as simply one or two individuals who were morally corrupt. The ethical breakdowns that occurred in these companies happened over a period of time, involved numerous individuals both inside and outside of the organization, and brought about the implosion of viable companies. Seeking to extend the work of previous researchers, this study attempts to tie together a disparate set of factors into a cohesive explanation of ethical breakdowns in organizations.

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Title: The Dissolution of Ethical Decision-Making in Organizations: A Comprehensive Review and Model
Authors: Ralph W. Jackson
Charles M. Wood
James J. Zboja
Publication date: 01-08-2013
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Journal of Business Ethics / Issue 2/2013
Print ISSN: 0167-4544
Electronic ISSN: 1573-0697
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1459-3

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