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Investigating the Effects of Moral Disengagement and Participation on Unethical Work Behavior

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Abstract

With massive corruption uncovered in numerous recent corporate scandals, investigating psychological processes underlying unethical behavior among employees has become a critical area of research for organizational scientists. This article seeks to explain why people engage in deceptive and fraudulent activities by focusing on the use of moral-disengagement tactics or rationalizations to justify egregious actions at work. In addition, participation in goal-setting is argued to attenuate the relationship between moral disengagement and unethical behavior. Across two studies, a lab simulation and field survey, a measure of moral disengagement was developed for use with working adults. The hypothesized main and interactive effects of moral disengagement, participation, and unethical behavior were tested and largely confirmed.

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  1. Department of Management and Marketing, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia

    Adam Barsky

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Barsky, A. Investigating the Effects of Moral Disengagement and Participation on Unethical Work Behavior. J Bus Ethics 104, 59–75 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-011-0889-7

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