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Article
Publication date: 4 March 2014

ACTIVE ethics: an information systems ethics for the internet age

Neil Kenneth McBride

The purpose of this paper is to present a novel mnemonic, ACTIVE, inspired by Mason's 1985 PAPA mnemonic, which will help researchers and IT professionals develop an…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a novel mnemonic, ACTIVE, inspired by Mason's 1985 PAPA mnemonic, which will help researchers and IT professionals develop an understanding of the major issues in information ethics.

Design/methodology/approach

Theoretical foundations are developed for each element of the mnemonic by reference to philosophical definitions of the terms used and to virtue ethics, particularly MacIntyrean virtue ethics. The paper starts with a critique of the elements of the PAPA mnemonic and then proceeds to develop an understanding of each of the elements of ACTIVE ethics, via a discussion of the underpinning virtue ethics.

Findings

This paper identifies six issues, described by the mnemonic, ACTIVE. ACTIVE stands for: autonomy, the ability of the individual to manage their own information and make choice; community, the ethical effect of an information systems on the community which it supports; transparency, the extent to which the derivation of content and process in an information system is made clear; identity, the social and ethical effect of an information system on the definition and maintenance of the distinctive characteristics of a person; value, the value or moral worth placed on information associated with an individual and hence on the relationship with the individual; and empathy, the ability of the information systems professional to emotionally connect with the user and the extent to which the information system distances or connects.

Originality/value

The paper applies virtue ethics to developing a tool to help information professionals reflect on their ethical practice in developing and supporting information systems.

Details

Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JICES-06-2013-0017
ISSN: 1477-996X

Keywords

  • Identity
  • Autonomy
  • Computer ethics
  • IT professionalism
  • PAPA
  • Virtue ethics
  • ACTIVE ethics

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Article
Publication date: 22 June 2012

Semester‐specific ethical instruction for auditing students

Conor O'Leary

The purpose of this paper is to consider how ethics is currently taught to trainee auditors and to evaluate whether some ethical instruction techniques can be assessed as…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider how ethics is currently taught to trainee auditors and to evaluate whether some ethical instruction techniques can be assessed as more effective than others.

Design/methodology/approach

Two separate cohorts of auditing students (262) provided responses to audit/accounting ethical scenarios. Each cohort was then subject to three separate ethics teaching techniques (either active or passive), from the two different teaching methodologies (active v. passive) over a semester. Their ethical attitudes to the scenarios were then re‐assessed and the teaching techniques evaluated.

Findings

Both methodologies were found to impact positively, as both cohorts selected more ethical responses to the scenarios post instruction. Some evidence of active techniques having more effect than passive techniques, on ethical decision making was revealed.

Research limitations/implications

More research is needed into the impact of active and passive teaching methodologies on trainee auditors, in the ethics area.

Practical implications

Teaching ethics to the audit practitioners of tomorrow is critical. If the optimum mix of ethical teaching methodologies can be assessed, it will result in more effective ethical instruction. This study's results imply careful consideration must be taken in designing ethical training programs for trainee auditors.

Social implications

Improvement in the ethical behaviour of auditors will provide more confidence for users of accounting information in the business environment.

Originality/value

This paper is original in that it evaluates the impact of a series of ethical instruction methods, as opposed to a single teaching method (the focus of many previous papers) on ethical training. The tentative finding of active methods proving more effective than passive methods is significant, and paves the way for future research.

Details

Managerial Auditing Journal, vol. 27 no. 6
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/02686901211236418
ISSN: 0268-6902

Keywords

  • Ethics
  • Auditing students
  • Teaching methods
  • Experiential (active)
  • Non‐experiential (passive)
  • Ethical decision‐making
  • Auditing

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Article
Publication date: 4 September 2020

Teaching business ethics in a digital world

Solon Magrizos

While teaching of business ethics has been increasing in business schools worldwide, universities still face increasing pressure to do more to proactively defend and help…

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Abstract

Purpose

While teaching of business ethics has been increasing in business schools worldwide, universities still face increasing pressure to do more to proactively defend and help avoid unethical business practices and scandals calling for more responsible education. This study aims to examine teaching business ethics in light of recent technological advances (i.e. teaching via the use of digital devices) and well-established pedagogical practices.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a 2 × 2 experimental design examining the effect of active (vs passive) and presence (vs absence) of digital devices in student learning of 192 US students.

Findings

The findings suggest that the active learning scenario, the usage of laptops and phones helped students get higher results in the test compared to active learning with no digital devices or passive learning with digital devices.

Originality/value

Active learning practices such as group discussions and peer assessment or the flipped classroom approach make a difference for business ethics teaching where students need to develop inquiry and interest for the subject and engage in ethical dilemmas and real-life examples. Further, students in the active learning scenario performed better in knowledge tests when they were asked to use their digital devices.

Details

Journal of Global Responsibility, vol. 11 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JGR-02-2020-0026
ISSN: 2041-2568

Keywords

  • CSR
  • Active learning
  • Teaching business ethics

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Article
Publication date: 31 May 2013

The influence of personal attributes and organizational ethics position on accountants' judgments: Malaysian scenario

Nazli A. Mohd Ghazali and Suhaiza Ismail

The objective of this paper is to examine the influence of personal attributes, organizational ethics position and other factors which are rules conformance, active…

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Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to examine the influence of personal attributes, organizational ethics position and other factors which are rules conformance, active participation in profession activities, ethics instructions received and understanding of the professional code of conduct on the Malaysian accountants' judgment on questionable ethical scenarios.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey questionnaire is carried out to elicit opinions of Malaysian accountants on factors influencing ethical judgments.

Findings

Adopting 15 vignettes used in Emerson et al. to assess ethical judgments, the main findings revealed from the analysis are that older accountants, accountants attached to corporations with higher ethics scale and accountants who understand the professional code of conduct are expected to be stricter in judging questionable ethical situations.

Practical implications

The findings imply that perhaps one way to promote and preserve ethical organizational decisions is by employing older and experienced individuals and perhaps retaining older staff. The finding on age appears to suggest that wisdom comes with maturity.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the few studies which investigate factors influencing ethical judgments of accountants in Malaysia. The research is timely given the growing importance of women in decision‐making levels, the expected rise in employment and the requirement to include the business ethics course in the accounting programs in Malaysia.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 9 no. 2
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-08-2011-0072
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

  • Ethical judgments
  • Ethics
  • Accountants
  • Gender
  • Age
  • Organizational ethics position
  • Malaysia

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Article
Publication date: 3 October 2016

Investigating the influence of religion, ethical ideologies and generational cohorts toward consumer ethics: which one matters?

Denni Arli and Andre Pekerti

In the debate whether ethics should be separated from religion or otherwise, few have investigated the impact of religious beliefs and ethical ideologies on consumer ethics…

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Abstract

Purpose

In the debate whether ethics should be separated from religion or otherwise, few have investigated the impact of religious beliefs and ethical ideologies on consumer ethics. Thus, the purpose of this study to investigate the influence of consumers’ religion, moral philosophy and generational cohort on their perception toward various consumers’ ethical behavior practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses sample from three different cohorts (Generation Y, Generation X and Baby boomers) in Australia. The final numbers of respondents are 251. Male and female respondents are almost equal in number (52 and 48 per cent, respectively). Most participants are single (56 per cent), and 24 per cent are married. The age cohorts are Gen-Y (70 per cent), Gen-X (16 per cent) and Baby boomers (14 per cent). In terms of religion, 46 per cent of the respondents were identified as Christian or Catholic, whereas 42 per cent reported having no religion.

Findings

The results show that religiosity had the strongest effect compared to moral ideologies and generation cohorts. It can be assumed that at least for religious consumers, when two ideas collide between religion and ethical ideologies, religious principles may supersede ethical ideologies. The study offers several implications for marketers, educators and public policy makers.

Research limitations/implications

The current study has several limitations, especially the use of convenience sampling that may limit the generalizability of the findings. Consumers in Australia may behave differently from general consumers or other cohorts with regard to their ethical judgments.

Originality/value

This is one of the first few studies exploring consumer ethics in Australia. We may conclude that in some ethical situations, religion will supersede ethical ideologies. Accordingly, it is important not to remove religion from ethics education, especially for religious consumers.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 12 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-08-2015-0112
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

  • Consumer ethics
  • Generational cohort
  • Idealism
  • Intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity
  • Relativism

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Article
Publication date: 3 April 2017

Does ethics need religion? Evaluating the importance of religiosity in consumer ethics

Denni Arli

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the importance of religiosity in consumer ethics. This objective will be achieved by investigating the impact of intrinsic and…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the importance of religiosity in consumer ethics. This objective will be achieved by investigating the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity on consumer ethics, and segmenting consumers’ religiosity and explore differences between each segment.

Design/methodology/approach

The surveys were distributed to undergraduate students, their friends and members of their immediate families, through a large public university in Australia. Of 700 paper questionnaires, participants returned 651. Incomplete surveys with too many missing values were removed from the sample. Of these, 517 were usable, yielding a response rate of 74 per cent. Singles accounted for 53.9 per cent of the sample, followed by married people (26.8 per cent). Of the respondents, 49.9 per cent were men. The majority of respondents were between 18 and 24 years old (52 per cent), followed by 15-34 years (16.4 per cent). Finally, most respondents had an income level of less than $20,000 (36.6 per cent) followed by $21,000-$40,000 (20.5 per cent) and $41,000-$61,000 (19.7 per cent). Overall, despite being dominated by younger consumers, the sample is relatively representative of the entire adult population of Australia.

Findings

The results show that both intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity had an impact on consumers’ ethical beliefs. Moreover, the results show significant differences between the two segments studied. The religious segment was more likely than the non-religious segment to reject various unethical beliefs, but no significant differences were found in the behavioural dimensions of recycling and doing good deeds.

Originality/value

This is one of the first few studies to explore the impact of religiosity on consumer ethics in Australia. The results of this study have several implications for academic researchers, religious leaders and managers working in the area of consumer ethics.

Details

Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. 35 no. 2
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-06-2016-0096
ISSN: 0263-4503

Keywords

  • Australia
  • Consumer ethics
  • Extrinsic religiosity
  • Intrinsic religiosity

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Article
Publication date: 1 June 1999

Beyond codes of ethics: an integrated framework for stimulating morally responsible behaviour in organisations

Gael McDonald and André Nijhof

This paper contributes to the study of ethics programmes by the building of a theoretical model for implementing an ethics programme and examining the application of this…

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Abstract

This paper contributes to the study of ethics programmes by the building of a theoretical model for implementing an ethics programme and examining the application of this model to an actual implementation case study. Ethics programmes aim at stimulating ethical behaviour in the organisation and assisting employees to act in a morally responsible way. It is proposed that for an organisational ethics programme to be effective, five dominant conditions are necessary: awareness of formal organisational goals and corresponding informal norms; suitable procedures for decision making; correct distribution of resources; presence of necessary skills; and personal intentions for ethical behaviour. Following detailed discussion of each condition, and with reference to an actual case example, the conditions will be further developed and supplemented with suggested organisational activities that could be used to support these conditions.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 20 no. 3
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/01437739910268406
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

  • Case studies
  • Ethics,Human resource management
  • Moral responsibility

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Article
Publication date: 30 November 2007

Ethics, technology development and uncertainty: an outline for any future ethics of technology

Paul Sollie

This conceptual paper aims to examine theoretical issues in the proactive ethical assessment of technology development, with a focus on uncertainty. Although uncertainty…

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Abstract

Purpose

This conceptual paper aims to examine theoretical issues in the proactive ethical assessment of technology development, with a focus on uncertainty. Although uncertainty is a fundamental feature of complex technologies, its importance has not yet been fully recognized within the field of ethics. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to study uncertainty in technology development and its consequences for ethics.

Design/methodology/approach

Going on the insight of various scientific disciplines, the concept of uncertainty will be scrutinised and a typology of uncertainty is proposed and introduced to ethical theory. The method used is theoretical and conceptual analysis.

Findings

The analysis results in questions with regard to the collection of information about the object of assessment (i.e. complex technologies and their development) and the framework of assessment (i.e. ethical theory and its practical aim of guiding the assessment of technology development). Moreover, based on the insights of the analysis of uncertainty, it is argued that substantive ethical theories prove to be inapt for the ethical assessment of complex technology development and therefore require a concomitant procedural approach. The paper concludes with requirements for any future ethics of technology under uncertainty.

Originality/value

The value of the paper consists in establishing the need of researching and incorporating uncertainty in ethics. The results are consequently of practical and theoretical interest for anyone working in the field of ethics and technology.

Details

Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, vol. 5 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/14779960710846155
ISSN: 1477-996X

Keywords

  • Uncertainty management
  • Technology‐led strategy
  • Ethics

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Article
Publication date: 13 November 2017

Why do good people do bad things? The effect of ethical ideology, guilt proneness, and self-control on consumer ethics

Denni Arli and Cheryl Leo

Various studies showed that unethical behaviours committed by consumers occur more frequently than may be expected. People have stolen from a shop at some time in their…

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Abstract

Purpose

Various studies showed that unethical behaviours committed by consumers occur more frequently than may be expected. People have stolen from a shop at some time in their life and remained silent, people walk out of a grocery store have stolen something from the store and employees have stolen from their workplace. Why seemingly good people do bad things and vice versa? What factors contribute to this discrepancy? Hence, the purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to examine the impact of ethical ideology on self-control and guilt proneness; second, to examine the roles of self-control and guilt proneness in consumer ethical decision making; and finally, to explore the mediating effects of self-control and guilt proneness on the relationship between consumer ideology and ethical decision making.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors collected a non-probability sample using a cross-sectional online survey of adult consumers across Australia wide. The sampling frame was from a pre-recruited online panel company Permissioncorp. Consumers were introduced to the study in relation to their beliefs in general consumer ethics behaviours. The response rate for the survey invite was 17.9 per cent, with a final sample size of 311 consumers out of 3,246 that were invited to participate based on the these screening criteria, i.e. their country of birth (Australia only), gender, age group, and state in which they reside to ensure representation across these groups.

Findings

The results showed that idealism was a positive determinant of guilt proneness and self-control, whereas relativistic individuals were less prone to guilt and less able to control their behaviour. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between self-control and unethical consumer behaviour. Finally, both self-control and guilt proneness had an indirect mediating effect on the relationship between ethical ideology and consumer behaviour.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies to explore the interactions between ethical ideology, self-control, guilt proneness, and consumer ethics.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 29 no. 5
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-11-2016-0218
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

  • Australia
  • Consumer ethics
  • Self-control
  • Ethical ideology
  • Guild proneness

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Article
Publication date: 20 November 2017

Do consumer ethics and consumer religiousness evolve across time? Insights from Millennials in Indonesia

Denni Arli, Fandy Tjiptono, Hari Lasmono and Dudi Anandya

The Millennial generation accounts for 27 per cent of the world’s population. These numbers highlight the current and future impact of Millennials on world economies, and…

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Abstract

Purpose

The Millennial generation accounts for 27 per cent of the world’s population. These numbers highlight the current and future impact of Millennials on world economies, and they are arguably the most powerful consumer group. Interestingly, Millennials are also the least religious generation. Hence, there is a need to investigate further how they view the world from an ethical and religious perspective and whether their beliefs evolve over time. Therefore, the purpose of this study is, first, to compare and contrast any changes in ethical beliefs across time. Second, the study will compare and contrast any changes in religiousness across time, and finally, it explores the effects of consumers’ religiousness on ethical beliefs across time.

Design/methodology/approach

Using paper-based survey, the data collection took place in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016, resulting in 1,702 young respondents in total.

Findings

The results show that consumer ethics remain constant across time. Therefore, without intervention, individuals’ ethical behavior will remain unchanged. The results also indicate that Millennials understand the boundary between legal and illegal behavior. However, when the boundary becomes unclear, such as in situations in which they see no harm, downloading pirated software and recycling, Millennials were unsure and their religiousness affected their subsequent behavior. The study makes several contributions to consumer ethics and the impact of religiousness on ethical beliefs.

Originality/value

This study makes several contributions to consumer ethics research, especially whether young consumers’ ethical beliefs change or remain constant across time.

Details

Young Consumers, vol. 18 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-05-2017-00697
ISSN: 1747-3616

Keywords

  • Indonesia
  • Consumer ethics
  • Religiousness
  • Millennials

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