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1 – 10 of over 2000The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether, and under what conditions, an individual’s punitive intent in response to ethical misconduct is shaped by their perceived…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether, and under what conditions, an individual’s punitive intent in response to ethical misconduct is shaped by their perceived forgiveness climate, which is their perception of how forgiving their organization is.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used the survey method embedded within a vignette-based experiment involving working adults.
Findings
Results show that higher perceived forgiveness climate is associated with lower punitive intent when an experience of being forgiven is salient to the disciplinary decision maker and when there are mitigating circumstances surrounding the ethical misconduct. When an experience of being unforgiven is salient to the disciplinary decision maker, higher perceived forgiveness climate is associated with higher punitive intent.
Research limitations/implications
This study presents a more nuanced perspective on the conditions that shape punishment decision making in response to workplace ethical misconduct. As the findings may be specific to the measures and vignette used, future research should explore the replicability of these results using other measures and types of ethical misconduct.
Practical implications
The paper alerts disciplinary decision makers to the potential influence of their perceptions of the organizational context and of their personal experiences on their punishment decision making, helping avoid inappropriately punishing subordinates, which can generate employee resentment and inflated turnover.
Originality/value
This is the first study that examined the relationship between forgiveness and punishment in response to ethical misconduct in a workplace setting.
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Sohail Akhtar, Mohd Anuar Arshad, Arshad Mahmood and Adeel Ahmed
This paper aims to explore the unavoidable role of Islamic spiritual intelligence in organisational sustainability. In the past two decades, increased unethical practices in…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the unavoidable role of Islamic spiritual intelligence in organisational sustainability. In the past two decades, increased unethical practices in organisations have resulted in the deterioration of their sustainability. Employees are continuously involved in unethical practices because of a lack of spirituality which is a serious concern for organisational sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
This conceptual paper reviews relevant literature on Islamic spiritual intelligence and organisational sustainability to bridge a gap in the extant literature.
Findings
The review of the literature concluded that Islamic spiritual intelligence training must be included as a significant factor for employee development in the organisation. Islamic spiritual intelligence is coherent with the individual’s internal strength of having a pure heart and soul. A person with a pure heart and soul has a strong aspiration to act in an ethical way.
Research limitations/implications
The review of literature is not detailed because of the dearth of information on Islamic spiritual intelligence training for organisational sustainability.
Practical implications
This paper will increase the understanding and link between Islamic spiritual intelligence and organisational sustainability. It suggests Islamic spiritual intelligence and its dimensions with the implication for future research in organisational sustainability.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature related to the application of Islamic spiritual intelligence training programmes for employees, which will have a significant impact on organisational sustainability.
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Keywords
Today, ethics, not numbers, deserve business leaders' greatest attention.
Business management, corporate ethics and management of change.
Abstract
Subject area
Business management, corporate ethics and management of change.
Study level/applicability
The case study is relevant for undergraduate and post-graduate management degrees. It includes courses such as Business Management, Corporate Ethics and Management of Change.
Case overview
AMARA, a leading parts dealer and a subsidiary company of MTD Holdings has been hit by allegations of corruption which involved a ring of senior employees who are said to have swindled the company out of spare parts worth millions of US dollars with the help of a few security guards who were authorising illegal movements at check points. The workers' committee who blew the whistle on the scandal were now impatient that the investigations ordered in December last year 2011 have not taken off as management appears not keen on them. Management was dragging its feet when it comes to dealing effectively with the allegations. There was no proper strategy on how the allegations were going to be dealt with. There was also victimisation of workers. Senior managers who have been tasked to investigate the issue were suspected to be involved in the scandal thus that is why they were dragging their feet in the investigation.
Expected learning outcomes
Students can focus on the importance of good corporate governance as a cornerstone of good business practice. The importance of an active board of directors is also vital for the smooth running of a business. Students will also appreciate the importance of making quality decisions by top management as an important ingredient for the success of an organisation. The issue of an effective control system in an organisation is also important to avoid leakages which will cost an organisation millions of dollars.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available, please contact your librarian to access.
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This paper aims to critically discuss the mounting role of social media (SM) or social networking sites (SNSs) on various human resource management (HRM) practices.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to critically discuss the mounting role of social media (SM) or social networking sites (SNSs) on various human resource management (HRM) practices.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on 87 published papers collected from the Web of Science Database particularly from 2010 to 2020 (up to June) using VOSviewer software. After reviewing those paper contents, the author briefly highlighted the findings.
Findings
According to most of the previous studies, the utilization of SM information for various HRM practices is rising although such utilization is mostly limited to talent search and recruitment & selection at present. Further, it was found that Facebook and LinkedIn are the two most accepted sites among the hiring professionals where the first one mostly provides behavioral information and the second one provides job-related information. Finally, it was revealed that organizations can develop a strong corporate branding through the presence in SM.
Research limitations/implications
This review paper is expected to motivate further research initiatives regarding the role of social media into different HRM practices.
Practical implications
The author expects that based on the findings, the organizational policymakers can get some practical guidelines regarding the efficient utilization of such a platform.
Originality/value
Social media is a powerful platform for flourishing business entities, promoting products, branding, talent search and so many more purposes. An organization can well promote its existence through this popular platform. In particular, the media can be a well-established platform for searching competent employees and creating employer branding. Therefore, more and more research studies should be carried out focusing on this recent issue. This review paper can be a base for the upcoming researchers as it has accumulated the previous literature and their findings.
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Heungsik Park and John Blenkinsopp
– This paper aims to examine the relationship between ethics programmes and ethical culture, and their impact on misconduct.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the relationship between ethics programmes and ethical culture, and their impact on misconduct.
Design/methodology/approach
A theoretical model which posits ethical culture to be a mediating variable in the relationship between ethics programmes and misconduct was tested using data from a national ethics survey of Korean public service organizations.
Findings
The data indicates the relationship between ethics programmes and misconduct is fully mediated by ethical culture. Only two of the six elements of an ethics programme had a significant effect on misconduct before ethical culture was controlled for, and when ethical culture was controlled for, none of the elements had a significant impact on misconduct. The ethics programme did however appear to strengthen ethical culture, suggesting such programmes make an important contribution to reducing unethical behaviour in organizations.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should examine the interaction of ethics programmes and ethical culture using longitudinal research designs, to obtain a better understanding of how programmes serve to strengthen ethical culture.
Practical implications
The findings provide insights into the role of ethics programmes in improving ethical behaviour, suggesting resources should be deployed to those aspects of these programmes which serve to strengthen ethical culture.
Originality/value
The paper provides clarification of the relationship between ethics programmes, ethical culture and misconduct, an important finding given the significant resources deployed by public service organizations to initiatives aimed at improving ethical behaviour.
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Prior studies have extensively explored individual examples of unethical behavior in sales organizations but focused little on repeated violation (RV) of ethical codes…
Abstract
Purpose
Prior studies have extensively explored individual examples of unethical behavior in sales organizations but focused little on repeated violation (RV) of ethical codes, particularly when managers develop salesforces. Based on social learning theory (SLT), the authors propose a multilevel model of RV antecedents and suggest that organizational influence (social cues and modeling) and individual factors (observer characteristics and behavioral outcomes) affect RV, especially with increasing recruitment of salespeople.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data from a leading financial company in Taiwan, the authors analyzed 1,231 records of salespeople’s misbehavior through logistic regression and average marginal effects.
Findings
Modeling in the organization (i.e. peer misconduct), observer characteristics (i.e. experience concerning job tenure and prior violations) and behavioral outcomes (i.e. information concealment violations) were all found to affect the likelihood of RV, and the interactional effect of organizational size was confirmed.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to ethical decision-making theory by explaining aspects of RV through SLT. Its multilevel model, integrated with organizational strategy theories, adds an SLT-focused paradigm into unethical behavior research by considering vicarious learning and self-learning, alongside the reciprocal determinism of cognition, behavior, and environment.
Practical implications
Managers should consider socially based patterns of violation when initiating a sales business plan. The chances of RV are increased by unethical models in the organization and offenders’ potential for violations, which is reinforced by social environment.
Originality/value
This study clarified the key drivers of RV decision-making using SLT and identified an effective sales development strategy to maintain an ethically responsible salesforce.
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As organizational misconduct, fraud and abuse increasingly make news headlines, public opinion is hardening against organizations that engage in illegal or unethical practices…
Abstract
As organizational misconduct, fraud and abuse increasingly make news headlines, public opinion is hardening against organizations that engage in illegal or unethical practices. Regulators are now acknowledging whistleblowers as frontline watchdogs, while governments are legislating to protect employees who report illegitimate conduct. However, many organizations are out of step: punishing or ignoring employees who speak up. These organizations run the risk that bad behaviour goes unchecked and that internal whistleblowers take their concerns outside the organization, creating reputational damage and potential legal ramifications. We argue that companies need to get back in step with society by encouraging employee voice as an early internal warning system to detect organizational misconduct. A five-step action plan is presented to enable management to create an ethical environment that encourages, trains and rewards employees to speak up openly about ethical concerns.
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Amin Alizadeh, Khalil M. Dirani and Shaoping Qiu
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to point out the importance of having an ethics-related course for human resource development (HRD) graduate programs; and second, to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to point out the importance of having an ethics-related course for human resource development (HRD) graduate programs; and second, to highlight HRD potential to minimize ethical misconducts through an ethical filter in organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is conceptual in nature. The authors used their own experiences in HRD programs, looked at HRD graduate programs’ curricula in different universities and reviewed literature on ethics and HRD to develop a conceptual model. The model is to guide future studies and identify the role of HRD practices to create an ethical climate in organizations.
Findings
In this paper, the authors illustrate the connection between HRD practices and ethical climate in organizations by providing a conceptual framework. In the concluding paragraphs, the authors provide a discussion, implications and recommendations for future studies.
Originality/value
The authors highlight the limited research conducted on how ethics and ethical dilemmas need to be represented in HRD practitioners’ activities and practices. Many graduate-level HRD students do not receive enough training on ethics, whereas it is their responsibility to help improve organizational ethical climate and educate and prepare human resources to minimize ethical misconducts and wrongdoings. The paper provides a framework for HRD practitioners to create a strong ethical climate in their organizations.
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Kenneth A. Merchant and Lourdes Ferreira White
This paper examines the linkages between the ethics and management control literatures and suggests some potentially fruitful areas for future research and for integration in the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines the linkages between the ethics and management control literatures and suggests some potentially fruitful areas for future research and for integration in the classroom.
Methodology/approach
We review topics in the ethics and management control literatures organizing them around the six modules used in the accounting ethics course taught at the University of Southern California: (a) professional standards, (b) distinguishing right from wrong, (c) understanding why (good) people do bad things, (d) getting employees to behave ethically (corporate ethics programs), (e) getting people to speak up when they see something wrong taking place (Giving Voice to Values), and (f) whistleblowing (the last resort).
Findings
While we find many topics where ethics and management control are concerned with similar issues, there are very few papers that approach these topics from the two perspectives.
Originality/value
We provide an overview of topics where ethics and management control overlap, and highlight the need for greater convergence between the two literatures. By linking MCS and ethics, organizations can provide a framework to promote behavior that both contributes to the achievement of the organization’s objectives and also follows ethical principles. We comment on what may happen when ethics and management control diverge, and discuss controls that can promote a strong ethical climate.
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