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We examine whether individual differences exist in reactions to toxic situations, reviewing historical examples of massacres. The social psychological research on the question consists of the famous Milgram experiment on obedience and the Stanford Prison Experiment. Although these studies show the power of situations in eliciting aggression towards targets, they overlook an essential aspect of real world behaviours ‐ the innovation of imaginative sadistic sequences that go beyond the orders given. We argue that analogue studies are too limited to capture these situations and that social psychological research has been too limited in its assessment of key relevant individual traits, one of which is a potential for sadism. Furthermore, we raise concerns about whether ‘snapshot’ analogue research can capture the transitional processes central to an understanding of real world reactions to toxicity.

We discuss how experimental analysis can be integrated into strategic human resources management (SHRM) research in Africa so as to develop theory and value principles to guide executives.

The model we propose – experiment-based SHRM – is predicated on the use of experimental approaches to demonstrate the value of SHRM and to derive principles that guide research and practice in Africa.

We illustrate how scholars can conduct experiments from an SHRM perspective.

We discuss the strengths and limitations of the model and suggest ways of maximizing its potential.

The technique is a resource for scholars of SHRM in Africa. They can use it to supplement other approaches for studying SHRM.

This chapter discusses a typology of experimental analysis. The lack of such a typology in the context of Africa makes it a valuable contribution. Thus, it fills a contextual gap in the SHRM research methodology literature. It can therefore help graduate students and junior faculty improve their research.

Forty-five years ago, psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted a series of famous experiments on obedience and authority that tested individuals' willingness to administer electric shocks to a test subject under the direction of an authority figure. This paper discusses how Milgram's work on human psychological tendencies can be used to address subordination of judgment and other ethical issues in financial accounting and reporting, including accounting for income taxes. The teaching approach described relies on readings, videos, and mini-cases to give students an appreciation for the role of organizational influences on ethical decision making in today's accounting world. This teaching approach is innovative in its use of social psychological theories to address accounting ethical dilemmas, and its incorporation of contemporary international financial reporting standards and tax reporting issues into the ethics debate.

The purpose of this paper is to re‐examine Milgram's obedience experiment and see how it can be used in management teaching and training. Milgram's discussion of authority, obedience and defence mechanisms are familiar to psychologists and sociologists, but less so to managers and people of responsibility in corporations, for whom it can help highlight ethical and psychological issues that undermine a sense of responsibility.

The paper revisits the experiment which shows how conscience can be manipulated by a fake ideal. The possibility of such external manipulation, it is then hypothesized, is favoured by an insufficiently human personal ideal, and by extension an inadequate corporate vision. The absence of an ideal may generate a whole series of “internal manipulations” which are frequently encountered in business life whenever a genuine sense of an ideal has been neutralized, allowing conformity to external pressures to take the upper hand. Examples are provided of such internal manipulations, taken from the world of business.

Two conditions are suggested for encouraging responsibility. First, a dynamic link with a meaningful personal and corporate ideal and second, a personal call to unmask various forms of self‐avoidance and confront psychological truth in the face of responsible decision. The paper underlines the inescapably personal and not merely social or contextual origin of deviant behaviour.

The paper offers openings for ethical training in responsibility in terms of inwardness (conscience, self‐questioning, virtues) and not simply in terms of incantations to conform to mission statements or charts.

The major thesis of this article is how social contract theory sheds light on the interaction of structure and agency. A minor thesis is to rebut the conclusions drawn from Stanley Milgram's famous obedience experiments.

The argument rests in large part on an extensive review of authentic, empirical evidence found in studies of medical compliance.

Patient agency is choosing not to comply with medical orders has over the years forced structural changes in the doctor–patient relations. These changes can be understand through the evolution of three kinds of social contract.

One important implication is that non‐compliance can be a relational choice in one's lifeworld.

No other study has brought together Milgram's evidence with the medical compliance literature to demonstrate the integration of agency and structure.

The 1990s war in Bosnia and Herzegovina is remembered for the atrocities committed by each of the ethnic groups involved. However, while it was mainly the leaders that were held to blame, the role of followers in these events also needs consideration. One cannot lead without followers. One cannot accomplish genocide without obedient followers. This study will examine the war in terms of three types of followers – participants, bystanders, and upstanders (those who stood up for their beliefs of right and wrong, refusing to obey orders from superiors or give in to the pressures of the situation). Studies in the past, such as the Milgram Experiment and the Stanford Prison Experiment, focused on the negative side of human behavior. We need to also focus research on the positive side of human behavior such as that displayed by the upstanders, so that such positive behavior can be encouraged and further developed in the interests of peace.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of improper social pressures on auditors’ judgment in the setting of a high power distance and low individualism society. Auditors’ judgment in this paper is related to the case of auditors’ willingness to sign off on net equipment balance for assets in question. Second, the paper investigates the role of locus of control and the relationship of multidimensional professional commitment on auditors’ judgment under conditions of social pressure.

The experimental method is used in this research. The paper uses a case that was developed by Lord and DeZoort to manipulate the interest variable, social pressures. The paper also uses locus of control and multidimensional professional commitment as the explanatory variables.

The research finds that social pressures affect auditors’ judgment in a high power distance and low individualism society. Auditors who contend with improper social pressures make judgments that violate their integrity and professionalism. The paper also finds that locus of control and multidimensionality of professional commitment might potentially affect auditors’ judgment.

The research takes into account cultural influence on auditors’ judgment. The paper uses subjects who are in a high power distance and low individualism society. As Public Accountant is a worldwide profession, it is important to understand the impact of cultural dimensions on the profession. Moreover, insights drawn from this paper may be of assistance to regulators and the public accountant profession in considering and developing a mechanism that can mitigate the impact of improper social pressures.

If we know something about the patterns and conditions of crime against humanity, we may perhaps at an early point be able to diagnose and identify developments that lead to these acts. If such developments can be diagnosed, it will be easier for the international community to intervene and stop developments that can lead to a human catastrophe. Consequently, the main reason to examine the patterns and conditions for crime against humanity is to contribute to efforts that will ensure that this crimes likely do not happen again. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Designing system of propositions to develop a theory of crime against humanity, using a typology and conceptual models.

Development of a model for management by obedience leading to evil acts.

Understanding patterns leading to evil acts.

A model of management by obedience. The model is a way to understand and explain crimes against humanity from a systemic perspective.

Development of a typology of crimes against humanity and development of a theory (system of propositions) of crimes against humanity.