Abstract
The current study aims to provide insights into personal and situational influencing factors of ethical decision-making in the work context. Previous research has indicated that individuals who are characterized by the so-called Type A personality pattern show increased levels of morality when having to decide on ethical issues. Among others, these people are marked by their great sense of time urgency and their overall preference for speed. As fast decision- making often plays a crucial role in businesses, the current study investigated in how far time pressure affects ethical decision-making of Type As in comparison to others (Type Bs). Therefore, we conducted a vignette-based experiment with a 2 × 2 between-subjects design. Participants were classified into Type A versus B personalities and had to execute ethical decision-making either with or without time constrains. Results reveal no significant differences in Type As versus Type Bs ethical decision-making regarding four different moral domains, namely moral awareness, moral judgement, moral intention, and moral behavior. Results indicate numerically stricter moral judgement and higher moral intentions of Type As (versus Bs), while failing to reach statistical significance. Additionally, our results revealed significant negative associations between time pressure and (only) one moral domain, namely moral behavior, indicating more moral behavior within participants without time pressure. These results are in accordance with several studies showing impaired ethical decision-making in individuals that are put under time constraints. Overall, results reveal no significant interaction effects. Practical implications of the results, as well as ideas for future research, are discussed.
Highlights
The current study aims to provide insights into personal and situational influencing factors of ethical decision-making in the work context
As fast decisionmaking often plays a crucial role in businesses, the current study investigated in how far time pressure affects ethical decision-making of Type As in comparison to others (Type Bs)
Results reveal no significant differences in Type As versus Type Bs ethical decision-making regarding four different moral domains, namely moral awareness, moral judgement, moral intention, and moral behavior
Summary
The current study aims to provide insights into personal and situational influencing factors of ethical decision-making in the work context. It becomes obvious that multiple executives of WireCard as well as employees of audit corporations acted unethically, thereby damaging investors, corporations, and the credibility of all parties involved Such scandals evoke the questions: Why is unethical behavior so common in big companies and what factors endorse the occurrence of unethical behavior in individuals? It is imperative to further analyze multiple personal, contextual, and moderating influences to fully grasp ethical behavior (Brown & Treviño, 2006) In this line, the present research focuses on the effects of two factors, which are important in the occupational context.
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