Moral Intensity and School Principals’ Ethical Decision-Making: An Empirical Study

Abstract

This study is based on Jones’s (Academy of Management Review 1(2):366–395, 1991) theoretic model and explores the relationship between perceived moral intensity and the first three stages (moral recognition, judgment, and intention) of the ethical decision-making process for school principals. A survey consisting of four scenarios was conducted with 790 school principals in Taiwan. The results revealed differences in perceived moral intensity and the ethical decision-making process between scenarios. The two-factor solution for moral intensity and the relationship between moral intensity and moral recognition, judgment, and intention were found to support Jones’s (1991) theory. In addition, perceived potential harm appeared to have a stronger relationship with moral judgment and intention. However, the correlation between moral intensity and principals’ moral recognition appeared to be weak.