Organizational ethics and position relationship moderators among knowledge workers: a regional study of Poland

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research explores organizational ethics among knowledge workers using ICT4Ds in regional enterprises in Poland before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The study addresses the importance of understanding how ethics in organizations, particularly ethical optimism, corporate social responsibility, and top management action, have evolved across these periods. This topic is crucial as organizational ethics influence employee behavior and decision-making, particularly during crises. The research question focuses on how organizational ethics, influenced by gender and the pandemic, differ by position. Online surveys and random sampling were employed to collect data among knowledge workers (139 before, 134 during, and 98 after the pandemic). The study applied multivariate statistical methods, including variance analysis and causal moderation. Findings were that superiors rated organizational ethics higher than subordinates, and ethical optimism fluctuated, rising during the pandemic and dropping afterward. The study contributes to understanding the role of gender and crises as moderators in organizational ethics, benefiting managers and policymakers.