Organizational ethics

Abstract

This chapter looks at theories and evidence regarding forces within an organization that influence journalists’ ethical decisions and behavior. Research has consistently shown the importance of organizational culture when examining journalism ethics. One early theory specific to understanding ethics in organizational settings – ethical climate theory – is examined. It has been used to test ways to reduce unethical behavior in organizations and promote ethical decision making by individuals. Next, the chapter considers an important question in journalism today: how the absence of an organization affects journalists’ ethics, particularly for citizen journalists and entrepreneurial journalists. The chapter ends with research on how organizations can spot ethical infractions by journalists and offers suggestions for testing some of the recommendations offered in the chapter.