Testing a Joint Moderator of Ego Strength and Ethical Climate: A Study of the Process of Peer Reporting Intentions in IT Ethics

Abstract

This investigation examines how ego strength and organizational ethical climate jointly moderate the ethical decision making process involved in forming peer reporting intentions. A conceptual model is proposed, in which peer reporting intentions are influenced simultaneously by subjective norm, ethical judgments, and attitudes. Additionally, the relationships are moderated by a joint moderator, which combines ego strength and ethical climate. The subjects, namely MIS students, were provided with scenarios depicting unethical IT behavior by colleagues and asked if they would have peer reporting intentions in these situations. Test results confirm that subjective norm and attitudes influence peer reporting intentions, and partially support the influence of ethical judgment. Notably, compared with low ego strength individuals under an unclear ethical climate (LU individuals), high ego strength individuals under a clear ethical climate (HC individuals) display a stronger relationship between ethical judgment and peer reporting intentions. Finally, the influences of subjective norm and attitudes on peer reporting intentions are similar for both LU and HC individuals. The implications of this situation are discussed as well.