Portraying the nature of corruption: Using an explorative case-study design

What is the nature of corruption in Western democracies? To answer this research question, the authors study 10 Dutch corruption cases in depth, looking at confidential criminal files. The cases allow them to sketch a general profile of a corruption case. The authors offer nine propositions to portray the nature of corruption. They conclude that corruption usually takes place within enduring relationships, that the process of becoming corrupt can be characterized as a slippery slope, and that important motives for corruption, aside from material gain, include friendship or love, status, and the desire to impress others. The explorative multiple case study methodology helps to expand our understanding of the way in which officials become corrupt. © 2008 The American Society for Public Administration

The influences of vicarious learning and individual differences on ethical decision making in the organization : an experiment

Typescript (photocopy).Ethical/unethical behavior in the organization is proposed to be a function of both the environment (organizational variables) and the person (individual difference variables). Organizations can influence ethical decision making behavior through the reward system and the effective use of vicarious reinforcement. In addition, differences in individuals influence the way people regulate their own behavior through their cognitive interpretation of ethical dilemma situations. This research investigated the influences of vicarious reinforcement, cognitive moral development, locus of control and decision making processes on ethical decision making behavior. An MBA student sample completed an in-basket exercise. Three decisions involving ethical concerns were embedded in the exercise. Vicarious reinforcement (ethical behavior rewarded, unethical behavior punished) was manipulated via information in the in-basket. In addition, subjects completed two additional questionnaires related to the in-basket exercise, the Defining Issues Test, an objective measure of cognitive moral development and Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control scale. An hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the specified model explained fifty-one percent of the variance in overall committed ethicality. The individual difference variables, particularly locus of control, explained the largest amount of the variance. Internals were significantly more ethical than externals. Subjects with higher cognitive moral development scores were also significantly more ethical. Next in importance were the decision making process variables, particularly the use of ethics principles in explaining decisions and the expectation of punishment for unethical behavior. Subjects who referred to ethics principles in explaining their decisions and subjects with higher expectations of punishment for unethical behavior were significantly more ethical. A significant interaction between vicarious reinforcement and locus of control also explained a significant amount of the variance. Internals responded predictably to vicarious reinforcement. However, externals exhibited a negative response to vicarious punishment. The smallest amount of variance was explained by the vicarious reinforcement conditions. Only vicarious punishment significantly influenced overall committed ethicality. Observers of a model who was punished for unethical behavior were significantly more ethical. Implications of these findings for management and future research are discussed

The influences of vicarious learning and individual differences on ethical decision making in the organization : an experiment

Typescript (photocopy).Ethical/unethical behavior in the organization is proposed to be a function of both the environment (organizational variables) and the person (individual difference variables). Organizations can influence ethical decision making behavior through the reward system and the effective use of vicarious reinforcement. In addition, differences in individuals influence the way people regulate their own behavior through their cognitive interpretation of ethical dilemma situations. This research investigated the influences of vicarious reinforcement, cognitive moral development, locus of control and decision making processes on ethical decision making behavior. An MBA student sample completed an in-basket exercise. Three decisions involving ethical concerns were embedded in the exercise. Vicarious reinforcement (ethical behavior rewarded, unethical behavior punished) was manipulated via information in the in-basket. In addition, subjects completed two additional questionnaires related to the in-basket exercise, the Defining Issues Test, an objective measure of cognitive moral development and Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control scale. An hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the specified model explained fifty-one percent of the variance in overall committed ethicality. The individual difference variables, particularly locus of control, explained the largest amount of the variance. Internals were significantly more ethical than externals. Subjects with higher cognitive moral development scores were also significantly more ethical. Next in importance were the decision making process variables, particularly the use of ethics principles in explaining decisions and the expectation of punishment for unethical behavior. Subjects who referred to ethics principles in explaining their decisions and subjects with higher expectations of punishment for unethical behavior were significantly more ethical. A significant interaction between vicarious reinforcement and locus of control also explained a significant amount of the variance. Internals responded predictably to vicarious reinforcement. However, externals exhibited a negative response to vicarious punishment. The smallest amount of variance was explained by the vicarious reinforcement conditions. Only vicarious punishment significantly influenced overall committed ethicality. Observers of a model who was punished for unethical behavior were significantly more ethical. Implications of these findings for management and future research are discussed

Integrated and Decoupled Corporate Social Performance: Management Commitments, External Pressures, and Corporate Ethics Practices

Corporations can respond to expectations for socially responsible processes and outcomes in organizationally integrated ways or in easily decoupled fashion. This study focused on a particular type of socially responsible organizational process: formal corporate ethics programs. Theory suggests that external pressures for social performance encourage easily decoupled processes but that top management commitments can encourage both easily decoupled and integrated processes. Analysis of survey and archival data generally supported this position. Implications for social performance research, practice, and public policy are discussed

The influence of eligibility on employees\u27 reactions to voluntary workforce reductions

This study examined employees\u27 reactions to a voluntary severance program (VSP). Results generally supported a model that links perceptions of justice-based attributes (adequacy of outplacement help; consistency, objectivity, and ethicality of procedures) with affective commitment and intentions to leave. We also considered the main and moderating effects of a particular voluntary severance outcome, eligibility. Eligibility was associated with both commitment and turnover intentions, and moderated the effect of perceived adequacy of outplacement help on turnover intentions, as well as the effect of perceived procedural fairness on commitment. Control variables representing demographics (age), perceived fairness of a previous early retirement program, and anticipation of future layoffs also significantly influenced both outcomes. Implications for future research and for management are discussed

Corporate Ethics Programs as Control Systems: Influences of Executive Commitment and Environmental Factors

Our study asked why corporations introduce formal programs to manage ethics and why those programs display varying characteristics. We used control theory to delineate an ethics program's scope and its orientation toward compliance- and values-based control. Managerial choice theory suggests that environmental factors and management's ethical commitment will influence these dimensions. Environmental factors were the stronger influences on scope, but management commitment was the stronger determinant of control orientation. Research and policy implications are discussed