Existing research on the formation of employee ethical climate perceptions focuses mainly on organization characteristics as antecedents, and although other constructs have been considered, these constructs have typically been studied in isolation. Thus, our understanding of the context in which ethical climate perceptions develop is incomplete. To address this limitation, we build upon the work of Rupp (Organ Psychol Rev 1:72-94, 2011) to develop and test a multi-experience model of ethical climate which links aspects of the corporate social responsibility (CSR), ethics, justice, and trust literatures and helps to explain how employees' ethical climate perceptions form. We argue that in forming ethical climate perceptions, employees consider the actions or characteristics of a complex web of actors. Specifically, we propose that employees look (1) outward at how communities are impacted by their organization's actions (e.g., CSR), (2) upward to make inferences about the ethicality of leaders in their organizations (e.g., ethical leadership), and (3) inward at their own propensity to trust others as they form their perceptions. Using a multiple-wave field study (N = 201) conducted at a privately held US corporation, we find substantial evidence in support of our model.
Research has typically examined culture as an independent or moderating variable. In this empirical study, we examine culture as a dependent variable and specifically investigate whether higher levels of economic performance might shape a national culture more supportive of entrepreneurial activities. Analysis controlling for the effects of unobserved country-specific factors and prior levels of economic development reveals that people in nations with greater gains in per capita GDP tend to place greater value on jobs that allow for achievement, the exercise of initiative, and more interesting and challenging work. Results show that people in nations with below average economic performance become less enterprising/entrepreneurial and that the propensity for nations to converge on pro-entrepreneurial values will depend on how economic performance is distributed across countries. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
At a time when some are questioning the relevancy of business education in general, others are now asking whether MBA programs should be blamed for society's declining trust in business and the numerous corporate ethical failures of recent decades. Whether the full blame lies with business schools or not, MBA instructors are actively seeking more effective ways to help students adopt more practical and ethical managerial paradigms. Because trust theory is simple and robust and outlines the basic mental processes that drive economic exchange while simultaneously prioritizing ethical behavior, in this article, we argue that it is distinctively suited to operationalize stakeholder theory in the classroom, providing MBA students with both a principled and a practical foundation or thematic platform for their MBA coursework and subsequent careers. We also discuss potential challenges and limitations and provide recommendations for future research.
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