Propensity to Corrupt Decisions of Pre-Candidates to the 2020 Brazilian Municipal Elections

- Objective: to analyze the propensity for corrupt decision-making by pre-candidates for mayor and councilor, analyzing the 2020 Brazilian municipal elections. - Theoretical framework: the study is theoretically based on the behavioral aspect of corruption, as deviant behavior, as well as intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to corruption, which are subdivided into: propensity to unethical decision-making, individual self-control, moral identity, guilt, and disengagement moral. - Methodology: A quantitative, exploratory, and descriptive study was conducted. In the operationalization, a cross-sectional survey was used, with the data collected through a structured questionnaire applied to a valid sample of 115 pre-candidates for the 2020 municipal elections. The data analysis used univariate and bivariate statistical techniques. - Results: (1) a sample have low propensity for unethical decision-making, high individual self-control, high moral identity, low guilt, and low propensity for moral disengagement; (2) there is a significant and positive association between the variables of individual self-control with guilt, moral disengagement; and moral identity is shown to be positively associated with moral disengagement, and moral disengagement positively with the variable of having a previous elective position or not. - Originality: The main contribution of the research is the analysis of the theme on municipal legislators and executors, in the version of pre-candidates. - Theoretical and practical contributions: (1) low representation of women even as pre-candidates; (2) the sample considers the ‘other’ pre-willing politicians to make unethical decision-making, but not themselves; (3) sample with a high capacity for self-control, especially the part of the sample that did not have a previous elective position; (4) women have a higher degree of guilt than men, that is, they are less disposed to unethical decisions or corruption; (5) it can be said that the sample has a low propensity to deviant behaviors, that is, corruption.

Dealing With Ethical Dilemma

The unique role of salespeople as “revenue generators” for any organization is pivotal for its growth and success. An interfacing role of salesperson between organization and customers facilitates customer belief and builds long-term relationships. Due to affiliative separation, salespersons face ethical dilemmas more often than their counterparts. The chapter delineates the unique characteristics of sales behavior and major influencers that affect a salesperson's ethical/unethical decision making. The authors recommend designing of effective ethical plan and its implementation to inculcate a robust ethical environment/culture within an organization.

Factors Affecting Compliance to Ethical Standards in Public Procurement in Kenya: A Behavioral Model of Ethical and Unethical Decision Making Perspective

The study sought to investigate the factors affecting compliance to ethical standards in public procurement in Kenya. The study adopted it is specific objectives from a behavioral model of ethical and unethical decision making that is; professionalism factors, social factors, personality factors, legal framework factors and work environment factors on how they affect compliance to ethical standards in public procurement in Kenya. The study adopted descriptive research design as the study design, the population of the study was 40 employees and since the population was small the researcher employed census research design where all employees took part in the research. Primary data collection method was used by administering structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The finding of the study revealed that professionalism factors, legal framework factors, and work environment factors had a positive and statistical significant influence on compliance to ethical standards in public procurement in Kenya. Personal factors and social factors were found not to have statistical significant influence on compliance to ethical standards in public procurement in Kenya. The study recommended that administrative bodies and judiciary should enforce sanction to people who contravenes rules and code of ethics in public procurement. Public organization to invest in training their employees in public procurement code of ethics and rules to avoid the ignorance’s currently observed. This study had implications on knowledge and practices since it did not only investigate factors affecting compliance to ethical standards in public procurement in Kenya but also informed that professionalism factors, legal framework factors and work environment factors were the major factors affecting compliance to ethical standards in public procurement in Kenya.

The mediating role of competitive orientation in determining self-construal in unethical decision-making

PurposeThe ethics literature has focused on the influence of self-construal dimensions on unethical decision-making. However, the literature is unclear about why these self-construal dimensions (Independent-self, Relational-self, Collective-self) impact differently on unethical decision-making. Based on the theory of cooperation and competition, this study empirically examines the mediating role of competitive orientation and addresses the theoretically unexplained question of why self-construal dimensions influence differently on unethical decision-making.Design/methodology/approachBased on the deductive approach, a quantitative research study was conducted on the Sri Lankan banking industry because there have been many instances of unethical behavior reported in this sector lately. Data were collected from 305 bank branch managers using a structured survey questionnaire.FindingsThe findings revealed that competitive orientation mediates the self-construal dimensions and explained that competitive orientation is one reason why independent-self, relational-self and collective-self influence differently on unethical decision-making.Originality/valueThis paper addresses the unanswered question of why self-construal dimensions relate to unethical decision-making differently.

When and Why Contexts Predict Unethical Behavior: Evidence From a Laboratory Bribery Game

In economic unethical decision-making experiments, one important methodological investigation is what types of contexts should be used to frame the instructions. Within the experimental economics community, using neutral-context instructions instead of loaded-context instructions is the mainstream practice. Because the loaded contexts may impact behavior in an unpredictable manner and therefore, put experimental control at risk. Nevertheless, using the loaded-context instructions could be advantageous in several ways. A properly framed context can help to facilitate learning and gain ecological validity. The challenge is whether we can identify when and why the loaded context may alter behavior. In this paper, we aim to test if being familiar with a loaded context can systematically influence unethical decisions in a bribery game. We conduct a laboratory bribery game experiment with three different treatments: the neutral-context treatment, the familiar-context treatment, and the unfamiliar-context treatment. Using the neutral-context treatment as a benchmark, we find that participants in the familiar-context treatment express stronger negative attitudes toward corruption. Attitudes toward unethical behavior are the same in the neutral-context treatment and the unfamiliar-context treatment. Behaviorally, the participants in the familiar-context treatment are much less likely to engage in corrupt activities. The neutral-context treatment and the unfamiliar-context treatment produce the same behavioral outcome.

Business Ethics Training in Human Resource Development: A Literature Review

In view of corporate wrongdoings like Enron’s accounting fraud and Volkswagen’s emissions scandal, the need to prevent unethical decision-making in the business sector has become widely accepted. Human resource development is of high relevance in this regard: a multiplicity of companies utilizes ethics training programs to teach their managers and employees business ethics and to develop their ethical competences. However, knowledge about the efficacy of these training programs is still rather fragile. In the present study, we (a) develop a framework of relevant design categories to consider in creating ethics training programs; (b) consolidate empirical insights by reviewing 92 studies about the effectiveness of standalone business ethics training programs regarding their impact, dependent variable and measurement methods, design, and conceptual foundation; and (c) identify remaining research gaps and provide theoretical-conceptual considerations for further investigation.

Beware the politically skilled maverick: political skill interacts with maverickism to predict unethical decision-making

PurposeAcross two studies, the current research investigates whether individuals high in maverickism, which incorporates tendencies of creativity, risk-taking, goal-orientation and disruption are likely to make poorer ethical decisions and whether political skill promotes or hinders good ethical judgment.Design/methodology/approachParticipants completed an online questionnaire and an ethical dilemma.FindingsResults with UK (Study 1, N = 300) and Australian workers (Study 2, N = 217) revealed that political skill significantly moderated the maverickism-unethical decision-making relationship. Unethical decision-making was highest for those high in maverickism and political skill.Research limitations/implicationsResults highlight that for individuals high in maverickism, political skill facilitates rather than reduces the breaching of ethical norms.Practical implicationsResults show that while political skill has traditionally been seen as adaptive in organizations, being politically skilled can contribute to engaging in unethical behavior.Originality/valueThis research provides a new and interesting view of how being politically skilled can negatively impact ethical behavior and identifies another individual difference variable, maverickism, which predicts unethical behavior.