Doing as they would do: How the perceived ethical preferences of third-party beneficiaries impact ethical decision-making

Scott S. Wiltermuth, Victor M. Bennett and Lamar Pierce

Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2013, vol. 122, issue 2, 280-290

Abstract: Although unethical behavior often benefits third-parties not directly complicit in the misconduct, not all beneficiaries welcome these ill-gotten benefits. We investigate whether actors consider the ethical preferences of potential beneficiaries or rely solely on their own ethical predispositions when making decisions that affect others. Three studies demonstrate that the perceived ethical preferences of these beneficiaries can substantially influence the likelihood that actors behave unethically on their behalves. These studies show that actors consider the ethical preferences of beneficiaries only when their own ethical disposition is outcome-based.

Keywords: Ethical decision making; Behavioral ethics; Ethical predisposition; Ethics; Morality; Moral; Immoral; Cheating; Decision making; Dishonesty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:122:y:2013:i:2:p:280-290

DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2013.10.001

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