The Influence of Business School’s Ethical Climate on Students’ Unethical Behavior

Thomas Birtch () and Flora Chiang ()

Journal of Business Ethics, 2014, vol. 123, issue 2, 283-294

Abstract: Business schools play an instrumental role in laying the foundations for ethical behavior and socially responsible actions in the business community. Drawing on social learning and identity theories and using data collected from undergraduate business students (n = 318), we found that ethical climate was a significant predictor of unethical behavior, such that students with positive perceptions about their business school’s ethical climate were more likely to refrain from unethical behaviors. Moreover, we found that high moral and institutional identities strengthened the effect of ethical climate on unethical behavior. In addition to novel theoretical contributions to the business ethics and socio-psychology literature, this study offers practical pathways through which business schools can nurture and instill the values and behaviors that ultimately help shape positive organizational ethics. Directions for future research are provided. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Keywords: Ethical climate; Unethical behavior; Social learning; Moral identity; Institutional identity; Business education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:123:y:2014:i:2:p:283-294

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DOI: 10.1007/s10551-013-1795-y

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