Does Ethical Climate Influence Unethical Practices and Work Behaviour?

Abstract

This study examines whether ethical climate influences managers' unethical practices and work behaviour. The sample comprised of 340 middle-level executives from twa private and two public sector companies. Irrespective of the nature of the organization and the age of the managers, while a caring and professional climate reduced only the manipulative behaviour of managers, an individual-centred climate consistently fostered unethical practices of manipulation, cheating and violation of organizational norms. On work behaviour, a caring and professional climate was conducive for increasing managers' performance, involvement, affective commitment, predominant intrinsic job satisfaction, extrinsic job satisfaction and taking initiative; while an individual-centred climate was unfavourable for continuance commitment to the organization.