Ethical Decision Making in Organizations: A Person-Situation Interactionist Model

TLDR

The model builds on Kohlberg’s cognitive moral development framework, which supplies definitions, measurement tools, and theoretical foundations for future business ethics research. The study proposes an interactionist model that integrates individual and situational variables to explain and predict ethical decision‑making behavior in organizations. The model combines individual variables such as moral development with situational variables to predict ethical decision‑making. The authors present research propositions and discuss practical implications.

Abstract

An interactionist model of ethical decision making in organizations is proposed. The model combines individual variables (moral development, etc.) with situational variables to explain and predict the ethical decision-making behavior of individuals in organizations. A major component of the model is based on Kohlberg's cognitive moral development model which provides the construct definition, measurement tools, and theory base to guide future business ethics research. Research propositions are offered and practical implications are discussed.