Ethics education: the impact of ethics training engagement on unethical decision-making in the workplace
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Ethics education: the impact of ethics training engagement on unethical decision-making in the workplace Stanley Singer Jr 1
& Dalia
Diab 1
Accepted: 9 November 2020/ # Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract This study examined the impact of ethics training engagement (i.e., active learning vs. passive learning) on unethical decision-making in the workplace. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two conditions. Next, a baseline measurement of ethical ideology was collected using the Ethics Position Questionnaire (EPQ) and participants then engaged in ethics training based on the condition to which they were randomly assigned. They then had the option to read along or listen to a hypothetical scenario about an employee faced with the opportunity to make an unethical decision, and completed the Unethical Decision Questionnaire (UDQ). Results showed that participants in the passive learning condition were significantly more likely to perceive an unethical situation as ethical compared to participants in the active learning ethics training condition. Additionally, participants in the passive learning condition were significantly more likely to engage in unethical decisionmaking than participants in the active learning condition. The current findings contribute to the existing literature by providing evidence that active learning in ethics training programs could reduce unethical decision-making within the workplace. Keywords Ethics education . Training . Active learning . Passive learning
Introduction In the workplace, the quality of business decisions is heavily dependent on ethical considerations. For example, when laws exist that determine who may or may not
* Stanley Singer Jr [email protected] Dalia Diab [email protected]
1
Xavier University, 3800 Victory Pkwy, Cincinnati, OH 45207, USA
Singer S. Jr, Diab D.
receive healthcare benefits or continue employment based on their gender identity or sexual orientation, research is needed to understand the linkage between ethical beliefs and decision-making in a business context. The average person spends a significant portion of their life at work; thus, it is important to understand how personal ethical considerations impact business ethics. In addition to understanding personal ethical considerations and their impact on decisions made at work, it is important to consider the following: (1) approaches to ethics training, (2) engagement in ethics training material, and (3) measures of ethical decision-making. Ultimately, the goal of this review of literature is to present a comprehensive summary of the major facets that broadly explain ethics, and to summarize previous research findings on the most effective types of ethics education programs provided to employees in organizations. This information will then lead to a description of the present study—determining if engagement in one of two ethics training conditions (active learning vs. passive learning) can affect unethical decision-making. Approaches to ethics training Ethics training is d
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