| Is it possible for an individual with strong | | | | these practices would be viewed as unethical |
| moral values to make ethically questionable | | | | and perhaps illegal. The actions and |
| decisions in a business setting? What affects | | | | decisions of coworkers is another social |
| a person's inclination to make either ethical | | | | factor believed to shape a person's sense of |
| or unethical decisions in a business | | | | business ethics. For example, if your |
| organization? Although the answers to that | | | | coworkers make long-distance telephone calls |
| question are not entirely clear, there appear | | | | on company time and at company expense, you |
| to be three general sets of factors that | | | | might view that behavior as acceptable and |
| influence the standards of behavior in an | | | | ethical because everyone does it. Significant |
| organization; individual factors, social | | | | others are persons to whom someone is |
| factors and opportunity.Several individual | | | | emotionally attached-spouses, friends, and |
| factors influence the level of ethical | | | | relatives, for instance. Their moral values |
| behavior in an organization. An individual's | | | | and attitudes can also affect an employee's |
| knowledge level regarding an issue can help | | | | perception of what is ethical and unethical |
| to determine ethical behavior. A decision | | | | in the workplace.Opportunity refers to the |
| maker with a greater amount of knowledge | | | | amount of freedom an organization gives an |
| regarding an object or situation may take | | | | employee to behave ethically if he or she |
| steps to avoid ethical problems, whereas a | | | | makes that choice. In some organizations, |
| less-informed person may unknowingly take | | | | certain company policies and procedures |
| action that leads to an ethical conflict. | | | | reduce the opportunity to be unethical. For |
| One's moral values and central, value-related | | | | example, at some fast-food restaurants, one |
| attitudes clearly influence his or her | | | | person takes your order and receives your |
| business behavior. Most people join | | | | payment and another person fills the order. |
| organizations to accomplish personal goals. | | | | This procedure reduces the opportunity to be |
| The types of personal goals an individual | | | | unethical because the person handling the |
| aspires to and the manner in which these | | | | money is not dispensing the product, and the |
| goals are pursued have significant impact on | | | | person giving out the product is not handling |
| that individual's behavior in an | | | | the money. The existence of an ethical code |
| organization.A person's behavior in the | | | | and the importance management places on this |
| workplace is, to some degree, determined by | | | | code are other determinants of opportunity. |
| cultural norms, and these social factors vary | | | | The degree of enforcement of company |
| from one culture to another. For example, in | | | | policies, procedures, and ethical codes is a |
| some countries it is acceptable and ethical | | | | major force affecting opportunity. When |
| for customs agents to receive gratuities for | | | | violations are dealt with consistently and |
| performing ordinary, legal tasks that are a | | | | firmly, the opportunity to be unethical is |
| part of jobs, whereas in other countries | | | | reduced. |