The Ethics of Meaningful Work: Types and Magnitude of Job-Related Harm and the Ethical Decision-Making Process

This research on the ethics of meaningful work examined how types of job-related harm (physical, economic, emotional, and cognitive) and their magnitude of consequences (MOC, low, high) influenced components of ethical decision-making (moral recognition, moral evaluations, and moral intentions). The...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of business ethics 2014-06, Vol.121 (4), p.651-671
Main Authors: May, Douglas R., Li, Cuifang, Mencl, Jennifer, Huang, Ching-Chu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Business
Business and Management
Business Ethics
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Cognition
Cognition & reasoning
Cognitive psychology
Compensation (law)
Decision making
Education
Emotional expression
Emotions
Employees
Employment
Environmental ethics
Ethical behavior
Ethics
Evaluation
International maritime organization
Job design
Labor policy
Layoffs
Literature reviews
Management
Moral judgment
Morality
Morals
Motivation
Organization theory
Philosophy
Professional ethics
Quality of Life Research
Social ethics
Studies
Working conditions
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Summary:This research on the ethics of meaningful work examined how types of job-related harm (physical, economic, emotional, and cognitive) and their magnitude of consequences (MOC, low, high) influenced components of ethical decision-making (moral recognition, moral evaluations, and moral intentions). The research also investigated the moderating effects of individual differences (experience with carpal tunnel syndrome, experience with layoffs, ability to read others' emotions, and intrinsic motivation orientation [IMO]) on the relation between the MOC and the ethical decision-making elements for each type of harm. Using a sample of 185 Chinese professionals, a between-subjects, fully crossed experimental scenario design revealed that physical and economic job-related harm were recognized as moral issues to a greater extent than cognitive or emotional harm. Second, physical job-related harm stimulated a higher level of moral evaluations than economic and cognitive harm. Third, individuals intended to act ethically when MOC was high versus low. Finally, experience with layoffs and IMO helped explain the relations between MOC and moral evaluations for economic and cognitive job-related harm, respectively. Implications for research and management are discussed.
ISSN:0167-4544
1573-0697
DOI:10.1007/s10551-013-1736-9