Abstract
This study probed a crucial assumption underlying much of the ethics theory and research: do managers perceive ethical behavior to be an important personal job requirement? A large sample of managers from a cross-section of industries and job functions indicated that, compared to other job duties, certain ethical behaviors were moderate to somewhat major parts of their jobs. Some noteworthy differences by industry, organization size, tenure and job function were also found. These findings underscore the importance of ethics for business education. They also have implications for manager selection, training, and development by organizations.
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Ralph A. Mortensen is Director of Renaissance Campus Business Programs at the University of Detroit, where he also teaches business classes in human resources, management principles and organization change and development. His current research interests include management job skill requirements, and management skill assessment and development.
Jack E. Smith is Associate Professor at the College of Business and Administration, University of Detroit. He is active in consulting for several major corporations and has published in a number of professional journals including Personnel Psychology and The CPA Journal. He is currently pilot-testing a management skills development course for MBA students.
Gerald F. Cavanagh, S.J., is Professor of Management at University of Detroit. He also held the Dirksen Chair of Business Ethics at Santa Clara University and the Gasson Chair at Boston College. He is author of five books. His articles have appeared in Academy of Management Review, Organizational Dynamics, and California Management Review. He has served as chairperson of the Social Issues Division of the Academy of Management.
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Mortensen, R.A., Smith, J.E. & Cavanagh, G.F. The importance of ethics to job performance: An empirical investigation of managers' perceptions. J Bus Ethics 8, 253–260 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00383339
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00383339