The Use of Organizational Culture in Ethics Training

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The Use of Organizational Culture in Ethics Training |

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Asha TaylorMGT 4483Sorrell College of Business, Troy University |

The Use of Organizational Culture in Ethics Training

Abstract

The primary purpose of this paper is to determine whether ethics training promotes employees’ perceptions of an organization’s ethical environment. The answer to this question is important because “the results could potentially affect the manner in which various ethics initiatives can be developed and managed” (Valentine, 2004, p. 391). If there is not a connection between ethics training and perceived ethical values, then companies can create an ethical environment through extensive training that highlights key ethical principles and guidelines. The increased awareness of ethics could improve an individual’s ability to effectively respond to an ethical situation that is commonly faced throughout a work environment.

Ethics training helps to increase ethical standards as employees learn how to explore and to identify the positive actions and decisions suitable for both their everyday lives and on the job. Ethics training is of vital importance to both the company and the employee due to the fact that legal and financial consequences can occur according to the decisions that an employee choses to implement. There are several factors that may influence an employee’s ethical behavior. One includes the manager of the organization. The manager may, in fact, play the biggest role as their decisions and leadership impacts employees the most. Personality, beliefs, and personal standards also all play a role for managers and the influence over employees. Another factor would be the external environment, including regulations, laws, and generally held values. Lastly, organizational culture plays a large role in the impact that it has on employees as it is reflected in the organization’s vision, values, working language, norms, systems, symbols, beliefs, and...