Ethical decision making: A review of the empirical literature

The authors review the empirical literature in order to assess which variables are postulated as influencing ethical beliefs and decision making. The variables are divided into those unique to the individual decision maker and those considered situational in nature. Variables related to an individual decision maker examined in this review are nationality, religion, sex, age, education, employment, and personality. Situation specific variables examined in this review are referent groups, rewards and sanctions, codes of conduct, type of ethical conflict, organization effects, industry, and business competitiveness. The review identifies the variables that have been empirically tested in an effort to uncover what is known and what we need to know about the variables that are hypothesized as determinants of ethical decision behavior.Robert C. Ford is a professor of management at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has authored or coauthored two texts and a number of published articles in a variety of journals including theAcademy of Management Journal, Journal of Management, Journal of Applied Psychology, California Management Review, andBusiness Horizons. He is the incoming President of the Southern Management Association and has served the Academy of Management as Chairs of the Management History Division, the Management Education and Development Division, and Placement Director.Woodrow D. Richardson is an assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has published inHealth Care Management Review, Simulation & Gaming, andSmall Business Controlling. He teaches courses in Business & Society and Business Policy, and he was the recipient of the University Excellence in Teaching Award in 1989.