ETHICS

Question 1

What is ethics?

Answer 1

Branch of philosophy that determines what’s “right and what’s “wrong”. Binary and elastic - not black and white and have a grey area.

Question 2

Types of unethical behaviour

Answer 2

1. Unlawful behaviour
2. Selfish behaviour
3. Nepotism
4. Bullying
5. Corruption
6. Lying/cheating/stealing
7. Sexual harrasment and abuse
8. Discrimination
9. Non-accountability
10. Bystanding or encouraging unethical behaviour

Question 3

What is ethical behaviour?

Answer 3

Behaviour that reaches or exceeds moral standards held.

Question 4

Causes of unethical behaviour (intrinsic)

Answer 4

1. Greed/self interest
2. Hubris
3. Dark Triad:
   - Narcissism
   - Machiavellianism
   - Pyscopathy
4. Moral disengagement
5. Cognitive biases

Question 5

Causes of unethical behaviour (structural)

Answer 5

1. Lack of resources
2. Lack of transparency
3. Unethical norms
4. Little to no consequences for unethical behaviour
5. Rewards for unethical behaviour
6. Excessive power
7. Excessive shareholder orientation

Question 6

How to fix?

Answer 6

Can be trained:
- Moral efficacy
- Moral reasoning
- Moral awareness

Cannot be trained:
- moral courage
- temperament (affect)
- Moral identity

Question 7

Informal elements to fix unethical behaviour

Answer 7

1. being fair
2. Ethical leadership
3. Teamwork (same shared set of VABs can encourage a team member to do the same)

Question 8

Formal elements to fix unethical behaviour

Answer 8

1. communicating ethical codes and policies to employees effectively (e.g. training, monitoring and rewards for ethical behaviour, penalties for unethical behaviour)