How Do Graduates Feel about Working in an Unethical Organization - Research Paper Example

HOW DO GRADUATES FEEL ABOUT WORKING IN AN UNETHICAL ORGANIZATION 0 Rationale and Research Questions Organizations do not work in the vacuum, but rather operate within societal boundaries. To that effect, organizations are mandated to be socially responsible towards the societies in which they operate their businesses (Dion, 2012). Given the crucial impact of organizations on the society’s well-being, the concept of social responsibility has been gaining momentum over the decades. Furthermore, both ethical leadership and business ethics form the fulcrum of operations within organizations. Accordingly, organizations are required to develop and nurture ethical work environments that foster social responsibilities (Cornelius, 2007). Against this backdrop, the proposed research purposes to explore the attitudes of graduates towards working in unethical organization. The unprecedented growth of business ethics has necessitated the need to study the attitudes and perceptions of graduates towards work ethics, in their capacity as future employees and future leaders (Balmer, 2007). The proposed study will explore whether education in the subject areas of corporate social responsibility, sustainability and ethicality has imparted graduates with the right mindsets to face ethical dilemmas within work environments. As prospective leaders and employees, graduates are required to maintain morality and ethical awareness in their decisions (Hansen & Dunford, 2011). The main objective of this research will focus on identifying graduates’ attitudes and perceptions towards ethics and the factors that influence their decisions when assessing prospective organizations in an employment-offering situation. The research will explore the attitudes and perceptions of graduates from different study levels (bachelor and masters) and cultural viewpoints. Exploring attitudes and perceptions from different viewpoints will be necessary in assessing the role of culture and education on ethics. Moreover, the study will explore the role of education (teaching ethical issues in higher education) and gender in the formation of morals and ethics. In order to achieve robust, academic outcomes, the following research questions will be explored and answered: 1. What factors are important for graduates when considering working in particular organizations? 2. How do graduates evaluate organizations’ social responsibilities and ethics with regards to business operations? 3. How do graduates analyze different ethical dilemmas when considering applying for jobs in particular organizations? 2.0 Literature Review Concerns over corporate ethics informed the introduction of business ethics as a core subject in business schools. Educators held the view that business students were better placed to learn business ethics during their higher education to shape their attitudes towards ethics. Furthermore, researchers began investigating the attitudes of future leaders who had been exposed to business ethics during their studies. Classic studies would then focus on business students’ perceptions of business ethics and social responsibility (Crane, 2010). 2.1 Impact of Education on Attitudes Towards Ethics Education is often considered as one of the crucial variables when exploring individuals’ attitudes and perceptions towards social and ethical issues. Research findings have underscored the role and contributions of education in influencing positive values and beliefs among students (Furrer & Egri, 2010; Kim & Kim, 2010; Kum-Lung, 2010). The rationale behind this assertion is based on the thinking that behaviour and attitudes towards social and ethical issues are shaped in the course of education. Since students are future leaders and employees, education plays a crucial role in forming acceptable, ethical behaviour (Kim & Kim, 2010) Education on ethics is expected to influence sound decisions among students once they gain employment and/or take up leadership roles. Basically, education is expected to positively influence future decisions on social and ethical issues (Franke & Nadler, 2008). Findings from various studies indicate that students’ awareness and knowledge of ethical issues increases as they progress through their studies. Accumulated awareness and knowledge of ethical issues helps the students to uphold ethical conduct at their future workplaces (Franke & Nadler, 2008; Lam & Shi, 2008). Notwithstanding the contribution of education in forming ethical behaviour, dissenting voices have questioned the value of education in forming ethics among students. Research findings have shown that education does not necessarily stop individuals from engaging in fraud and other unethical conduct in their line of duty (Phau & Kea, 2007). In the same caveat, organizational culture and behaviour greatly influences employees’ behaviour. An organizational culture that encourages unethical behaviour does not usually stop an educated individual from engaging in misconduct. Arguably, organizations employ highly-educated individuals and yet grapple with corruption allegations (Dion, 2012). Apart from education, culture is another crucial variable in the study of attitudes towards ethics and social issues. 2.2 Influence of Culture on Personal Attitudes Cultures across the globe differ and the phenomenon of globalization has highly diversified cultural beliefs and attitudes on social issues. Given the diversity of culture in contemporary society, it is quite rare to report homogenous views on a particular social issue (Franke & Nadler, 2008). Most researchers have conducted studies on attitudes from cultural contexts to establish the impact of cultural beliefs on personal attitudes towards ethics and social issues (Frank & Nadler, 2008; Kum-Lung, 2010). Having acknowledged differences across cultures, researchers have also studied attitudes across varied cultural dimensions. Differences in culture and interpretation of social responsibility generate distinct attitudes across cultures and countries (Franke & Nadler, 2008)). Some societies may place more emphasis on economic aspects of social responsibility while others may focus on social aspects. Consequently, individuals will have varied attitudes towards ethics and social issues based on set priorities and definitions (Lam & Shi, 2008). The variable of culture is intricate by highly globalized societies. Research findings have shown that globalization challenges local cultures and consequently influences commonly held attitudes (Kum-Lung, 2010). Within the context of culture, gender emerges as an important variable that is worth noting. 2.3 Gender differences in Attitudes Towards Ethical Issues Researchers have often explored gender differenced in attitudes with regards to ethical and social issues. Findings from a myriad of studies have supported the notion that females are more concerned with issues of morality and ethicality than their male counterparts (Kum-Lung, 2010; Lam & Shi, 2008). In the study of corporate social responsibility, researchers have also established that females possess positive attitudes towards ethical conduct than males (Kum-Lung, 2010). Conversely, some researchers have downplayed the influence of gender on attitudes and perceptions towards ethical and social issues. The concept of gender has been studied in relation to ethical beliefs, with findings reporting insignificant differences in attitudes across genders (May, Luth & Schwoerer, 2009). The willingness to engage in unethical conduct has also been explored alongside gender. While some studies indicate gender disparities in the willingness to engage in unethical behaviour, other studies have found no differences (Kum-Lung, 2010; Pau & Kea, 2007). Gender is a crucial variable in studying attitudes on ethics but current evidence remains inconclusive, with no definite conclusions (Jewe, 2008). Based on the analysis of available literature, gaps exist in the areas of globalization and education. Most researchers have concentrated on studying the impact of education on ethics among business students (Kleinrichert & Albert, 2011). Secondly, there exists inconclusive evidence on the role of globalization on attitudes towards ethical and social issues (Kuntz, Elenkov & Pimenter, 2010). Consequently, this research will involve students from disciplines unrelated to business to establish the role of formal education on attitudes towards ethics. The research will also involve participants from multi-cultures within urban settings to determine the influence of globalization on attitudes towards ethics. Information gathered from these two variables will add value and new insights to current literature. 2.4 Theoretical Concepts The purpose of this research will be identifying attitudes and perceptions of graduates towards ethical issues. Therefore, this research will draw its theoretical underpinnings from ethical and socialization theories. Socialization theory works upon the premise of attitudes. According to Lämsä et al. (2008), attitudes guide individuals’ behaviour in relation to the “object of attitude”. Therefore, Lämsä and his colleagues assert that attitudes strongly influence an individual’s actions. Within the context of socialization theory, this research will focus on the influence of socio-cultural aspects on graduates’ motives, values, attitudes and behaviour. Ethics refers to the moral choice between good and bad, right and wrong (Franke & Nadler, 2008). According to Crane (2010), moral judgment must be based on a set of moral principles. Several theories have been developed to propose appropriate standard of right or wrong. For this research, Consequentialist ethical theories and Non-consequentialist theories will be explored. Consequentialist theories postulate that the right is determined by weighing the consequences of doing good and bad (Crane, 2010). In exploring the major theories of consequentialist, the research will explore how concepts of Utilitarianism and Egoism motivate behaviour and attitudes towards ethics (Dion, 2012). Non-consequentialist approach is based on ethics of rights and justice, as well as on ethics of duties. Ethics of duties places strong emphasis on the individual as an independent entity. As independent entities, individuals are obligated to make moral decisions based on universal laws of conduct. Individual decisions are only morally worth if they have been made on the basis of duty. For the case of ethics of rights and justice, the choice between right and wrong is based on the rights of other people. People are entitled to rights and liberties, which should be respected in decision making processes (Crane, 2010). Within the framework of the proposed research, it will be crucial to examine how personal duty and social responsibility influences graduates’ attitudes towards ethics. 3.0 Methodology The preceding discussions have provided the framework within which the proposed research will be conducted by presenting a theoretical framework and literature review. The aim of this section is to present the various methodologies that will be used to gather answers and insights on the research questions. 3.1 Philosophical Approach Philosophical approach in research establishes a framework that is crucial in answering research questions (Merriam, 2009). The proposed research will be based on a phenomenological approach, which illuminates on individuals’ perceptions of a given phenomenon. A phenomenological approach has been chosen on the basis that the research will purpose to gather in-depth information on graduates’ perceptions, beliefs and attitudes towards working in an unethical organization (Smith, Flowers & Larkin, 2009). According to Merriam (2009), phenomenological research brings to the forefront experiences and perceptions of individuals from their own personal perspectives. 3.2 Methods The proposed research will be a survey and primary data will be collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire will be used to gather qualitative data with regards to graduates’ beliefs, perceptions and attitudes towards ethics and social issues. However, the use of questionnaires presents both benefits and limitations. In terms of benefits, it will be much easier to administer the survey using questionnaires. The questionnaires will have standard and fixed response questions, which will reduce the variability of results. On the flipside, fixed response questions may limit the accuracy of answers (Andres, 2012). The survey will be administered through the internet to substantially save on time given the nature of the research. Internet surveys are also cost-effective in terms of travel costs and paper work. Furthermore, an internet survey will address the challenge of getting variable answers since participants will be blocked from moving to the next question before providing a response to the preceding question. Therefore, an internet survey will enhance accuracy and validity of primary data (Crowter & Lancaster, 2008). An internet survey is also aimed at reaching graduates from different geographic locations and diverse cultures (Andres, 2012). 3.3 Sampling The sample for the research will be non-probability and participants will be requested to participate in the research by filling out the questionnaire. Potential participants will be contacted via email through the university system. Interested participants will express their interest by replying to the email, and consequently emailed the questionnaire to provide their insights. Sporting clubs and other clubs within the university will be contacted to recruit potential respondents. Awareness will be created across social media networks to get more participants in the research. Non-probability sampling has the advantage of getting more participants within the shortest time. However, non-responsiveness and unrepresented sample size may hamper transferability of results to other populations (Cochran, 2007). Approximately 500 participants will be targeted to cancel out the impact of non-responsive respondents. 3.4 Ethical Considerations The British Psychological Society (2010) has developed the Code of Human Research Ethics to govern research involving human participants. Based on this code, the first page of the questionnaire will contain the aim and purpose of the research, the kind of data to be collected, its use and storage in order to ensure that every participant is well informed. Participants will not be required to include their names and addresses on any part of the questionnaire to uphold the principle of anonymity. Information gathered from the participants will be solely used for academic purposes and completed questionnaires will not be shared or redistributed to third parties in order to uphold the principle of confidentiality. Finally, participants who will send email messages requesting for questionnaires would have consented to participate in the research. 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