ABSTRACT

The environment of organized scholarship helps set the stage for departures from norms. There is little argument about the influence of structure on scholarship and science, but that influence is not determinative. The authors present a Venn diagram depicting a conceptual framework in which the structural is one ring; the others are organizational, cultural, individual and situational. Most scholars work within organizations such as universities or research institutes. To a certain degree, these organizations give expression to the structural pressures such as publish-or-perish in their hiring, retention and promotion practices. Research has shown that self-reported departures from acceptable scholarly practices is associated with procedural justice, which associates misconduct with general norms related to fairness. The authors conclude that organizations are a promising vehicle for changes in the future reduction of scholarly offenses.