ABSTRACT
Behavioral ethicists have long been concerned with why moral transgressions occur and how they can be prevented (Treviño, Weaver, & Reynolds, 2006). Frequently, this entails examining unethical behavior in one of two ways. In the first, and probably the most common instance, researchers have investigated the individual determinants of transgressions. For example, studies have examined moral development (e.g., Ashkanasy, Windsor, & Treviño, 2006; Reynolds, 2006; Reynolds & Ceranic, 2007; Schminke, Ambrose, & Newbaum, 2005) and assorted models of ethical decision making (e.g., Connolly & Hardman, 2009; Coughlan & Connolly, 2008; Krebs & Denton, 2005; Treviño, 1986; Treviño & Youngblood, 1990). A second research tradition emphasizes characteristics of organizations. For example, scholars have documented the important influence of ethical work climates (e.g., Arnaud & Schminke, 2007; Dickson, Smith, Grojean, & Ehrhart, 2001; Martin & Cullen, 2006; Schminke, Arnaud, & Kuenzi, 2007; Victor & Cullen, 1988), collective corruption (e.g., Ashforth & Anand, 2003; Brief, Bertram, & Dukerich, 2001; Palmer, 2008), and formal policies that could encourage or discourage unethical conduct (e.g., Robertson & Anderson, 1993; Smith, Simpson, & Huang, 2007; Treviño & Weaver, 2001). Speaking practically, it is the action of individuals, often managers, who span the chasm between individual integrity and into workplace action.
